THE range of entertainment at last weekend’s Innerleithen Music Festival ‘surpassed our high expectations’, according to Robin Dempsey from the coordinating committee.
The core venues of Live & Local at the Vale Club and the St Ronan’s Hotel brought in the crowds for their continuous programme of fantastic bands.
There were almost 60 performances between them, giving a stage for many local acts.
But there was a wide variety on offer elsewhere, from outstanding classical music with The Taylor Family & Friends to colourful belly-dancing at the Union Club, taking in Gaelic singing, ukulele, border pipes and line-dancing on the way.
Possibly the biggest audience over the weekend was at the Church of Scotland for Innerleithen born and bred Tommy Ashby who has achieved wide acclaim on the UK circuit.
Meanwhile, at the late night Festival Club, in the middle of the many contributions from festival regulars, there was the unexpected pleasure of an impromptu demonstration of Breton folk dancing from a visiting French group.
Robin told the Peeblesshire News: “It feels like the festival has completed a transition from its early years focussed on large scale concerts to a vibrant community based event.
"It was heart-warming to see so many locals and visitors, young and old, coming together to share their love of music, whether as performers or in the audience."
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