Organisers and volunteers at the Big Burns Supper are fundraising to help bring back the popular Dumfries Carnival, which proved to be a massive success earlier in the year.
The organisation will be staging a series of fundraising events which will coincide with Guid Nychburris Day running from their premises at 70 High Street in Dumfries on Saturday 21st June.
A pop-up Vintage Cafe will be serving Afternoon Tea’s for £7.50 each from 10am until 4pm, served by a happy bunch of volunteers who will bring cheer to the occasion.
Family Musical Bingo will take place inside the former River Island shop at various times during the day.
A new range of Love Dumfries t-shirts will also be available to purchase on the day, as well as a plant and book swap. The t-shirts have been designed by local designer Russell Milligan, who works with Creative Hutch.
A crowdfunding campaign has also kicked off to try and find the £8,000 which will be used to help keep the event free, with £1,100 already pledged by Doonhamers so far.
The money raised will allow more than 2,500 children to make lanterns free of charge across a range of different community settings in the six-month build-up to Dumfries Carnival, including workshops in more than 25 schools.
Dumfries Carnival is set to return between the 15th and 19th January 2026 and will include the return of the Northern Lights programme which brought buildings to life last year.
Newly elected Chair of the voluntary board for Big Burns Supper, Justin Hyslop said:
“Dumfries Carnival is a really important event for our region in January, and we want to keep it free to ensure that everyone in our community can take part.
Members of the community would be surprised to know we have to fund the entire project ourselves, and we also have to pay for things like Council road closures, the usage of Council buildings as well as the materials and staff to run the event’”.
To book an afternoon tea, musical bingo or to find out more – check out www.bigburnssupper.com
To pledge support https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/dumfries-carnival-2026
