August 24 @ 2:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Nithraid River Festival is back! Co-produced by EcoArt & The Stove Network.
Starting with the procession of the Salty Coo from the Dumfries High Street, down to the River Nith at 2pm, Nithraid River Festival is a fun-filled afternoon for all the family. Watch the boats arrive from Glencaple, as they compete in the annual River Race, take part in family-friendly activity on the Mill Green and join us as we celebrate our wonderful natural environment.
Please bring along a blanket or chair to sit on.
The Rite of the Salty Coo
From 1.30pm Oceanallover and Dumfries Slow Fashion (RE:Dress Scotland) will be travelling with the Salty Coo through Dumfries and across the river to meet the Nithraid as the boats arrive at Mill Green.
We will drove the cow along with a herd of costumed performers and children from Mid-Steeple, down the Vennel, across Devorgilla Bridge and finally onto the Mill Green arriving at around 2.45pm where The Coo will take part in its annual river dunking.
This is a performed costume and fashion-shoot. There will be four stages on the way where we will celebrate the Salty Coo with music and dance and take photographs for Pulp Magazine.
Find out how you can get involved with the procession HERE.
On Millgreen
Flag DESIGN workshop – ECoart
Come and design your own flag that signals your feelings about the environment.
EcoArt have been running workshops to design and make environmental signalling flags with local communities over the past 3 years. The flags which are inspired by the International Maritime Signals Code, are a creative way of signalling feelings concerning the huge environmental challenges facing us all, as well as hopes for the future. Previous workshop participants have made the beautiful flags that will be carried up the Nith by race participants and which will be flown on the suspension bridge at Nithraid.
CRICHTON CARBON CENTRE
The Crichton Carbon Centre (CCC) is well known for peatland restoration and training, carbon management, and environmental education. Their latest and very exciting venture is a Flux Tower, situated just outside of Dumfries on a bog that was converted into a plantation forest. For the next 9 years, the Flux Tower will measure greenhouse gases above the canopy, gasses like carbon dioxide that contribute to Climate Change.
At Nithraid, Carys (CCC Education Officer) and Kerry (CCC Artist) will be going back to basics, exploring the Carbon Cycle though drawing and poems, and playful meanderings.
Moving images cinema caravan
Moving Images fantastic Solar powered Cinema Caravan will be coming to the Nithraid River Festival! We’ll be screening a variety of short animations with Eco and climate justice themes for all ages. Screenings will last approx 10 mins and will be free!
SWSEIC Moth trap discovery
At Nithraid two SWSEIC scientists will be opening four moth traps set the evening before at different locations along the river Nith. See a close-up of the different species of moths and study the variety and exquisite beauty of these nocturnal creatures.
South West Scotland Environmental Information Centre (SWSEIC) is the wildlife record centre for Ayrshire and Dumfries and Galloway. The centre holds 3.5 million wildlife records for the area and supports local conservation, planning and wildlife surveying.
speeding backwards – dark-room trailer & wet plate photography talk
Meet Kyna Hodges, a mixed media artist from Dumfries and Galloway. Kyna specialises in a process called Wet Plate photography, an old and complex form of picture taking from the 1800’s. This process involves pouring liquid chemicals onto a metal plate and developing them almost immediately in a dark room. It results in a single precious image – not a negative that other images can be taken from.
In her project Speeding Backwards, she will be using a custom-built dark room bicycle trailer to tour Ireland and then on to Nithraid.
“I will be bringing my bike and trailer and sharing some of my adventures and taking wet plate photographs at Nithraid on the 24th of August.
I am super excited to be at Nithraid – its a celebration of movement, of cyclical change, and of the moon pulling the salt water of the sea all the way up to Dumfries!”
An EcoArt Commission.
‘To go with safe water’: bike and bike trailer with mobile workshop, hosted by jasmine robertson
Set sail on the river Nith with our paper boats workshop! Come learn about natural inks, seed sharing, plant identification and river justice. And celebrate all the flourishing growth and life of the river!
Get involved with origami boat making with handmade papers, writing notes for downstream/the future, and folding up to set sail on the water. Participants will have the option of adding clay figures with seeds, dried flower heads etc. and to help start a sea scroll, adding drawings and identification of our findings along the river, which will then travel North to be filled out by participants across the west coast as Jasmin cycles north.
This workshop is held by Jasmin Robertson, commissioned by EcoArt.
SCAMP: “The Voice of the River” Workshop & Discussion
Join SCAMP’s river ecologist Nick Chisholm as he shares insights, underwater finds and wee creatures from the river Nith.
Rivers don’t have a voice so Nick will be the voice of the River Nith for the day. Nick will be passing up samples from the river throughout the day with Jan Hogarth, SCAMP’s artist/educator, encouraging everyone to have a good chat about river biodiversity, impacts of climate change and the health of the river.
When not in the river, learn more about Solway Coast and Marine Project (SCAMP) and view an interactive salt marsh model.
Galloway & Southern Ayrshire UNESCO Biosphere: urban wildlife walk
Come and discover the Dumfries wildlife! The Nith brings many species of birds, mammals, invertebrates and plants right into the heart of town. Antoine, the Galloway & Southern Ayrshire Biosphere’s Nature Recovery officer, will lead an urban wildlife walk along the river with some forays further into town.
Helmut Lemke presents ‘sounding poems’ for Nithraid 2024
Helmut is a political artist who uses sound as the basis of his work to explore more-than-human elements of environments. He shares process-based work through performances, concerts, exhibitions, and teaching. His “sounding poems” reflect his concern for the natural environment and his anger about the disrespect our societies show to it. The words and sounds in his work are equally important and appropriate to each other and the subject matter.
An EcoArt commission.
Nith Skiff Stand
Interested in building a boat for Dumfries? Ever wanted to row one of these?
Come and chat to the people at the Nith Skiff Stand about their boat building project where you can sign up to hear more about the project, offer contributions or make a ships nail!
Image by Kirstin McEwan Photography
Rosefield mills stall
The Rosefield Mills buildings are the last surviving large-scale Victorian industrial buildings in Dumfries. They are of key cultural and historic
importance to the town. The former mill buildings are listed Category B, and are located within the Dumfries Conservation Area. Most of the
buildings are derelict, and are included in the Buildings at Risk Registerfor Scotland.
Rosefield Mills is of great significance to the community, and the possibility of its re-use for community benefit has received spontaneous and widespread support from the public, both locally in Dumfries, more widely across the region, and even from Norway, as the building housed troops from Norway during WW2. Dumfries Historic Buildings Trust is working to develop a sustainable future for Rosefield Mills.
EN PLEIN AIR: Artist Short Films Exploring the Environmental at RBC Film Theatre
Curated by Reel to Real Cinema, running from 2pm – 5pm.
A series of short films made by local filmmakers exploring our relationship and impact on our environment, both here in Dumfries and Galloway and further afield. Take a cinematic journey with us from the shores of Stranraer and the inspirational coasts of the Solway, following a skiff building community in the Highlands, the environmental views of young people, and the tensions and complications between virtual and physical worlds.
Featuring films by: Coulson and Tennant, John Wallace, Ruari Barber Fleming, Neville Gabie, Imogen Cowan and Annie Gamble.
Still from Fractured, courtesy Coulson and Tennant.
RBC Film Theatre – Discussion about the future of Nithraid in cinema
From 6:00 pm – 6:45 pm, all are welcome to join a discussion about the future of Nithraid in Cinema at the Robert Burns Centre Film Theatre.
We hope to see you there!
RBC Film theatre – riverwoodS film screening
RBC Films at the Robert Burns Centre in association with Nithraid are showing Riverwoods – 7:00 – 8:30pm. FREE.
RIVERWOODS – narrated by Peter Capaldi, this documentary explores the complex relationship between Scotland’s Atlantic salmon and its natural woodlands.
Three years in the making, the feature-length Riverwoods film, produced by SBP, shines a light on the perilous state of Scotland’s salmon, and tells the compelling story of a fish that once lived in the forest. And in the soil that feeds the forest. And in the predators, scavengers and even herbivores of the forest. Scotland’s Atlantic
salmon – the King of Fish – is not only the ultimate angler’s prize, but a key building block in a complex forest ecosystem.
For more information and to book please visit HERE.
MORE ACTIVITY STILL TO BE ANNOUNCED!
Graham Bell Tornado Performance
Supported by EcoArt, Graham Bell Tornado has been awarded a residency in Dumfries and Galloway, to work in Kirkcudbright, Auchencairn and Dumfries.
Graham is a Scottish environmental performance artist, now based in Spain, who will be working with communities to produce banners and emblems that highlight the rights of nature. They will also create articipatory performances that include drawing, song and costume.
On the 24th of August at Nithraid, watch Graham Bell Tornado’s performances at various places along the river. Kingholm Quay (2pm approx) Embarkation Ceremony. Graham Tornado Bell will be transported up the river by a union of riverside animals. Arrival at Mill Green, Dumfries (approx 2.30-3pm) where everyone will be invited to a celebration of the river Nith. Don’t miss this extraordinary performance!
Where to eat
The Bonnie Bistro (At RBCFT) will be serving tea, coffee, and cakes throughout the day.
On the Sands
Catch live music from 2pm at the Coach and Horses!
Listen to Kissing the Flint from 2pm, then enjoy and afternoon of Folk ‘n Roll with the Razorbills from 5pm.
Nithraid has been going for over 10 years and has seen many changes over that time. It is now in the process of another major transition. Over the next two years, Nithraid will become an independent organisation. Building on the success of this distinctive and unique celebration of the beautiful River Nith, and keeping the river race as its central element, the event will develop the Mill Green gathering into a creative festival of the natural environment.
Nithraid River Festival is supported by EcoArt, The Stove Network, Dumfries & Galloway Council, The Holywood Trust and Annandale and Nithsdale Community Benefit Company, disbursing funds on behalf of ScottishPower Renewables Harestanes Windfarm.