Kirkcaldy’s most famous son is being celebrated with ideas, fun, films and food.
The Adam Smith Global Foundation’s Festival of Ideas 2018 features Dr Who star David Tennant and QI and Great British Bake Off presenter Sandi Toksvig.
But away from the starry red carpet screenings, the festival is only one thread of the foundation’s ambitions for putting Adam Smith’s birthplace firmly on the map.
Visitors from all over the country – as well as those from as far afield as Japan and Tel Aviv – will arrive in Kirkcaldy for the annual festival, which runs in the Adam Smith Theatre, Kirkcaldy Galleries and Fife College on March 16 and 17.
But the foundation’s chief executive Marilyn Livingstone said it was also about ensuring the economist’s name was known locally, and enthusing a new generation of youngsters.
“When the foundation came into being it had three aims.
“The first was the birthplace initiative and the festival falls into that, to show Adam Smith as Kirkcaldy’s famous son globally.
“The second was social and economic regeneration and that is part of the Ambitions group, looking at the development of the Merchants Quarter into a place people will look to come for destination shopping and café culture.
“The third is charitable, the relief of poverty in all of its forms – it is what Adam Smith was all about.”
Since its formation in 2012, the foundation has been successful, and has ambitious plans for further development, including aiming to capitalise on the cruise ship market which could bring overseas tourists to Kirkcaldy.
“There is a strong message that Kirkcaldy is an amazing places to live, it is about giving people a sense of pride in the town.
“This is about trying to put the community back in the community.
But first there is the Festival of Ideas where Sandi Toksvig will be the first women to give the Adam Smith lecture.
Her lecture on March 16 will focus on equality.
She will be followed on the first day by award winning Edinburgh Festival comedia Kieran Hodgson.
On March 17 there will be a red carpet screening of You, Me and Him, introduced by David Tennant and his wife Georgia Moffett.
An audience with Tennant, presented by Arabella Weir, is already a sell out.
The event will be closed by Lights Out by Nine.
There will be a free family fun day and Kirkcaldy 4 All and Fife College hosts a food festival.
Tickets are still available at www.onfife.com.