The eighth staging of the Traditional Singing Weekend at Cullerlie Farm Park and Heritage Centre from July 25 to 27 is expected to attract scores of song enthusiasts to the local steading.

The festival, jointly organised by the University of Aberdeen's Elphinstone Institute, brings together outstanding traditional singers from Scotland, England and Ireland for a weekend of ceilidhs, singarounds, workshops and talks.

In 2007, the popular event was shortlisted for Event of the Year at the Scottish Traditional Music Awards - the first time it had been held since the deaths of Cullerlie tenants Anne and Tom Reid, the legendary North-east singer.

Tom (known as Tam) was crowned the Bothy Ballad King in 1977 before a crowd of 10,000 at the Haughs in Turriff - a title that he kept until his death in January 2003. Anne, also a fine singer, died in June 2006.

Her death led the annual singing event to be cancelled in 2006, but thanks to the express wishes of the farm's new tenants - Anne's daughter, Tracey, and her husband Eric Walker - the festival went ahead in 2007. Now a stellar line-up of singers from Cornwall to Crieff will descend on Cullerlie for this year's gathering.

Dr Ian Russell, director of the Elphinstone Institute, said: "The weekend is designed to be informal and friendly and is a great way to hear some of the finest traditional singers from across the UK.

"Last year was a great success and a most fitting salute to Tom and Anne's memory. We have another wonderful line-up for the coming weekend including concerts with guest singers, singarounds, and craft workshops, so there is something for people of all ages to enjoy".

Guest singers at the event include: Tarland balladeer Shona Donaldson; Aberdeen fish merchant and folk club co-founder Danny Couper; Viv Legg of Romany stock from Bodmin, Cornwall; Oliver Mulligan from Co Monaghan (via London); award-winning writer Jess Smith, from Crieff; and Scottish Traditional Music Hall of Fame member, Sheila Stewart, from Blairgowrie.

For further information on the guest singers, visit: http://www.abdn.ac.uk/elphinstone/events/cullerlie08/index.shtml

Cullerlie Farm Park and Heritage Centre was set up by Tam and Anne Reid in 1993 and is now run by Anne's daughter, Tracey and her husband Eric Walker, together with other members of the family. Tam moved to the Cullerlie Estate with his parents when just a toddler in 1935, and worked with his father in the traditional way of farming. He kept the traditions alive by turning the old original steading into a farm museum with one of the largest privately-owned collections of farming and domestic memorabilia in Scotland.

Anne was also a fine singer and promoted the traditions of the North-east through singing and speaking workshops with schoolchildren and adults at local schools, and at the museum, as well as hosting regular Saturday-night ceilidhs. It is her family's express wish that the festival should continue to run in memory of Tam and Anne.