From Prestwick to the USA: David Quinn’s New Scotland Anthem Set for Take-Off Many people across Ayrshire will remember David Quinn from his days at Elliott’s in Prestwick, where he built up a loyal following through his DJ skills and larger-than-life personality. Now David is hoping to get Scotland supporters singing with a new football anthem called Scotland Party in the USA. The track was created with lyricist Simon Corbett, who flew to London to work with David on the son

Girvan Tattie Fest will return this month with the support of South Ayrshire-based Land Energy, helping to keep the popular community event free for families and visitors. Now in its fifth year, the annual festival celebrates Girvan’s agricultural heritage and the famous Ayrshire Epicure potato. This year’s event takes place at Louisa Drive, Girvan, on Saturday 13 June, from 1pm to 5pm, with two large marquees in place to help weatherproof the day. David Bone, Communications

A major programme of free and low-cost sporting activities has been launched across North Ayrshire as part of a nationwide drive to get more young people active. North Ayrshire Council is working in partnership with sportscotland on the £20 million 2026 Summer of Sport initiative, funded by the Scottish Government and facilitated by sportscotland. The programme will give young people aged three to 26 the chance to take part in a wide range of activities throughout the summer

There are birthdays, and then there are milestones that make us stop and reflect. On 30 May, Andrew Kennedy will celebrate his 100th birthday, marking a life shaped by courage, hardship, service, family and quiet determination. Andrew’s journey began in the small village of Duthil, near Carrbridge in Invernesshire, before life took him to the Isle of Arran, where he lived at Largiemore House in Whiting Bay under the care of Miss Thomson. Alongside Joe McClean and Lilly Wilson

A Troon woman who spent much of her life working, volunteering and supporting her local community is preparing to celebrate her 100th birthday on 29 May. Annie Longley Malcolm Macdonald, known as Anna, was born on 29 May 1926 at 44 Rannoch Street, Cathcart, Glasgow. Before her marriage, Anna worked in offices for Glasgow City Council and British Oxygen. In 1952, she married Calum Macdonald and later became a full-time mother to their two children, Alistair, born in 1959, and

Bestselling author Sir Michael Morpurgo visited the Barony Campus on Friday as part of the Boswell Book Festival’s education outreach programme. Sir Michael spoke to P7 pupils from Lochnorris Primary School and S1 pupils from The Robert Burns Academy about his new book, Black Beauty – A Retelling. The Boswell Book Festival, held annually at Dumfries House, is described as the world’s only festival of memoir and biography. Organised by the Boswell Trust, the festival also incl

Runners are being invited to take on one of Ayrshire’s best-known climbs when the Cairn Table Hill Race returns on Wednesday, July 15, 2026. The event will run from 6.30pm until 8.30pm and will see participants tackle a demanding 7.2km course up Cairn Table, one of Ayrshire’s finest hills. Entry costs £15, with a reduced fee of £13 for members of Scottish Athletics, England Athletics or Welsh Athletics. Organisers have confirmed that all entries must be made in advance throug

The very first Miss Great Britain Ayrshire Masterclass took place this weekend at LJM Dance Studios, bringing together 20 finalists aged between 19 and 71, for an inspiring and empowering day of preparation ahead of the upcoming grand final. The finalists were joined by current Miss Great Britain Alice Cutler, alongside former Miss GB’s Dionne Gillespie and Ava Morgan, as well as reigning Miss GB Edinburgh and 1 st runner up at Miss GB Jennifer Winter. Together, they shared i

🤠 Major Country Festival Coming to Ayrshire This Summer 🎶 A brand-new outdoor festival is set to bring a taste of Nashville to Ayrshire this summer, as The Auchincruive Hoedown prepares to take over the historic Auchincruive Estate on Saturday 6th June 2026. Organised by local event specialists Clocktower Events in partnership with 1958 Events, the Hoedown promises a full day of live entertainment, food, and festival atmosphere — all set under a giant sailcloth marquee on t

Marymass Festival organisers are calling on community groups, businesses and organisers across Irvine to submit their August events for inclusion in the 2026 programme. The team behind the popular festival has launched an appeal for details of events taking place during August, with organisers offering to add them to this year’s official programme free of charge. With plans already under way for what is expected to be a busy and vibrant Marymass season, festival organisers sa

One of the country’s best-loved food brands is bringing back its popular Golden Easter Hunt. Launching just in time for the school holidays, this year it’s set to be bigger, bolder and even more exciting - and it's free for anyone to enter. Graham’s Family Dairy has launched its nationwide Easter hunt, with gold-ribboned bottles hidden in secret spots across Scotland. From bustling city cafés and independent farm shops to sports clubs, visitor attractions, museums and galler

Dance Fest, Ayrshire’s biggest celebration of dance, was held recently at the Gaiety Theatre in Ayr. The spectacular event showcased the very best of dance from local schools, community groups, private dance schools and stage schools. Our resident East Ayrshire Youth Dance Company and Junior Dance Company, which are funded by the National Lottery, opened the show in style. Choreographed by Louise Chudleigh and Carrie Craggs respectively, the youth company gave a wonderful per

Families are being invited to hop into Easter at Dobbies’ Ayr store next month as the garden centre teams up with Gabby’s Dollhouse for a special spring-themed Little Seedlings Club event. The free workshop will take place on Saturday, 4 April, offering children a 60-minute Easter adventure filled with seasonal fun, creativity and hands-on activities. Inspired by the popular DreamWorks children’s show, the event will see youngsters step into the world of Gabby’s Dollhouse, wh

Fans of classic Hollywood and timeless music will have the chance to relive the golden age of entertainment when the stage production Que Sera Sera: The Greatest Hits of Doris Day arrives for a special performance on Thursday 12 March 2026 at 7.30pm. The show celebrates the life and career of one of Hollywood’s most beloved stars, bringing together the songs and stories that defined the remarkable career of singer and actress Doris Day. Audiences will be taken on a musical jo

A small group of Ukrainians and Scots walked together through Ayr to lay a wreath at the war memorial in Wellington Square yesterday evening. The billowing blue and yellow Ukrainian flags were led in procession by a Scottish Saltire. Ukrainians and Scots walked together in the procession organised by Professor Nataliia Grevtseva, Professor of the Department of Hotel and Restaurant Business and Food Technologies in the city of Kharkiv, north-east Ukraine. Professor Grevtseva

A new creative space has opened its doors in Newmilns, offering local residents the chance to explore hands-on crafts and artistic experiences while bringing fresh energy to the high street. The Inglenook Studio marks a new chapter for Little Prints Scotland, the bespoke gift business known for personalised family and pet keepsakes. Following a successful period in Mauchline, the business has relocated to a larger premises, allowing for expanded workshops, retail space and cr

A long anticipated moment has arrived for the Alloway Railway Tunnel project, with the unveiling of a dramatic new mural scene that brings one of Scotland’s most famous literary moments vividly to life. The latest artwork reveals the climactic finale of Tam o’ Shanter , depicting Tam and Meg in full flight across the bridge, pursued by a frenzy of witches. The scene captures the tension, energy and fear of the poem’s closing moments, set just a short distance from the real B

The Scottish Maritime Museum is inviting visitors to take part in World Museum Selfie Day 2026, encouraging people of all ages to explore Scotland’s maritime heritage while joining a global celebration of museums and culture. Marking the annual event, the museum is welcoming the public to its historic Linthouse building in Irvine , offering visitors the chance to discover stories of shipbuilding, seafaring, and industrial innovation that have shaped Scotland’s coastal commun

Ryanair Engineering is inviting people across Ayrshire and beyond to explore a wide range of career opportunities within one of Scotlanvd’s most established aviation employers. The event, running from 11:00am to 7:00pm, offers an opportunity to meet the engineering and recruitment teams, learn more about roles across aircraft maintenance, structures, specialist workshops, training, planning, document control and graduate pathways, and marks the official launch of the 2026 App

Short Attention Span Theatre at the Ayr Gaiety Studio Theatre Reviewed by Euan Ruddick There is a particular kind of joy that only small-scale theatre can deliver, and Short Attention Span Theatre understand this instinctively. Upstairs in the purpose-built Studio at the Ayr Gaiety Theatre , the company presents an evening that is generous, confident and quietly exhilarating, offering six short plays that together form a perfect invitation into the world of live performance.