Sandwiched between Glastonbury and T in the Park we had Kirkinch’s Fabulous Festival and a great success it was despite a crafty attempt to thwart it by one Elton John who saw fit to put on some sort of concert in Perth on the same day, the Game Fair and a splash of rain in the morning. We don’t know how Elton or the Gamekeepers fared, but they didn’t take the wind out of our sails.
The ENKCA stall, stocked with strawberries and cream on pancakes, home bakes and the usual selection of plants, raised £168. The crowd was generous and the enthusiasm has given us ideas for future events.
Leslie at Kirkinch and her wide network of musical and artistic friends and neighbours entertained a diverse crowd of all ages. It was a great coup to have the Hazey Janes and the band has promised to tell the T in the Park audience that they played Kirkinch Festival last weekend.
Everyone enjoyed them, as well as Italian chat show hostess, Loretta Brocoletti, soloist Bob Davidson from Luncarty, the two little girl singers who followed him, jazz guitarists, Duncan and Adam, alias Two Five One, Midas Falls, from Edinburgh and Coupar Angus, who borrowed Johnny (Depp) Bear from the Sweeney Todd installation, Pete Fenton and Phil Hannan from the River, Balkeerie Boyzone, Michael Ryan and David Lawrence, Dougie Law from the Art Studio in Newtyle, on guitar and banjo, Irene Grant, MC, radio host and sound engineer on accordion and keyboards, Jim Brown on accordion, Diane Thompson on fiddle, Evelyn Myles on fiddle, Peter Greening on harmonica, Donald Clerk on the couch and the guitar, Ruth from Websters on keyboards and vocals, the anonymous man from the Websters crew who played and sang in the dark, Dean, who lead a late night sing song, had everyone doing the hokey kokey, and when the party retired indoors to let the neighbours get some sleep, recited comic verse.
Man cannot live on culture alone, so we thank Steve Kite from Kinkeadly for the organic pork for the BBQ, Marcus Thompson and his team who made the sausages and burgers and worked all day in the smoke; Donald and Diane from the Organic Hut at South West Fullarton and Antonia from Myreside Organics for the salads; Jim Graham at Denend for the milk for the teas, Jane Brewster and Marianne Jenkins for ENKCA’s pancakes, Fiona and Gordy Brown for the soft fruits and assorted bakers and jam makers for goodies on the sales table. Thanks and well done to other varied stall holders, face painters, cake makers and scene setters.
We were disappointed that the Auchtermuchty Players could not perform, due to the hospitalisation of one of their principal actors, but send our Get Well Soon wishes. Leslie’s friends, Joyce and Ian, stepped into the breach with a short scene from The Lass Wi The Muckle Moo and the ‘Muchty club’s keyboard player did a sterling job at the late night sing along.
Leslie sends her thanks to “the ENKA Dream Team” who she described as doing so much to help in the run up and being brilliant on the day. We, in turn, thank and congratulate Leslie and her team for her generosity in putting so much effort and imagination into entertaining so many people in and around her own home. It was a great community event and a perfect opportunity for people living relatively close to each other to meet previously unknown neighbours and make new friends.
Good Fun all round.
