Bluegrass, Americana, and Appalachian string music will be on the menu at the initial Arisaig Americana Music Festival in the Scottish West Highlands this June. It’s wonderful to see the embrace of our music back in its ancestral home, where there is no shortage of native folk music on the ground.
As is the tradition in these parts, the events of June 23-24 will be hosted in a number of venues in the village of Arisaig, located in Inverness-shire on the western coast of Scotland. During the day on Saturday, there will be workshops for guitar, fiddle, banjo, and mandolin, followed by a concert in the evening featuring top Scots string bands. Sunday offers a mammoth bluegrass jam, running from early afternoon until the last case snaps shut, with food and drink at the ready.
Entertainers include The Wynntown Marshalls, The Daddy Naggins, The Jellyman’s Daughter, and Crow County Pickers.
It may be a humble beginning, but with hopes of substantial growth over time. Arisaig is not a major tourist hub, so on-site accommodations will not be available, but the region offers a great many hotels, bed & breakfast facilities, bunk houses, and camping spots a short drive away. Check the local tourism site for suggestions.
This sounds like a lovely way to spend a weekend in a beautiful part of the world, while you enjoy – and take part in – some terrific music.
Visit the Arisaig Americana web site for full details.
