Scotland’s diversity will be celebrated at a new festival held on St Andrew’s Day tomorrow.
The Fusion Festival aims to highlight the many different groups and cultures that make up modern day Scotland, with a wide range of entertainment including Bollywood dancing, Ukrainian folk music and Indian and Malaysian percussion.
Scottish fiddler Robbie Ward and Grenadian drummer Howie McLeod got together at Dundee’s iconic penguins to get in some last minute practice ahead of their performances at the St Andrew’s Day Fusion Festival, taking place at City Square.
The festival is one of many special events and festivals taking place across the country in celebration of Scotland’s national day, from a stunning torchlight procession through the west end of Glasgow with street band Samba Ya Bamba; a range of folk, classical and choral concerts at the Saltire Festival in East Lothian; an open air street party and the world’s biggest ceilidh in St Andrews; to a four-day festival of light at Irvine’s harbourside.
The events are part of the Scottish Government’s Scotland’s Winter Festivals programme which will run across the country in the lead up to St Andrew’s Day, through Christmas and Hogmanay, to Burns Night.
Bob Duncan, Chair of Leisure & Culture Dundee said: “The Fusion Festival is a great way of bringing all the communities in Dundee together to celebrate St Andrew’s Day. We will highlight diverse styles of music and dance that link Scotland to other countries around the globe, including India, Pakistan, Europe and Africa. I would encourage everyone to bring along their family and friends tomorrow and enjoy the fun.”
The full event programme is available on scotland.org/winter