A summer festival featuring a series of events will celebrate Annan and the town’s rich history.
The event was launched on Saturday at the Quarter Cake Cafe where the local community was able to enjoy music from the Uke Akimbo ukelele band and bagpipers.
A tree-planting ceremony was performed by Annan History Town Festival chairman Richard Brodie, Deputy Lord Lieutenant Hardip Atwal and ROM Cornet Oran Keenan.
Mr Brodie said: “It was an amazing launch.
“The entertainment was excellent and lots of people came along.
“Our festival will take place over the next seven weeks and we have a lot of events prepared for everyone.
“It is a great way to celebrate Annan’s history and we hope the festival will benefit the local community, businesses, artists and visitors alike.
“We are also hoping to expand our programme of events throughout the year in the future to build upon what we are
doing.”
The first events included talks about the history salmon fishing on Tuesday and Wednesday. A State Management Exhibition started yesterday and runs until Sunday at St Andrew’s Church Hall.
For more than 50 years Annan and the district were unique as all the hotels and pubs were owned by the British Government.
At the exhibition, visitors will be able to find out why and when it ended, when the pubs and hotels were sold and for how
much.
For anyone who wants to travel back to the 12th century, the Historia Normannis re-enactment group takes camp at the Motte and Bailey, Everholm on July 23-24.
The festival will also offer a free online presentation from genealogist, Emma Maxwell, and the Historic Railways Exhibition will bring back the memories of the railways a bygone age.
Finally, visitors will be able to enjoy local talent from Zelda Hill Academy of Music, Gretna, and Maureen Smith Dancing Academy at a variety showcase.
