LIVE music fans across Ayrshire are being urged to show their support for a popular festival ahead of its return to the local events calendar this summer.
One of the organisers of Doonfest, which will be held in Dalrymple on the weekend of July 5 and 6, says that finding the funding to ensure this year's event can go ahead, has been more difficult this year than at any time since the festival was established in 2017.
The event is organised by a small team of enthusiastic locals with support from other people in the community.
Doon Valley ward councillor Jennifer Hogg is one of those involved in the organising of the event, and she says every bit of financial help from the public is vital.
"Funding has been really difficult this year, despite us trying to go down various different avenues," Cllr Hogg said.
"We've got an auction that's due to go live that will include a range of wild and whacky prizes up for grabs, including the Dalrymple Ukulele Orchestra offering to play for a special event like a wedding or a birthday.
"The event costs about £36,000 to organise, and we're sitting at around £20,000, so we're looking to try and get as much as we can from this."
Stagecoach will be running a bus back to Ayr following the end of the event each night.
Councillor Hogg said events such as Doonfest are hugely important in giving residents, and in particular young people, in communities such as Dalrymple an experience they might not otherwise enjoy in a small community.
She added: "This event is amazing for youngsters and all ages of people from Dalrymple, the Doon Valley and across East Ayrshire.
"If someone's parents don't have money to take them to Glasgow for a show or concert, then this will be the closest thing they get to that.
"It opens a whole new world up for people who wouldn't otherwise experience this stuff.
"There's a brilliant mix of performers and there's loads of activities going on during the day as well on the Saturday.
"So we really hope people get behind this auction and we can put on as good an event as we can this year again."
You can find out more information on the event by going to the Doonfest Facebook page.
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