The Highlands and Islands Music and Dance Festival is going "from strength to strength", with the popular event celebrating its 40th anniversary this year.
The festival, which first began in February 1984, will again be expanding its programme following the two-year break during the Covid pandemic when there was no festival.
This year, as well as a new choreography competition, will see the return of the junior fiddle and junior accordion (under 18s) competitions which will add to the already popular piping, drumming and dancing events.
The schools’ day will include a choir section and recorder groups this year, adding to the action song, folk group and ensemble classes.
Over the years many top-class musicians and dancers have come from near and far to compete in a range of competitions, receiving feedback from adjudicators and judges about their performance and enjoying meeting up with friends, old and new.
Young people from the age of three are given the opportunity to perform in front of an audience – singing, dancing, playing a range of instruments - bringing huge amounts of pleasure to all. Adult musicians come back annually to take part and enjoy all that the festival and the town of Oban have to offer.
This weekend, the festival will host a one-day Pre-Premier Highland Dancing competition on Saturday March 9 in Atlantis Leisure Centre, starting at 11am.
Judges will test primaries 3-6, beginners, novices and intermediates, on their Scottish Lilt, Flora MacDonald, Sword Dance, Seann Triubhas, Pas-De-Basque, Highland Fling, Hullachan, Trophy Fling, and Barracks Johnnie. Trophies will be awarded in all categories except primary.
Over the main festival weekend, from Friday May 3 to Sunday May 5, there is a "wonderful range of competitions", starting with schools’ day which is held in the Corran Halls on the Friday.
On Saturday there are piping, drumming and chanter competitions in Oban High School, and junior accordion and junior fiddle competitions in the Royal Hotel. On Friday evening, Saturday and Sunday the Scottish area finals, choreography and highland dance competitions will be held in Atlantis Leisure and the Corran Halls.
Please visit the Highlands and Islands Music and Dance Festival’s social media pages for more details.
The Highlands and Islands Music and Dance Festival committee is grateful for all the support for the festival and would welcome anyone who would like to join this enthusiastic group of people who are committed to hosting a weekend of excellent music and dance in Oban.
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