THIS year’s Biggar Little Festival will be an international affair.

Reaching far beyond Biggar, this year’s festival will welcome performers from New York, Dusseldorf, the Isle of Uist, and Edinburgh.

The festival began on Thursday, October 19, and will run until October 29.

The festival is set to offer a great weekend for all – despite the local weather warning.

Tonight's (Saturday, October 21) headliner will be Hue and Cry who will perform their “timeless and classic pop”.

Sunday, October 22 marks Biggar Day Out – a family fun day for town residents and visitors.

Biggar Day Our will begin with dancers and tai chi performers from the Edinburgh Chinese Community School, as well as a pair of Chinese Lion Dancers who can be found both inside and outside on the High Street from 12-3pm.

The popular craft and food fair will also make a welcome return, with a children’s zone, the Biggar Little Unicorn Story Trail. an open mic at the Corn Exchange and special offers on items from local shops, cafés and restaurants.

There will be plenty of entertainment for youngsters on Sunday including the Biggar Puppet Theatre, a visit from Hansel and Gretel visit Biggar with the Act About Children’s Theatre Company and Halloween Scream Sunday at Wiston Lodge.

Leading up to the festival there were more than 300 entries to the Young Artists Competition which saw prizes and merit awards handed out to youngsters.

The winning entry, however, came from Tinto Primary School pupil Anya, whose creation is now on the cover of the Biggar Little Festival programme.

The arts are again an important feature of the festival with more than 70 artists and makers taking part in the Biggar Little Festival Art Trail.

Exhibitions and open studios stretch from Crossford and Lanark to Coulter and Roberton as well as in the heart of Biggar itself.

Across the 10-day festival there will be a full programme of musical entertainment, including:

  • Worbey and Farrell
  • The Stonehouse Male Voice Choir
  • Scottish Opera’s Emerging Artists
  • Dukes of Uke
  • The Newtongrange Silver Band

And as a special treat, New York-based Italian pianist Rossano Sportiello will make an appearance at the festival while he is touring the UK. At Carstiars Parish Church, German guitarist Philipp van Endert joins homegrown reeds virtuoso Rob Hall for an evening of “dynamic, lyrical jazz”.

Isle of Uist folk band Eabhal will headline the festival’s folk concert, and the festival’s final headliners, The Coaltown Daisies, will be supported by Peebles bands 8 Days and the Mighty Joes at the Grassroots Bands at BLF concert.

For further information and tickets visit: www.biggarlittlefestival.com Facebook: Biggar Little Festival Instagram: @biggarlittlefestival