plainstanes

Shoppers got the chance to sit back and enjoy musical performances for free on the Plainstanes with the High Street Take Over event part of the 40th Dumfries and Galloway Arts Festival.

The New Inn is long gone, but for years, one of Abernethy's pistol balls was lodged fast in a lamp-post, a reminder of the night noble blood was spilt on the Plainstanes.

This Saturday there is a Picnic at the Plainstanes in Dumfries, organised by the festival's young promoters group and offering free live performances all afternoon.

Dance, drama, kids' entertainment and music from the town centre's Plainstanes stage.

Among the highlights will be a High Street Take Over - Picnic at the Plainstanes in Dumfries on Saturday, May 25; the good doctor of folk Martin Carthy and his twice Mercury Prize-nominated daughter, Eliza, performing in both Moffat and Newton Stewart; and the heart-lifting true story of Team Viking presented by Tangram Theatre in Gatehouse of Fleet, Moffat and Lochans.

In Dumfries, there's a full ve-day programme of dance, drama, children's entertainment and free music from the town centre's Plainstanes stage.

However, the group suffered a setback when a mystery phone bidder beat them at a Knightbridge auction in London for two disused and run-down buildings next to the Plainstanes for an unexpected PS142,000.

The Plainstanes, The Stove Network cafe and Queensberry Square counted down to the big switch-on of the Christmas lights with a vast programme of music, drama and more from noon to 7pm.

It will be Dumfries' turn on Sunday with a feast of entertainment planned for The Plainstanes, in The Stove Network cafe and in Queensberry Square from noon until 7pm, including the Theatre Royal Guild of Players' cast from their panto Red Riding Hood.

The Young Promoters - a collective of young people from across the region managed by Dumfries and Galloway Arts Festival - are currently planning entertainment for the Plainstanes in Dumfries on Sunday, December 2, in the lead-up to the town's Christmas lights switch-on.

Entertainment on the Plainstanes will start at noon and include a spectacular CrocRock performance from Moat Brae and the Theatre Royal's Guild of Players' cast from their December pantomime, Red Riding Hood.