Venues in a Moray town were packed across the weekend as fans of traditional Scottish music got into the festival spirit.
Hundreds of locals entered competitions as organisers reported record numbers of participants.
However, during the excitement and buzz of the 42nd Keith and Traditional Music and Song Association festival there was also an emotional farewell.
Fiddle instructor Barbara Anderson held back the tears during a poignant performance with more than a dozen of her pupils.
The 32-year-old had guided some of the youngsters through a decade of lessons on the instrument.
And her weekend performance at the Keith Bowling Club was her final act of 12 years’ teaching as she prepares to have a baby next month.
She said: “It was my final outing with some of them. It was quite emotional. I was nearly drawn to tears but was able to hold them back.
“Some of them have been with me for a long time – one of two of them for 10 years. They were quite sad, I had to remind them I wasn’t leaving the earth.”
The concert at the bowling club was just one of a host of performances organised across Keith at the weekend.
There was a poignant winner in the bothy ballads competition as Geordie Murison was named as the first winner of the Lona and Jim Thomson Memorial Trophy, named in honour of two of the driving forces behind the event who died in the last year.
The winners of more than 40 competitions came together for a concert at the St Thomas Hall on Saturday night before headliners Breabach took to the stage in the Royal Hotel.
Festival committee chairwoman Kathleen Anderson said the event had been a “tremendous success”.
She said: “The number of entrants in the competitions has gone up and all the concerts were sold out. Everyone has worked their socks off.
“Breabach couldn’t have been better. I don’t think they come to small events like ours very often, they’re usually at outdoor festivals, but they had a great time.”
THE RESULTS
- Accordion, senior: Duncan Ritchie, Cults.
- Accordion, 12 and under: Fin Hope, Biggar.
- Fiddle, senior: George Davidson, Tarves.
- Fiddle, junior: Rhian Mathew, Tarland.
- Fiddle, 10 and under: Sophie Gray, Mosstodloch.
- Best fiddle, 12 and under: Charlotte Slater, Ellon.
- Melodeon: Ian Johnson, USA.
- Mouthie: Denis Shepherd, Aberdeen.
- Tin whistle, 12 and under: Kirstie Low, Keith.
- Recorder, 12 and under: Keryn Stronach, Keith.
- Recorder group: Tom Palmer, Kate Rettie, Katie Hamilton, all St Thomas’ Primary, Keith.
- Piano, 12 and under: Kirsty Simmers, Keith.
- Piano, 13 and over: Karla Stuart, Mains of Auchindachy.
- Poetry, 7 and under: Emma McWilliam, Keith.
- Poetry, 10 and under: Abbie McWilliam, Keith.
- Poetry, 13 and under: Dodie Simmers, Keith.
- Poetry group: Cassie Findlay and Keryn Stronach, Ellie and Gracie Reid, all Keith.
- Poetry senior: Gary Stewart, Keith.
- Traditional singing, 7 and under: Cameron Simmers and Dana Wilson, both Keith.
- Traditional singing, 10 and under: Ross Dalgarno, Keith.
- Traditional singing, 13 and under: Dodie Simmers and Keryn Stronach, both Keith.
- Traditional singing, 15 and under: Rosie Winchester, Keith, and Ellie Beaton, Rothienorman.
- Men’s singing: John Dickson, Tarves.
- Bothy ballad, senior: Geordie Murison, Netherley.
- Bothy ballad, junior: Ellie Beaton, Rothienorman.
- Best local singer: Iona Fyfe, Huntly.
- Story telling, senior: Jane Chalmers, Mintlaw.
- Story telling, junior: Heidi Wilson, Keith.
- Freestyle instrumental: Dodie Simmers, Keith.
- Instrumental group: Abbie Angels, Tarland.
- Best instrumental, 12 and under: Charlotte Slater, Ellon.
- Ian Middleton Trophy: Cameron Matthew, Peterhead.
- Anne Reid Memorial Trophy: Dodie Simmers, Keith.
- Mither Tongue Trophy: Abbie McWilliam, Keith.
- Haud ‘Er Gaun Trophy: Zara and Mairi Gill, Cullen.
- Composition: Barbara Anderson, Huntly.