Festival in Field at Unexpected Garden in Easter Ross town of Alness attracts 180 people – with more fun still to come, says Feis Rois
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AROUND 180 people checked out the latest Festival in the Field at Alness's Unexpected Garden yesterday.
And the good news for those who missed out – or who fancy another helping – is that it's back next Saturday at the same time with a fresh line-up.
The Unexpected Garden is a collaboration that involves Dingwall-based arts organisation Feis Rois and local volunteers.
The patch of land at Teaninich Industrial Estate has been transformed as part of a community project to encourage people to grow and cook their own produce.
The Festival in the Field series — running on Saturdays up until September 10 – are a combination of music performances, workshops and food.
READ: Come on down to the garden festival, whatever the weather!
Feis Rois said of Saturday's event: "A huge thank you to the 180 of you who came along to our Festival in the Field event in the Alness Unexpected Garden – a joyous afternoon of music, food, dancing, stories and woodland adventures!"
It paid tribute to the artists who performed – Liam Ross, Morrie Dolan, Fèis Rois Cèilidh Trail and TradBeats – and workshop leaders Julie Gordon, Kerry Dolan, Lizzie MacDougall and Liam Ross.
The Unexpected Garden Team of Haley Shepherd, Finlay Keiller, Col Gordon, Shona Johnston and Marc MacPhadraig were also thanked for their input.
The event returns next Saturday from 12pm to 4.30pm when Belal Shtat will open playing the oud followed by performances from Unexpected Garden musician in residence, Liam Ross, harpist Rachel Hair and the final performance from this year’s Fèis Rois Ceilidh Trail cohort.
Feis Rois said: "Not to be missed! And there will be free soup too..."
Full information about all the events planned can be found here.
What IS The Unexpected Garden?
An edible garden is springing up in Alness thanks to a hook-up involving The Place and The Blooming Gardeners with Fèis Rois and creative programme Dandelion.
The Unexpected Garden is blossoming on land at Teaninich Industrial Estate in Alness.
Commissioned by EventScotland and funded via the Scottish Government, Dandelion is Scotland’s contribution to UNBOXED: Creativity in the UK, a nationwide programme of creative events and engagement.
Driven by the concept of ‘Sow, Grow, Share’ – not just food but ideas, music, scientific knowledge, and community – Dandelion takes a unique approach to growing. Bringing together artists, scientists, performers, and technologists to present events and programmes throughout Scotland, including the Unexpected Gardens, Dandelion will culminate in hundreds of harvest celebrations later this year.
The Alness Unexpected Garden will transform the field on Teaninich Industrial Estate, dividing the 1.6 acres into woodland, growing space, a play area, and a stretch tent for performances and workshops. In collaboration with The Place, which provides support to hundreds of youngsters locally, and The Blooming Gardeners, which works with adults with learning disabilities to provide experience in horticulture, Dandelion’s latest Unexpected Garden will become a unique growing and learning space for the people of Alness to come together.
The growing space will include polytunnels and a garden of 25 beds. The Field will be growing a wide range of vegetables, salad, herbs and flowers using agroecological methods. The Alness Unexpected Garden will grow varieties of fruit and vegetables local to the area, including a tomato variety from Dingwall and a broad bean variety from the Black Isle. With social spaces carved out within, neighbours and visitors will be able to share food and get to know one another in the unique environment
