21 years young, and believed to be the longest running event of its kind in Scotland, the Country and Western Festival is back for a rooting-tooting time in Millport!

There is a new bonanza of activities at this year’s revamped Country and Western Festival as big efforts are being made to give it a more family friendly focus.

So Wyatt Earps and Doc Hollidays can saddle up and enjoy some fun new activities this year - while enjoying a rip-roaring weekend of great country music and dance featuring some of Scotland’s finest bands.

There are lots of fun-filled activities for children, and most of these events will be taking place in and around the Garrison House area.

The Millport Country and Western Festival began way back in 1995 and has gone from strength to strength every year. No matter your taste in country music, they have it!

A new competition which is being introduced for hungry cowboys and cowgirls is the hot dog eating contest on Saturday afternoon at 4.30pm.

Inspired by the new American fad, where the hotdog eating competitions are even shown as live sport on the ESPN channel, the contest is coming to Millport, and organisers are looking for some Desperate Dans and munching Minnie the Minxes to take up the challenge!

It has been introduced after organisers spotted a similar contest at a western festival in Fife.

“It costs everyone £1 who wishes to enter, and their name will be put in a hat,” explained festival spokeswoman Angela Giorgetti, “There will be three hot dogs each, and the challenge for them will be to eat as much as they can, and as quickly as they can. It is good fun - and everyone can cheer on their friend who is taking part! It really gets the crowd going, and we are looking forward to it!” This picture shows Joey Chestnut - who has been a number-one-ranked eater in the world– tie his own world record by consuming 68 hot dogs and buns in 10 minutes! We don’t expect any world records to be broken on Cumbrae, but you never know!

All the usual events and features are taking place at the festival, and other new additions. The main music venues are Cactus Jack’s (Town Hall), Buffalo Bill’s (Newton Bar), Last Chance Saloon (Tavern Bar), Tombstone Saloon (Kelburne Bar) and Crazy Horse Tepee (the Garrison marquee) - bands performing include Ellis Country, Brodie, Smokin’ Gunns, Still Water, Donna Wylde, and Steve Hanks. There is a line dancing workshop with Diane Dawson from 12-1.30pm at the Town Hall on Saturday and Sunday. Live music starts on Friday night from 7pm and carries on throughout the weekend.

Full country and western festival preview in this week's Largs News