Heavy goods vehicles, steelwork and staging crews have arrived at Dornoch Meadows as work begins to transform the open field into the home of Dornoch Music Festival.
What is taking shape is no ordinary structure.
According to staging specialists Limelights, who are overseeing the build, this is believed to be the largest festival stage ever erected north of Belladrum.
It is a remarkable milestone for a festival entering only its second year.
Over the coming days, the structure will become the centrepiece of a weekend that welcomes The Tumbling Paddies, The Hoosiers, Tide Lines and a host of other artists to Dornoch.
Photographs from the site show articulated lorries unloading staging components while crews assemble the steel framework that will soon support lighting, sound systems and two days of live performances.
For months, Dornoch Music Festival has existed in posters, announcements and social media updates.
Now, for the first time, people can see it becoming reality.
Every section of staging lifted into place is another visible reminder that one of the Highlands’ biggest weekends of the summer is almost here.
The scale of the build reflects the ambition behind the event.
Following a successful debut in 2025, organisers have expanded the festival for its second year, bringing nationally recognised artists to Dornoch Meadows alongside a family zone, food vendors, fun fairs and a beer tent.
The aim is not simply to stage a series of concerts.
It is to create a weekend that encourages people to spend time in Dornoch, enjoy everything the town has to offer and experience a festival that continues to establish its place on the Highland events calendar.
For visitors arriving this weekend, the stage will be the focal point of the festival.
For those watching it being constructed this week, it represents something else entirely.
It is tangible proof that months of planning, preparation and investment are coming together.
Within days, the empty field will be transformed into a vibrant festival site filled with music, lights and thousands of people enjoying live entertainment in the heart of Sutherland.
For anyone still deciding whether to attend, the transformation now taking place at Dornoch Meadows is a reminder that the countdown has entered its final stage.
Tickets for Dornoch Music Festival are available now, with the event taking place on Friday 17 July and Saturday 18 July in Dornoch.
