A celebration of the life of Perthshire fiddler Niel Gow will go ahead next month, two years after it was postponed by Covid.
Born at Strathbaan in 1727, the 18th Century fiddler regularly played with Robert Burns and performed for Bonnie Prince Charlie.
It has been over a year since Niel Gow was commemorated with a bronze statue next to Dunkeld Bridge.
In March 2020, the festival was cancelled just five days before it was due to begin.
And restrictions meant celebrations could not be held – until now.
Organisers are delighted to be able to bring people together for a weekend of “great music and craic”.
What can we expect from the festival?
The 17th annual festival takes place from March 18 to 20 at Birnam Arts.
It will begin on the Friday with a concert featuring a number of fiddlers, and there will be performances across the weekend.
Meanwhile, there will be opportunities for budding fiddlers to learn from the masters in one-hour workshops on Saturday and Sunday.
And the Niel Gow statue will also play a prominent part of the festival with the Gow Gathering ahead of a walk along the Tay.
Festival Director and Chair of the Niel Gow Festival Society Pete Clark said: “This will be the first live festival since the installation of the Niel Gow sculpture.
“To celebrate, fiddlers will gather around the memorial on the morning of Sunday March 20 and play a few tunes, before setting off on a walk along the banks of the Tay and the Braan to Niel Gow cottage in the village of Inver.
“I’m looking forward to seeing – and hearing – many old friends.
“For me, the highlights of any festival include the spontaneous sessions which can happen, informal gatherings of musicians playing together for the sheer joy of it.”
He added: “After such a long break, I’m sure that festival-goers are in for a real treat this year.”
What is the Niel Gow statue?
The Niel Gow statue was unveiled in December 2020 following a 17-year campaign by fans.
In 2020, Pete said its completion was thanks to “a lot of hard work by a lot of people”.
Made by Cupar-based artist David Annand, the statue was well received.
It was welcomed by SNP MP Pete Wishart – also a musician.
Following the installation, he said: “Niel Gow’s work is celebrated the world over and it is fitting that this tribute to him will forever stand in his beloved Perthshire home.”
Tickets to this year’s festival are available from the Birnam Arts website.
