Dunfermline Folk Festival to pay tribute to club founder John Watt

Dunfermline Folk Festival will pay tribute to one of the giants of the musical world, John Watt.

Mr Watt, who died four years ago, was the founder of the first Dunfermline Folk Club, which went on to play host to such artists as Barbara Dickson and Billy Connolly.

It in 1961 that Mr Watt was instrumental in organising the first folk club, which met in a cellar in Chalmers Street and became known as the Howff, hosting the best known names in Scottish folk music, including Bert Jansch, Artie Fisher and The Corries.

Known as a performer and songwriter, virtually all his songs were about Dunfermline and Fife, including the Kelty Clippie and Pittenweem Jo.

The weekend runs from October 30 to November 1 and includes Tich Frier and Neil Paterson’s celebration of the life and works of John Watt in the Fire Station Creative.

Sessions will be held in the Thistle Tavern and the festival closes with a concert there featuring The Quiggs.

An exhibition of photographs of the Howff will run in the Fire Station Creative.