The Largs Viking Festival promises to be a high flying spectacular this year with marvellous plane displays and a spectacular freefall from 10,000 feet by the Red Devils.

Launching on Saturday 30 August, the festival is now in its 34th year, and includes many highlights including the seafront food markets, the party at the pencil, and of course, the Viking Village.

And on Sunday 7 September, at 3pm, the Parachute Regiment Freefall Team “The Red Devils” will jump from an altitude of up to 10,000ft at speeds of up to 120mph before deploying their parachutes.

Once safely under canopy, team members will demonstrate breathtaking, high-speed “Swoops” and spectacular “Canopy Formations” – both unique to parachute displays in the UK – before landing in the sea off the promenade. An informative commentary is provided throughout the team’s display and team members will be available afterwards to meet spectators.

One of the major attractions is of course the international food market which has grown year on year.

This year there will be a Scottish Food and Craft market, open every day of the festival, a vintage market on Saturday 30 and Sunday 31 August, and you can explore the first global market from Wednesday 3 until Sunday 7 September.

There will be a series of aerobatics displays over both weekends which will be performed by Pilot Jim McTaggart of the VT10 Company Ltd, primarily using the aerobatic Starduster Too or one of a range of other aircraft such as a Tiger Moth, FW 190, Pitt Specials.

The fun and games get underway at 2pm on Saturday 30 August with the Grand Opening Parade from Morrisons to the Viking Village which is always a spectacular occasion to kick-off the event, attracting big crowds. An opening ceremony will then take place at 2.30pm, with a formal opening by North Ayrshire Provost Joan Sturgeon. There will be Star Dance Academy, Largs Academy Showcase, and Largs Gaelic Choir performing on the seafront throughout the day.

The Viking Village will be open from 11am-5pm over the course of the festival - Come and see how the Vikings lived in our extended living history 13th Century village. This year the re-enactment group Swords of Dalriada will be in the village with Viking traders from Germany, Sweden and Ireland providing a further international atmosphere to the activities.

The Royal Marine Commandos will be bringing their Commando Challenge and mobile recruiting vehicle on Wednesday 3 September.

The Festival Board are delighted to welcome Les Amis d’Onno to this year’s event with their interactive “Medieval Stable” containing two horses for the public to pet and a selection of reproduction saddles and tack ranging from Roman times through to the 17th Century. The stable will be located near the Viking Village on Saturday 6 and Sunday 7 September.

It is going to be a striking climax to the week of festivities, with the Red Devils, and not forgetting the traditional Party at the Pencil, including the battle re-enactment of 1263 on Largs seafront, and a spectacular fireworks display on Saturday 6 September.

For the full festival programme, go to the offical website http://www.largsvikingfestival.com/