Tickets have gone on sale for Fife’s biggest-ever music festival – and organisers have released further details about the event.
Kirkcaldy’s Breakout Festival hopes to attract 30,000 people with its line-up of some of Scotland’s best-known bands.
Big Country, the Skids, GUN and Goodbye Mr McKenzie are already on board, with big-name headline acts still to be announced.
Midge Ure, Callum Beattie, Cameron Barnes and the Red Hot Chilli Pipers are also on the line-up.
And up-and-coming local acts are looking forward to performing in their home town.
The Breakout Festival will rock Kirkcaldy Esplanade on October 8 to 10, with all proceeds going to the NHS.
‘Ready to perform’
Kirkcaldy singer Billy Reekie, who left superstars Little Mix close to tears with one of his emotional performances, is one of those taking part.
Billy, who went from busking for beer money to performing on the band’s BBC1 show The Search last year, was praised for his self-penned song about his grandfather’s death.
He said he was delighted to be asked to perform at the Breakout Festival.
“It’s a privilege to part of it and support the NHS alongside some of the best,” he said.
“I’m excited to be part of it.
“Lockdown was a nightmare and put a lot of things on hold so it’ll be great to get back to performing in front of an audience again.”
Fifer Phil Ciarletta will also perform.
He said he was “buzzing” and a bit emotional to be taking part.
“It’s going to have sentimental value because it’s in my home town,” said the singer, who performs as PG Ciarletta.
“Lockdown was hard but I took the opportunity to go away and write songs.
“I’m ready to perform and to have the opportunity to play here with these other artists is amazing.”
Where will the Breakout Festival be held?
A large, curved main stage will be set up in the basin car park, near Morrisons, for the entire three-day event.
Performances will be beamed to the crowd via two giant screens set up at either side of the stage.
Meanwhile, an arena will be marked out in the car park and on the Esplanade itself for those with tickets.
A marquee near Lidl will host even more music.
It will be for new acts and acoustic sets during the day, becoming a dance tent featuring the likes of Kelly Llorena, Capella and Utah Saints at night.
A half-mile fairground, described as a mini-Links Market, will link the two performance areas.
What will happen to the money raised?
All money from the Breakout Festival will be donated to the NHS Fife Health Charity.
It is run by NHS Fife for the benefit of patients and staff.
Trustee Rona Laing said the Fife public had been enormously generous over the last year.
“We’ve been able to do some marvellous things because of donations from the public,” she said.
“Because patients weren’t able to have visitors during lockdown, we used some of the money to buy iPads to they could keep in touch with loved ones.
“We also bought them toiletries and other things to make their stay more comfortable.
“For the staff, we were able to provide wellbeing hubs so they could have a well-earned break away from the wards.”
She added: “With this event being local, a lot of the audience will be staff members and former patients and their families.”
How to buy Breakout Festival tickets
Tickets cost £49.76 for each of the three days and £90.95 for a Saturday and Sunday ticket.
A three-day weekend ticket costs £128.40.
All are available online here.