THE organisers of the popular Tamfest event have issued a call to businesses in Ayr to get involved with this autumn's festival.

Numbers visiting Ayr town centre nearly doubled during the last live event, which celebrates Robert Burns' famous poem Tam O' Shanter and all things spooky in the area.

Now organisers are inviting local retailers and hospitality providers to get involved and to think of ways they could celebrate Ayr's own Tam o' Shanter and benefit from an expected boost to trade at the same time during the month-long event in October.

Plans are under way to design Tamfest merchandise which could be sold in local shops.

Meredith McCrindle, the festival's director, said: "Hallowe'en is a gift for merchandising, dressing up and creating everything from Halloween cakes to T-shirts.

"Our vision is for Ayrshire to take its own twist on that through the addition of our very local Halloween story, Tam O' Shanter.

"Anyone who wants to get involved should visit www.tamfest.org.uk.

"Let's make the triumphant return of the live event bigger than ever this year."

Councillor Bob Pollock, South Ayrshire Council's portfolio holder for economic development, said: "High streets continue to face many challenges, and events like Tamfest provide essential, additional motivation for people to get off their devices, leave home and have a great time with others from their local community.

"I really hope local businesses will seek ways to get involved and make this year's celebration the best yet."

In association with the travel, tourism and events team at South Ayrshire Council, Tamfest 2022 organisers are busily compiling a stellar line-up, with high impact events taking place across the whole of October at Ayr's Rozelle Park, as well as a wide range of fringe events.

There will be something for all the family, with 'haunted houses', escape rooms, art exhibitions, a huge variety of street entertainment, guided tours, ghost hunting, children's zones, markets, plus three live music stages and whole lot more.

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The main festival takes place on Sunday, October 30, with a creative and talent zone in the heart of Ayr town centre, featuring magic shows, puppet workshops, and face painters.

The Devil's Stage will be back and High Street entertainers out in force. A new Carnevil Stage has also been added for 2022, bringing live entertainment to the town centre.

Councillor Alec Clark, South Ayrshire Council's portfolio holder for tourism and rural affairs, said: "I'm delighted that Tamfest is taking place in person again this year.

"It is a key annual event which I know many residents and visitors will be looking forward to, following the virtual events of the last few years.

"Town centres really need these types of events to encourage footfall back into the area and to remind people of the fantastic businesses we have right here on our doorstep."