The three-day festival has now found a permanent and popular place on the music festival calendar – the campsite at the Haugh attracted the largest number of caravans, camper vans and tents since the festival was born out of the demise of Both Sides of the Tweed three years ago.

A free minibus service ferried campers to and from the town centre.

Pub-based sessions were packed out and the festival also featured workshops and two concerts staged upstairs in O'Malley's.

Organisers had agreed to make the festival a showcase for local talent but delighted festival-goers at Saturday night's concert were treated to a four-song set by the renowned Irish singer and songwriter Kieran Halpin.

He made a surprise appearance during a blank weekend on part of his UK tour and before a gig at the Riverside Inn at Newmill near Teviothead tomorrow.

Sessions chairman Davey Scott told The Wee Paper: "This came right of the blue. We only learned he had offered to play shortly before the concert got under way and, of course, were delighted to find him a spot on the programme – how could you refuse an offer from such a talented performer?

"It was tremendous. Kieran is shortly off on a two-month tour of Holland and Germany, so this was a real treat."

And Davey said he was delighted with the way weekend had gone.

He told us: "It really was a great weekend with a tremendous feel about it – despite the awful weather on the Saturday.

"It was great to see so many people in the town. We made some changes from last year and they worked.

"There was tremendous help from so many people but we are especially grateful to Sandy Lindsay and his staff at O'Malley's for hosting both the concerts."

Organisers have already turned their thoughts to next year.