Largs Viking Festival has launched a new patreon scheme for members of the public as the organisers of the annual event look to plug a £30,000 funding gap.
The popular Norse extravaganza, which runs from September 2-10, made an initial request for £9,000 from the Largs Common Good Fund.
But councillors for the North Coast area heard that granting the full amount would leave very little cash for other projects.
A meeting of the North Coast Locality Partnership was told that the 2023 festival has lost £30,000 in financial support it previously received from Event Scotland - nearly half of the cost of the event.
The application for support from the Common Good Fund stated that the money would be used to "assist with the costs of hire of stage and sound system for the free live entertainment at the annual Largs Viking Festival, to assist with security and to enable an additional free event to take place on the Friday".
The application stated that the total project cost for the festival is £66,000.
The £9,000 amount requested from the Common Good Fund was 90 per cent of the full fund available for the year, it was pointed out.
The festival's organisers broke down their application into three parts: £2,500 towards the cost of a stage and sound system, £4,140 for event security, and £2,500 for live entertainment.
If the payment was made in full it would limit applications for the remainder of the year from the Common Good Fund, councillors were told.
The partnership agreed to allocate £6,000 to the festival from the Common Good Fund, and to give information to the event's organisers about the council's Communities and Place Fund to allow them to make an application for further financial help.
The Patreon scheme allows people to sign up to support the event from as little as £2 per month.
Patreon subscribers will get first-hand news about the event, a discount ticket to the 'Viking Village' at the event and exclusive early access to longboat trips from Largs pier, with details still to be confirmed.
The festival, which has been running since 1980, includes opening parade and ceremony, live entertainment, fringe events, food and craft market, full Viking village and the popular festival of fire, with fire procession.
The centrepiece of the event is the Viking skirmish, burning of the long boat, entertainment, and ending in a fabulous firework display.
The festival have now launched a patreon scheme and are urging the public to join.
For more details on joining the Patreon scheme, see patreon.com/LargsVikingFestival.
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