The end of June (28-30th) will see a festival to celebrate the singing traditions of Scotland, England and Ireland in the unique setting of Tom and Anne Reid's farm in rural Aberdeenshire - Cullerlie Farm Park and Heritage Centre. The weekend is a unique celebration, bringing together outstanding traditional singers from the North East of Scotland, Orkney, England, and Ireland. The event is especially for those who like to hear, enjoy and join in the traditional singing.
The weekend includes concerts featuring the guest singers, singarounds for everyone who wants to join in, workshops on writing bothy ballads, waulking songs, farmhouse cooking, farm museum tours, clipping and sheepdog demonstrations, and quilting. Dr Margaret Bennett, prize-winning author, will deliver a talk on 'Highland Folkways'.
Cullerlie Farm Park and Heritage Centre, where the festival will be held, is run by Tom and Anne Reid and their family. Tom moved to Cullerlie Estate with his parents in 1935, and worked with his father in the traditional way of farming. He has kept the traditions alive by turning the old original steading into a farm museum with one of the largest privately owned collections of farming and domestic memorabilia in Scotland.
The festival is organised jointly by Tom and Anne Reid in association with the University of Aberdeen's Elphinstone Institute and its Director, Dr Ian Russell, and sponsored by Coupers (Fish Processors) of Aberdeen, and David & Murison Ltd.
Bookings may be made by contacting the following: Traditional Singing Weekend, Cullerlie Farm Park, Echt, Skene, Aberdeenshire AB32 6XL Tel: 01330 860549.