Crowds expected at Nithraid event in Dumfries

Thousands of people are expected to watch a boat race along the River Nith in Dumfries and Galloway this weekend. Sailing boats will race from the Solway Firth to Dumfries as part of the Nithraid on Sunday. It will be a test of skill and stamina for those taking part and it has been organised by local artists' collective The Stove Network. They have invited families, art lovers and sailing fans to watch the spectacle from the banks of the river. A pop-up village will be built on Mill Green in Dumfries. There will be sails designed by a young artist, as well as music and stalls selling local produce. The Salty Coo, which has become a symbol of the race, will also feature. A procession will carry it from the High Street to Mill Green, where it will be ceremonially dunked in the river once the first boat crosses the finishing line. Stove curator Matt Baker said: "Nithraid developing from a first idea to now being part of the town calendar is something The Stove Network is properly proud of. "4,500 people around the river at last year's event was an amazing spectacle and showed just what an asset the Nith is for Dumfries. "Nithraid 2015 promises to be an amazing public artwork and another amazing day."