The final big Belladrum push was on last night as final preparations were put in place for the 14th Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival.
Organisers were working tirelessly behind the scenes last night putting the finishing touches to the festival’s main stages, as this year’s line-up prepare to put on a show-stopping performance for festival goers.
The annual event, which will run from today until Saturday, had a sporting pre-event last night in the form of a charity shinty match hosted by Kiltarlity–based Lovat Shinty Club.
Headlining act Amy MacDonald will take to the stage tonight, ahead of fellow headliners Paloma Faith on Friday night and Primal Scream on Saturday.
As well as a string of top performers, Belladrum’s Verb Garden will be the talk of the town with topics including The re-introduction of Lynx into the wild; President Donald Trump’s policies on National Parks and how a local lass became a consultant herbalist for the cult TV series, Outlander being discussed.
This year, the popular tent with discussion at its heart is sponsored by the P&J.
Event programmer Hamish MacDonald, an Inverness-based poet and playwright, said: “Friday’s Verb Garden programme gets underway at 10.30am when NessBookFest introduces Heather Parry, an Edinburgh-based writer and editor whose work explores self-deception, transformation and identity.
“Storytelling For All Ages with Alex Patience follows.
“Claire Askey was due to appear after Alex but due to a family situation, has had to pull out. Instead, there will be launch of, and readings from, Indie Folk by Liza Mulholland.”
Fans of the popular Outlander TV series are in for a treat when Claire MacKay from Cromarty steps on to the stage.
At 4.30pm, it’s the turn of singer/songwriter Lucy Spraggan to get up close and personal with P&J features writer, Susan Welsh, and those in the audience will also have a chance to voice their own questions.
Other events taking place in the Verb Garden on Friday include: Captain of the Lost Waves featuring the great songwriter and storyteller Shaun T Hunter, ably assisted on the voyage by trusted accordionist Murray Grainger.
Mr MacDonald added: “It’s like imagining Charlie Chaplin with the voices of Freddie Mercury and Klaus Nomi, singing songs written by Irving Berlin.”
Friday’s line up also includes a current affairs poetry slam, with each performer presenting a poem on recent or ongoing political events, interspersed with musical comedy slots; a whisky tasting with Tomatin Distillery, a lively singalong with the Highland Voices Choir and a movie singalong featuring, The Greatest Showman.