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Everything you need to know about Anstruther Harbour Festival

With the traditional muster, a ceilidh, food and drink aplenty, activities for children and a closing gig it's set to be an eventful festival.

There will be dancing once again at this year's Anstruther Harbour Festival. Image: Steve MacDougall/DC Thomson
There will be dancing once again at this year's Anstruther Harbour Festival. Image: Steve MacDougall/DC Thomson

The popular Anstruther Harbour Festival is set to return in June, with superstar bagpipers Red Hot Chilli Pipers closing the weekend.

On Friday 2 June, Fife band Nackytoosh will kick off the festival with a Ceilidh by the Coast to dance the night away.

Festival committee chair and Scottish Fisheries Museum managing director Ian Goodyear promises a packed weekend programme.

“We’re sticking to a tried and tested formula,” he says.

“There will be good entertainment over the weekend, and quite an extensive children’s entertainment programme too.

“The big unknown is the weather, but the last couple of years we’ve been very lucky, so fingers crossed.”

What’s on the Anstruther Harbour Festival programme?

As well as the opening night ceilidh on the pier, there will be a selection of local bands playing on Saturday and Coaltown Daisies will support Red Hot Chilli Pipers on Sunday.

Ian reveals that 60% of the tickets for the festival’s headline act, which plays Celtic rock on bagpipes, have already been sold.

Ian Goodyear (right) and museum director Simon Hayhow aboard historic vessel Reaper. Image: Wullie Marr

He says: “They’re an extremely popular band and we’re lucky to secure them for this year.”

Historic Fife vessel Reaper will be in the harbour for the festival weekend, open for visitors to come aboard. The 120-year-old herring drifter has featured in hit TV series Outlander and movie Tommy’s Honour.

Down the pier there will be 40 stalls for local businesses, including those offering food and drink. Some of the vendors coming along are The Chocolate Lab, Spice Harmony, Tay Spirits, Pilgrims Gin and East Neuk Spirits Co.

As always, the muster will be taking place, when a flotilla of ships sail together. Ian expects about 30 boats to tie up and be decked out in bunting for the occasion.

Anstruther Harbour will be filled again for the festival. Image: Kenny Smith

Inside the Scottish Fisheries Museum there will be country dancing, a choir performance, children’s activities and a display set up by the model boat club. Entry to the museum is free all weekend.

The festival is free to attend, with the exception of Friday night’s ceilidh and Sunday’s headline act. The ceilidh is £10 per ticket and Red Hot Chilli Pipers is £30 for adults and £15 for concessions and children under 12.

Thousands of visitors expected

Over the three days, Ian hopes to see around 5,000 people out in Anstruther.

“It’s difficult to estimate, but last year we attracted between 4,500 and 5,000 people,” he says.

“You never know which day the visitors will come, but we’re certainly anticipating the Sunday being the busiest.

“I’ll be very happy if we get the same sort of number this year.”

Anstruther Harbour Festival will see the town fill with boats and people come June. Image: Steve Brown/DC Thomson

The festival committee is still looking for volunteers, and Ian encourages anyone who could look after visitors and answer questions over the weekend to contact him through the Scottish Fisheries Museum.

He also calls for donations towards the production of the festival, as it costs in the region of £50,000 to put on. What started off as a small muster in 1997 is now a town-wide festival attracting thousands of visitors.

Ian says: “It’s a great event for the town and it certainly puts Anstruther on the map.

“It marks the festival season in the East Neuk and we’re looking forward to it.”

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