The third Big Tent Festival of Stewardship, Scotland’s largest eco-gathering, came to an end last night at Falkland after two days of activity.

Music, food, drink, culture, the arts, planet-saving ideas and much more all came together, with bodies such as WWF, Friends of the Earth and Oxfam all lending their support along with local organisations.

Award-winning stand-up comedian Phil Kay acted as compere and there were concerts featuring acclaimed acts such as King Creosote and friends, and the Peatbog Faeries.

Adding an African edge to the Scottish summer festival scene, dance troupe Grassroots Zimbabwe began their UK summer tour at the Big Tent.

Based in Bulawayo, and focusing on development issues ranging from HIV/AIDS to human rights, Grassroots specialises in theatre for development, using dance, drama and music as a process towards informing and empowering communities in the southern African country.

Big Tent is said to have come about as a reaction to the G8 summit at Glen-eagles Hotel in 2005, when a group of staff and friends from the Centre for Stewardship in Falkland thought that the future of the planet ought not to be left to a group of men meeting in a Scottish hotel room.

Food played a major part at the festival this year, with local growers and producers taking part.

Chef and food writer Christopher Trotter organised the food village and cookery demonstrations.

There were also panel discussions, lectures, workshops and forums on many topics, including climate change, modern consumerism, fair trade, and Scotland’s woodlands.

Congrats to organisers and volunteers for hosting a great weekend.

Check out http://www.bigtentfestival.co.uk for event photos.