Clydesdale artists will shine at Biggar Little Festival

But it also provides a showcase for local talent to shine through.

And that’s why, for the last eight years, Medwyn Art Group has chosen to hold its annual exhibition during the festivities.

The group, which has been going strong for the last 15 years, now has 20 members from Biggar, Lanark, Rigside, Thankerton and Symington.

They will be showcasing their work at the British Legion Hall on October 20 and 21 from 10am to 4pm.

Claire McQuoney, who has been a Medwyn member for six years now, is looking forward to the exhibition.

The Biggar Primary School P4-5 teacher said: “It’s a fantastic way to showcase what our members have done throughout the year.

“People can come along and admire the artwork, buy it if they want to and enjoy a tea, coffee and home baking.

“The exhibition is staged on the same weekend as Biggar Day Out, which is a fantastic celebration of the community.

“It’s amazing for us to be part of it and our members love meeting other like-minded people who come along on the day.”

It also affords a chance for people to find out more about the group.

Claire said: “The unique thing about our art group is that we don’t have a teacher, as such.

“The group is run by the members and they all share their experiences and knowledge.

“We have members aged from their mid 30s to their early 80s and we all support and encourage each other.

“We meet every Saturday in the Legion Hall in Biggar from 10am to noon and are always happy to welcome new members.

“Our exhibition offers an ideal opportunity for people to meet members and find out more about the group.”

This year’s exhibition will feature more than 40 paintings members have worked on in the last year.

And a wide range of styles will be on show.

Claire said: “We paint in a wide variety of mediums – from pencils and acrylics to watercolours and oils.

“There’s also a vast array of subjects too – from portraits to florals and landscapes.

“We’ll all be busy this weekend pulling everything together for the exhibition.

“But there’s certain to be something for everyone to enjoy, no matter their tastes and preferences.

“We can’t wait to show what we’ve been working on in recent months and just hope people will come along, meet us and enjoy it.”

While Medwyn Art Group is made up of enthusiastic amateurs, a couple of members have enjoyed commercial success too – with one exhibiting in London and another winning a major competition.

However, what members love most about the group is being able to enjoy art, with like-minded folk.

Claire added: “We’re all a very friendly bunch and there’s no pressure to come along every week.

“If people can make it every Saturday, great and, if not, that’s fine too.

“For me, it’s a really relaxing way to end a stressful week at work.

“The atmosphere is lovely and the thing that I enjoy most is getting guidance and support from other members who are more than happy to share their experience with you.”

So if you’re going along to Biggar Day Out on Sunday, October 21, make sure you pop in and visit the Medwyn Art Group exhibition at the Legion Hall.

For those who love art, there’s plenty to enjoy during this year’s ten day festival.

New this year is the Antiques Collectables and Contemporary Art auction.

It will be held from 6pm to 10pm on Thursday, October 25, at the Dancing Light Art Gallery, near West Linton.

A wide variety of goods, both old and new, will be auctioned on the night with viewing from 6pm and the auction starting at 7pm.

Tickets are £3 including the auction catalogue.

Biggar Glass Works Open Studio will showcase its work on Friday, October 26 from 1pm to 5pm and October 27 and 28 from 10am to 4pm.

Debbie Ryan Mosaics Open Studio in Coulter and Ellen McCann Open Studio in Elsrickle will showcase their work between 10am and 5pm on October 26 to 28.

And Biggar Camera Club’s Photographic Exhibition will be staged at Biggar Youth Project in Clydesdale Close, on October 20 and 21 from 11am to 4pm.

This is just a small taster of what’s on. For more, visit www.biggarlittlefestival.com.

More than 50 events in 10 days

This year’s Biggar Little Festival kicks off on October 18 and runs until October 28, offering ten action-packed days for locals and visitors.

And there’s something for everyone to enjoy, whether you love music, comedy, dance, art or literature.

With a host of events also lined up for children, it’s a festival which caters for all ages too.

Biggar Day Out on Sunday, October 21, is the day when the whole town comes out to play – with events taking place in venues across Biggar, as well as stalls in the High Street for those who love to shop for local produce and crafts.

Judy Jordan, the festival’s publicity officer, said: “There will be street entertainment, local cuisine, crafts and all the fun of the fair to enjoy, ensuring this will be our biggest and best Biggar Day Out ever!

“Together with the town’s shops, cafes, arts groups and street entertainment, our aim is to provide a feast of family fun from noon to 5pm.

“It will be a great day out for the whole family.”

This year’s festival headliners include Kiki Dee and Carmelo Lugeri; comedian Larry Dean and crime writer Val McDermid. But there are more than 50 events spread across the 10 days for people to enjoy, many of which are free.

This year, the festival committee has also received a helping hand from Edinburgh Fringe Festival, which is running online tickets sales for the first time.

But, as ever, the festival booking office and its beating hub will continue to be at the town’s Corn Exchange. The full programme can be downloaded at www.biggarlittlefestival.com.

Tickets are also available on the website, on 0131 226 0001 or call the festival information service on 07593 344065.