the Land, the Light, the Locals 2019-20
LLL Picture Gallery – All images courtesy of Ian Oliver Click to access all years.
Hello again from Denholm in the heart of the Scottish Borders countryside. It’s hard to believe that we are now starting to organise the 22nd LLL festival – how time flies when you are enjoying yourself! A lot of hard work goes on behind the scenes, but one advantage of being the festival director is that I get to invite my favourite artists every year!
We are kicking off the festival with a fantastic concert with an amazing Anglo-Irish trio CHRIS SHERBURN, DENNY BARTLEY and EMILY SANDERS. The following day we have our ever-popular lunchtime traditional music session in the Horse and Hounds, Bonchester Bridge, then in the evening a host of local talent will be on display at HAWICK SINGS in the town’s Burns Club.
We Borderers call 31st December Auld Year’s Night, and after our session in the Pickled Orange, Hawick we move onto our showcase event the HOGMANAY CEILIDH. This is a full ceilidh dance through the bells in Denholm Village Hall, with the BLACKTHORNE CEILIDH BAND providing the music and some guidance for newcomers to traditional Scottish dancing.
On New Year’s Day we go on our “blow away the cobwebs” walk, followed by a traditional HERDS’ SUPPER hosted by the hilarious JOHN NICHOL and HILARY BELL in Ashkirk village hall. This will be followed up with an evening session in the Cross Keys in Denholm. Our farewell session on 2nd January is in the Cross Keys Denholm, and finally our survivors’ concert features local favourites REAL TIME in the George and Abbotsford Hotel in Melrose.
We hope to see you at some or all of these events, and at £55 for a full festival ticket, I can’t think of a better way to say goodbye to the old year and welcome in the new!
Kenny Speirs, Festival Director.
| Sun 29th Dec | Evening Concert - Denholm Village Hall Chris Sherburn, Denny Bartley, Emily Sanders plus local support 8pm | £15.00 |
| Mon 30th Dec | Traditional Music Session Horse and Hounds Bonchester Bridge - 12:00 noon | Free |
| Mon 30th Dec | HAWICK SINGS - Hawick Burns Club - 7:30pm | £5.00 |
| Tue 31st Dec | Traditional Music Session The Pickled Orange Hawick - 12 noon | Free |
| Tue 31st Dec | HOGMANY CEILDH, Denholm Village Hall - 8pm Please bring own food & drink. | £15.00 |
| Wed 1st Jan | New Years Day Walk - 1:30pm TBC | Free |
| Wed 1st Jan | HERD'S SUPPER- Ashkirk Village Hall - 4:00pm With Hilary Bell and John Nichol | £15.00 |
| Wed 1st Jan | Traditional Music Session Cross Keys, Denholm -8.00pm | Free |
| Thu 2nd Jan | Farewell Session - Cross Keys Denholm - 12noon | Free |
| Thu 2nd Jan | Concert - REAL TIME George & Abbotsford Hotel, Melrose - 8PM | £10.00 |