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Thousands expected to flock to Dumfries for free Youth Beatz festival

Molly ArmstrongBBC Scotland
Youth Beatz A crowd of people wearing summer clothes stand behind a barricade watching a performance. Two people at the front hold a Scotland flag. There is a ferris wheel behind them.Youth Beatz
Rapper Example is one of many acts performing at the festival

Tens of thousands of music fans are expected in Dumfries this weekend as the annual Youth Beatz festival opens its gates.

About 40,000 free tickets have been distributed for the festival at Park Farm showfield on Saturday and Sunday to see acts such as Example and Caity Baser.

Organisers said it remained the largest youth music festival of its kind in the UK.

The event is alcohol-free and officials have urged those without tickets not to travel to the site.

Youth Beatz is aimed at music fans aged between 12 and 25 and was first held back in 2009.

There have been a number of attempts to introduce a charge for tickets but Dumfries and Galloway Council - which funds it - has never taken them forward.

A study of last year's event estimated it had been worth more than £1m to the local economy across its two days.

The festival has grown in scale and relies on an army of volunteers to get the site ready and ensure things run smoothly on the day.

Organisers will be hoping there is no repeat of 2022 when a forecast of high winds forced the cancellation of the second day of the festival.

A weather warning for thunderstorms was scheduled to be lifted in the early hours of Saturday and the rest of the weekend looks to be mainly dry.

The event will feature four main stages alongside a wide programme of daytime activities aimed at young people and families.

Attractions include sports sessions, inflatables, cycling displays and a youth information area promoting local and national services.

A new sports zone, supported by Commonwealth Games funding, will offer activities such as climbing, curling and mountain biking, delivered by qualified coaches.

Alongside the big names, a number of emerging local artists are set to perform.

The festival will also host The Toon, an interactive learning experience tackling issues such as health, crime and substance misuse.

Organisers and Police Scotland stressed the event would be alcohol free, with security checks in place to maintain safety.