Fair City gearing up for the festival

May 19 2009 by Alison Anderson, Perthshire Advertiser Tuesday

THE 38th Perth Festival opens on Thursday for 11 days of events covering all spectrum of the Arts.

Buoyant ticket sales and a clamour by stallholders to take part in the two-day Art on the River event over the weekend of May 30 and 31 suggest that this year’s Perth Festival is a recession-free zone.

“Ticket sales are very strong and it looks as though we will meet our sales target,” said Perth Festival administrator Sandra Ralston.

“So far its’s looking very healthy, and we are extremely pleased. Most popular are the Brewin Dolphin Festival concert with Nicola Benedetti and The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, comedian Russell Howard and Fascinating Aida.

“There are lots of tickets still available, including Seth Lakeman, Edwyn Collins and the King’s Singers.”

Sandra continued: “There has been a huge response to Art on the River this year which sold out very early on.

“The event on Tay Street will have a record number of stalls. There will be 40 stalls each day and also a travelling exhibition in a double decker bus.”

The art and craft stalls of Art on the River – part of the Perth Art Trail – will be open from 10am-5pm on Saturday, May 30, and 11am-4pm on Sunday, May 31.

And judging takes place today for the Perth Festival shop window competition. A record number of 10 businesses have taken up the challenge of decorating their shop windows to reflect the Festival themes of music, dance, comedy, drama and art.

The Festival opener on Thursday is one of the series of free lunchtime concerts in St John’s Kirk by local young musicians. Glenalmond College students will play the opening notes of the Festival at 12.30pm.

Full details of this year’s Perth Festival are available from the box offices at Perth Theatre and Perth Concert Hall and online at www.perthfestival.co.uk