The final day of Belladrum 2022 brought giant inflatable unicorns, an Icelandic rendition of Loch Lomond and a generous splash of Colonel Mustard.
The iconic Highland festival returned for the first time in three years, bringing around 20,000 people to the Belladrum estate.
Before the final acts took to the stage on Saturday evening, festival goers spent the day soaking up enough of the atmosphere to quench their Belladrum thirst until next year.
Event producer Dougie Brown looked back on the festival and struggled to choose a highlight.
Ultimately, he said: “For me the highlight has been being back, seeing the faces we haven’t seen for three years.”
‘The family faces that make up Belladrum’
Other festival goers also used the last day of Belladrum to look back on their highlights.
For many, it was the surprise appearance of Peat & Diesel on Thursday night, which attracted one of the festival’s largest crowds to the Hot House Stage.
For some, it was getting married in the Belladrum Temple.
For Amy MacCaskill, press manager at Belladrum, it was the comfort of getting back to what she knows and loves most.
“To be back after three years has just been like putting on a pair of comfy old slippers and getting back into it,” she said.
“It has just been wonderful to see the family faces that make up Belladrum and all those people out there who are smiling from ear to ear and just delighted to be here. That just brings it all together, it’s lovely.”
Something to behold
In every corner of Belladrum on Saturday, the busiest day of the festival, there was something new to behold.
King Triton, the Loch Ness Monster’s sister and a handful of Greek gods were together in one tent for the annual fancy dress competition, with lucky winners taking home tickets to next year’s festival.
Icelandic Eurovision sensation Dadi Freyr had crowds singing at the top of their lungs the moment he started the first few syllables of Loch Lomond.
Belladrum staple Colonel Mustard & The Dijon 5 led thousands dancing in unison, filling the air above jumping fans with giant inflatables.
Miss MacCaskill said providing a platform for artists is part of Belladrum’s charm.
She said: “That’s one of the beautiful things about Belladrum, discovering new music, hearing new things you’ve never heard before.
“The festival is great for that, we’ve given so many artists a platform to start off with then they end up on the main stage.”
A fireworks display at the Garden Stage will end this year’s festival the way it deserves to be ended, with a bang.
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