We are running an extra (free) workshop with Daniel Thorpe this coming Friday from 4.30 onwards (and into the usual evening 7-8 session) aimed at kids (anyone under 18 counts!). It will take place in the Moray Institute as usual, and there will be food provided (pizza, hot dogs, sausage rolls etc). We look forward to seeing you/your offspring! (Adults also welcome as usual for the evening session!!). Please try to let us know if you are coming to give us an idea of numbers.

Thanks to Stuart we have a very full schedule of everybody gigs coming up! These really are for Everyone, so you are very welcome – especially if you have not played at one before. Even if you you only know one tune – or less than one tune – we will ensure that you get to play it! Please check the calendar for details of dates/venues and times, and please let Stuart know for numbers.

There is no hall session this Friday (3rd Jan) – back to normal from next week (10th). If you are feeling withdrawal symptoms or just want to show off the fiddle that you got for Christmas, then there is a session in Dunning on Sunday night from 7:30!

To all BFG members and families you will be very welcome at the gig at Camphill Blairdrummond on 7th December and at the BFG social on Friday 20th. There are also other gigs for eveyone. Go to the calendar page and look for everyone gigs. You can show the calendar month by month or as a list (tab on the top right of the calendar) and you can also search for events by clicking the categories tab (top left).

A big thank you to all who contributed to another successful annual ceilidh which has raised around £700 in support of Mary’s Meals and the Perth and Kinross food bank! Thank you to all those who baked, cooked, organised and played – and special thanks to all those who came and danced and made a fantastic evening 🙂

The passing of the shortest day has traditionally been followed by twelve days of festival, the exchange of gifts and the making of promises. The traditional contribution of BFG  has been to learn   to play seasonal tunes for our own entertainment and at gigs.

This year we have a new booklet of twelve seasonal tunes, some with harmonies.  The booklet is available at the hall or as a PDF file.  It may even appear on the Members’ Page.

You know you love to play these tunes so get the book and learn your favourites. Ho ho ho.

Another great evening at the Kirkstyle Inn in Dunning – thank you to Simon for organising and to the Kirkstyle for providing chips 🙂 The next session will be Sunday 1st December.

With the harvest festival of Samhuinn commencing on Halloween, we begin a period of many festivals.  While we may not have songs for them all, carols (festival songs) and other seasonal tunes always feature in our gigs at the end of the year.  We will soon be putting together a small book of our winter repertoire and its time for members to suggest things that we might include. Bear in mind that we want the range of tunes to be familiar and suitable for all gigs. The book will be ready in early November so everyone has a chance to learn the tunes for gigs in December.

The current list is this.

• We Wish You a Merry Christmas
• The Holly and the Ivy
• Deck the Hall
• Jingle Bells
• Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer
• Troika
• Silent Night
• White Christmas
• Good King Wenceslas

Send you your suggestions to Andrew B using the contacts form on the web or speak to him at the hall on a Friday evening.  If you have the dots for your suggestion, please let him have those as well.

Only 70 shopping days to the most expensive consumer extravaganza of the year!

PS. We’ve already got 3 suggestions. Space in the book is filling up fast. (Added 9/10/19)

Just a reminder that we are playing in Crieff at St Michaels church next Saturday at 2pm – this is an Everybody Gig – ALL WELCOME!

Also – next Friday the hall is in use for the Blackford Flower Show, so we are meeting in the church session hall at the other end of the village instead.

This Saturday (17th August) we are having a “Bothy Session” in the barn at Stuart and Susie’s (Preston Park, Auchterader, PH3 1NP). ALL welcome.

It would be a big help to know numbers for the catering etc and, if it’s possible, please say by Friday night at the latest if you are planning on coming. We’ll play from 7 till about 8.30 then break for stovies and drinks then resume playing after that till late! There will be a vegetarian option too!