Transatlantic talent helps celebrate Robert Burns

Acts from across the US and UK are gathering in Dumfries for the start of the Big Burns Supper Festival.

The event - staged mainly at the specially constructed Spiegeltent venue - is now in its ninth edition.

Among the acts performing this year is the multiple Grammy award-winning artist Keb Mo.

Others taking part during the festival include Morcheeba, Hue and Cry, The Felice Brothers, Turin Brakes and Newton Faulkner.

It will also see its cabaret event - Le Haggis - run once again this year.

Organisers said they had looked "further afield" when putting together the line-up for 2020.

In total it will host more than 100 events with hundreds of music, comedy, dance and cabaret artists in action.

The festival runs until 2 February.

The first Big Burns Supper was held in the town in 2012 when Eddi Reader was one of the headline acts.

The aim was to become the biggest festival in honour of Scotland's national bard.

Since then it has seen a string of famous names perform at the Spiegeltent site which is put up for the occasion.

Acts to have taken part include KT Tunstall, Deacon Blue, Nina Nesbitt, Badly Drawn Boy, Bill Bailey, Lulu and the Bay City Rollers.

Robert Burns was born in Alloway in Ayrshire in 1759 but spent the final years before his death in 1796 in Dumfries.

A statue in his honour, his former home and his final resting place are all located in the town.

Among the other nearby attractions linked with the poet are his farm at Ellisland and a bathing spot where he once took the waters.

Many streets names in the town also boast Burns connections as do a number of pubs.

As well as the big name acts, the festival also offers an opportunity to local performers.

Last year's event reported a "string of sold out events" with audiences up 18% on figures for 2018.

It was said to have provided a "record boost" to businesses operating in the town.

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