THE WICKERMAN Festival organisers are bringing in a fancy dress theme in honour of the co-founder and site landowner who died last year.
They are encouraging all revellers to the prestigious Dumfries and Galloway festival to don Jamie Gilroy's signature look - a flamboyant festival waistcoat.
And in keeping with the theme, the Wickerman 'gateman' statue which welcomes visitors at the festival entrance will be wearing a waistcoat, handcrafted by Edinburgh-based designer Vixy Rae.
Some fans speculated on whether the festival based in Dumfries and Galloway would go ahead this year after the 66-year-old Wickerman director was found dead at his East Kirkcarswell Farm at Dundrennan in December last year with serious head injuries, believed to have been caused by a firearm. Police said the incident was not suspicious.
The two-day award winning Wickerman Festival, inspired by the cult 1970s film of the same name, has been held at Mr Gilroy's farm 25 miles south west of Dumfries since 2002 when the counter-culture music bash attracted less than 2000 people. It now caters for six times that number.
This year's festival being held on July 24 and 25 will feature headliners singer songwriter Tom Odell and folk rockers The Waterboys as well as Squeeze, rapper Example, Lulu, rap legends Sugarhill Gang and hip hop pioneers Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five.
Mr Gilroy's daughter, Jennie Camm, now the festival director, has organised to have waistcoats made in Tanzania, where she lives, for front gate staff to wear to tie in with the tribute theme. Mr Gilroy historically had waistcoats made in Kenya.
Mrs Camm, who has said she is determined to continue her father's work, said: : "Wickerman has become somewhat renowned for its wacky fancy dress themes over the years which my dad always loved to see on site, so it felt like a fitting tribute to dedicate this year's theme to him, especially as he was so well known for his colourful waistcoats.
"I'm really looking forward to seeing not only our revellers wear their own versions but some of the main Wickerman team too."
Ms Rae added: "It was a pleasure to make the Wickerman waistcoat in memory of Jamie Gilroy, in fact I've never enjoyed a job more.
"It took around six to eight hours to make after all the measurements were done and was created using authentic Scottish tweed, as Jamie loved both the material and Scotland.
"I am really looking forward to seeing the Wickerman gateman statue wearing it to greet festival goers in his honour."
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