PICTURES: Plans under way for 2023 Tunes By the Dunes after 'huge success' of Dunnet festival
Plans are already well under way for next year's Tunes By the Dunes after the "huge success" of the Dunnet music festival at the weekend.
The two-day event at Ham Park was a sell-out, with 1200 people attending to see 11 acts including Skerryvore, Peat and Diesel, Tide Lines and The Chair.
Run by North Coast Entertainments, it was the first festival since the inaugural one in 2019 as the pandemic meant it couldn't take place in 2020 or 2021.
Event co-ordinator Iain Mackay said: “We were really lucky with the festival weather. We've had tremendous feedback on the social media pages and on the Tunes By the Dunes website from people that attended – very, very positive.
“A lot of people are asking what the dates are for 2023. The preparation is well under way for next year.
“The event was a huge success and a lot of that is down to the volunteers that helped us throughout the weekend. We're very grateful to them.
“We've got a reasonably small committee and without the volunteers that come to help us it wouldn't happen."
Whisky, Hò-rò, Trail West and Skerryvore appeared in the festival marquee on Friday evening, while Saturday's performers were the Brandon McPhee Band, Calum Jones, The Chair, Beinn Lee, Rhythmnreel, Peat and Diesel and Tide Lines.
"The Chair got a tremendous response from the crowd," Iain said. "They went down really, really well.
"Although they came from Orkney, their bass guitarist was travelling up from Glasgow by train, due to arrive at 2.30 – they were on stage at 3.30. The train hit tree branches south of Muir of Ord and terminated at Dingwall, so there was a wee bit of panic there for a minute.
"But ScotRail, give them their due, laid on a taxi for him and he arrived at three o'clock and went on stage and did a tremendous job."
Iain added: “It was just so good to see everybody out and about again and enjoying themselves.”
The festival brought a boost to local camp sites, accommodation providers and transport firms with music fans from across the UK and beyond travelling to Caithness for the weekend.
