SOME of the biggest names in contemporary Scottish music have spoken of their excitement as they prepare to appear in Helensburgh at the first Argyll Gathering festival.

The family friendly weekend festival, on August 19 and 20, aims to showcase the best in traditional and contemporary Scottish music, local food and drink and feature interactive workshops tied to Scotland's heritage and culture.

This week the organisers announced The LaFontaines as the festival's Saturday night headliners - the Motherwell-based band joining a line-up which already includes the Red Hot Chilli Pipers, Treacherous Orchestra and former Runrig frontman Donnie Munro.

Munro, who has performed as a solo artist all round the world since leaving Runrig 20 years ago, told the Advertiser that his first Helensburgh audience can expect to hear a range of material including Runrig classics and some of his more recent solo material.

He said: "Over the years I have been lucky to have been able to work with some of Scotland's finest musicians and writers and I look forward to bringing this great band of musicians to 'the Gathering' and delivering a great show.

"Audience members can expect to hear a range of material from across my musical career from the many Runrig 'classics' which formed such a large and important part of my musical journey to the more recent material from the range of solo albums I have recorded over more recent years. I can't wait to be a part of what looks like being an amazing event.

"Helensburgh is a fantastic and beautiful little town and so well placed to attract audiences from around Argyll, Glasgow and the central belt and has the potential to become one of Scotland's great music festival venues.I look forward to seeing you there."

Also excited to be part of a new festival are Treacherous Orchestra who hope people will head along and join them for a dance, a laugh and a great day.

They said: "We're a band that have had a lot of support on our journey, so it's great to be able to pay that back and help support new ideas and new platforms for traditional Scottish music.

"Culture, music, fun and entertainment are massively important to communities, so whether the Gathering sparks an interest in new music or is simply a great day out this is a landmark occasion!"

And one of the up-and-coming names on the festival bill, Pronto Mama, added: "After waiting absolutely ages, we'll finally be able to let people hear the material from our new album 'Any Joy'.

"It's a belter and we can't wait to play it for the lovely folks of Argyll."

The festival line-up also includes Colonel Mustard & The Dijon 5, Bwani Junction, Mànran, Federation of the Disco Pimp, Have Mercy Las Vegas and several well-known local artists, including singer-songwriter Ainsley Hamill and fiddler Ryan Young - both from Cardross - and Kilcreggan harpist Pippa Reid-Foster.

As well as the vast line-up of musical entertainment, the festival, taking place at Helensburgh Rugby Club's Ardencaple grounds, will have a whole host of activitiesto keep the entire family entertained including interactive workshops and activities, a children's entertainment area and an array of food and drink, much of it produced in Argyll.

Festival organiser James Windebank was born and raised in Helensburgh and hopes that the festival will bring people from across Scotland together.

He said: "The one thing that I always wanted my home town to have was a spectacular event that focussed on bringing people together to listen to great music, have a dram and really enjoy themselves as a community!”

For the full line-up and information on how to purchase tickets visit www.argyllgathering.com