DOZENS of talented musicians will take to the stage at venues throughout Haddington after the return of a music festival was confirmed.

Organisers of Haddstock have revealed their programme for the three-day event, which will return to the town for the first time since 2018.

East Lothian Courier: Haddstock returns to Haddington next month

Nearly 20 venues will be filled with the sound of music from May 27 to 29.

Beki Dover, who has been involved with the event since it began in 2017, was delighted that Haddstock was returning.

She said: “It is really great to be organising a live event.

“We have been very cautious about choosing the best time to run Haddstock but now feels like a time when things are starting to open up and there is an appetite for people to go out safely and enjoy events.

“It has been a long time and we have been planning this event for nearly three years.

“We feel we have experienced it already because we have been speaking about it for so long.

“It is really exciting to see it coming together and co-director Helen Wyllie has done an amazing job on the brochure.”

Haddstock offers talented musicians the chance to play for an audience, who can then make a donation in response to the performance.

Town venues range from Ronnie’s Music and The Green to the Golf Tavern and Waterside Bistro.

The only performance for which people have to pay to see the musicians is the headline gig, at the town’s rugby club on the Saturday evening.

Former Dunbar Grammar School pupil Callum Easter, who saw his debut album Here Or Nowhere nominated for Scottish Album of the Year, is among those performing.

The county musician will be joined by singer-songwriter Lizabett Russo, who merges her native traditions with elements of contemporary jazz, avant garde folk and world music, and indie rock band mylittlebrother.

Beki added it had been a challenging time for people in the music industry.

She said: “It has been a long time where musicians have not been able to play.

“We have had really nice, positive comments from musicians saying they are really, really looking forward to playing new material that they have been writing during lockdown.”

However, it is not just music that will be on offer at the three-day festival.

A selection of work by local artists will be on display at Ogilvies Gallery; there will be readings, storytelling and book signing at Falko; and the chance to use wildflower seeds and recycled egg boxes to create seed bombs.

At Letham Mains Primary School will be an adventure playground-inspired pop-up event giving children and families time, space and freedom to design, build and play with tools, pallets and scrap timber.

Beki added: “We are working with other social enterprises in Haddington, including Lil. They are doing a litter blitz and they have sunflower seeds that people can collect and plant around Haddington.

“MADE in East Lothian are doing an art workshop and we have got Fantoosh Sketching, who are doing a walking sketching session.”