THE Red Hot Chilli Pipers, Treacherous Orchestra and former Runrig frontman Donnie Munro will headline a major new weekend-long festival coming to Helensburgh later this year.

The Argyll Gathering will take place at Ardencaple on Saturday, August 19 and Sunday, August 20.

The organisers promise that the event will showcase the best in traditional and contemporary Scottish music, culture and the arts, along with local food and drink and interactive workshops.

Other acts already confirmed for the festival include Bwani Junction, Elephant Sessions, Manran, Federation of the Disco Pimp, Jarlath Henderson Band, Blue Rose Code, Daimh, Fat-Suit and Pronto Mama.

Folk duo Nae Plans - comprising fiddler Adam Sutherland and pianist and vocalist Hamish Napier - will also perform over both days of the event, with special guests and added surprises.

The festival takes place just a week after one of the biggest events in Helensburgh's calendar - the Summer Festival - which, this year, will also coincide with the climax of the town's first ever food and drink festival.

The Argyll Gathering's organiser, James Windebank, who was born and raised in Helensburgh, says the festival will be the realisation of a lifelong dream.

He said: “The one thing that I always wanted my hometown to have was a spectacular event that focussed on bringing people together to listen to great music, have a dram and really enjoy themselves as a community of people.

“We believe that an event such as this should enhance its home turf, and really bring something to the table.

"That could be a great music line up that speaks to its patrons, showcasing the gorgeous larder of Scotland, or exposing people to the rich creative culture that exists all around us.”

More information, including ticket prices, is available at www.argyllgathering.com.

* For all the local reaction to the news, check out the next issue of the Advertiser - on sale from Thursday, April 20.