The 7th Perthshire Amber Festival starts on Friday 28 October 2011.

Perthshire’s top autumnal music festival swings into action on Friday for ten days. Starting with a sell-out Opening Concert at Edradour Distillery featuring ‘Caledonia star’ Dougie MacLean and ‘Scottish Joni Mitchell’ Emily Smith. The air around Perthshire will be filled with the sound of fiddles, accordions, bagpipes, whistles and violins and many stunning and beautiful voices as 7,000 music fans are expected to attend the ten day festival.

The packed ten day line-up, featuring many top musicians from Scotland and throughout the world, takes place in venues across gorgeous, autumnal Perthshire, including castles, town and village halls, the wee Iron Age Crannog and the mighty Perth Concert Hall.

Although some of the concerts are close to capacity, or sold out, there are still a few tickets to be had and also an array of free events to choose from including the Open Mic and Cabaret Amber.

Here’s a selection of concerts, which are selling fast, but still have some seats available:

Saturday 29 October –  Dougie MacLean and Beoga (Ireland) at Blairgowrie Town Hall – one of Ireland’s most exciting trad bands join Dougie on stage in what is sure to be a lively performance.

Sunday 30 October –  The Village Hall Concerts – chose your venue from Clunie Hall, Meikleour Hall, Caputh Hall and throughout the evening Dougie MacLean and a host of talented musicians including Eliza Lynn (USA), Pete Garnett, Sorren Maclean, Findlay Napier and Buddy MacDonald (Canada) will provide a night of fantastic, foot-stomping music and song.

Friday 4 November – Perth Concert Hall, Dougie MacLean with Strings and Choirs, hundreds of voices will join together in an impressive and engaging performance. Dougie will be joined by InChorus (Peebles), Lothian and Borders Police Choir and Tayside Police Choir and also the specially formed Perthshire Ensemble – an extremely talented group of classic players.

Saturday 5 November – Perth Concert Hall, Dougie MacLean and Friends – a gathering of some of the finest musical talent, including Phil Cunningham, Kris Drever, Heidi Talbot and Jimmie MacGregor.

The impressive Perthshire backdrop also plays the perfect host for this year’s Perthshire Amber Outdoors, a calendar of events running alongside the music line-up, which make the most of this scenic region. Highlights include: Come and try.. Shinty, a Photographic Walk Experience, a Mountain Safari, a Highland Horse Trek and various nature walks.

Dunkeld, the new festival hub for Perthshire Amber, will also host the opening event of the Outdoors Festival on Saturday 29 Oct, starting at 11 the Decorated Wheelbarrow Procession will be led through the streets of Dunkeld by the Pitlochry & Blair Atholl Pipe Band.

To book tickets, call the ticket hotline on 01350 724 281 or go to www.perthshireamber.com