An Australian couple has set a record for a Dundee music festival by travelling the farthest distance to attend.
Geoff and Fiona Fleming will fly more than 10,000 miles from their home in Mackay, North Queensland, for this year’s Fest ’n’ Furious event, which begins tomorrow.
They decided to attend the folk festival after reading about it online and about the organisers’ offer of free tickets and accommodation for the person travelling the farthest.
They will now enjoy a free three-night stay in the city’s Landmark Hotel.
It will be their first trip to Scotland but Mr Fleming has an ancestral link with the country.
Mrs Fleming, 57, said: “After more than 20 hours in a plane, we’re technically ‘coming home’ as my husband Geoff had ancestors in Glasgow and the friends we’re travelling with have roots at Kirriemuir and Aberdeen.
“We were always planning to come to Scotland to discover our roots and, when we read about Fest ’n’ Furious on the web and the fantastic programme on offer, we realised we just had to be there, so planned our itinerary around the event.”
Mr Fleming, 58, is a member of Australian Celtic band Hullabaloo and has not ruled out a performance if the opportunity arises.
He added: “We’re really looking forward to the Great Homecoming Ceilidh but are basically planning to pack in as much as possible and make the most of this coming weekend.”
Now in its sixth year the festival, which runs until Sunday, will include a programme of concerts, workshops, community events and films.
As well as the main concerts, it will also host specialised events including The Big Sing, featuring choirs from throughout the country.
The weekend will be rounded off with the Great Homecoming Ceilidh which will take place in seven Dundee community centres.
Dundee City Council music development officer Emily Dewhurst said: “It really is remarkable, and a credit to everyone involved, that an event which started out as a small and low-key fes-tival five years ago has now reached the other side of the world.”
Details of the festival programme are available from Dundee City Council on 01382 432473 or at www.fes tnfurious.co.uk