Grantown-on-Spey will be raising the roof after receiving a £500 community grant from Scotmid Co-operative, which owns and operates the local Morning, Noon and Night store.
Organisers will host a series of festivals to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the town being founded, with the grant funding a music hub for musicians to gather for informal sessions and small concerts.
Bill Sadler, Chairman of the Grantown Society, said: “Grantown 250 is extremely pleased to be recipients of a Scotmid community grant. The festivals are going to be really exciting and the support we receive helps enormously to turn the vision into reality.
“The award will go towards our exciting music programme. Music is an important part of our events and the Scotmid grant helps us keep alive and promote a powerful local heritage.
“Grantown has a strong musical heritage – one of Scotland’s most iconic paintings is that of William Cumming, the ‘Piper to the Laird of Grant’ which hangs in the National Museum of Scotland. One of Grantown’s first settlers was his successor, Angus Cumming, whose Collection Of Strathspey or Old Highland Reels was published posthumously in 1780.”
Laura Paterson, Membership and Community Officer for Scotmid said: “We are delighted to support this wonderful event, which allows local people to discover and celebrate the history and culture of their particular corner of the Highlands.
“Our community grant scheme is one of the ways that we give back to local areas and it is a true pleasure to help. The festival promises to be a family friendly event with something on offer for all ages, young and old.”
Music will play a large part in Grantown 250 with music of all kinds played by local and visiting artists and by talented players from both primary and secondary schools.
The Grantown 250 project is co-ordinated by The Grantown Society. It will involve the whole community in creating a week-long festival packed with special events to provide information, interest and entertainment for all.
Although it is a celebration for local people, organisers hope to attract visitors from home and abroad, showcasing the history and attractions of this unique community, as well as the wider Highlands. The project is designed to provide a significant boost for the Grantown economy and leave a lasting legacy for the town.
For more information on the Grantown 250 celebrations, visit: http://grantown250.org/.