Hannah Emma Shedden

The annual Dollar Beer Festival will return over two days next month, featuring around 15 cask ales from local brewers, wines, fizz, spirits, food, a raffle, a family beer garden, games and live music from Luke Brown. Tickets cost £10–£15, include a complimentary first drink, and are available online and from local outlets. Organizers expect the 200-capacity event to sell out and encourage early booking.

A partial solar eclipse, with around 90% of the sun expected to be covered, should be visible in Clackmannanshire at about 7:05pm, although thick Scottish cloud may make viewing difficult. The Met Office advises using certified eclipse glasses or a suitable pinhole projector, never looking directly at the sun, and avoiding pointing phones directly at the eclipse because their sensors may be damaged.

Affinity Sterling Mills in Tillicoultry hosted a series of free summer activities for families, including dinosaur appearances, a bubble show, face painting and dress-up meet-and-greets. Visitors also had access to a summer garden, sandpit, picnic seating and a new playpark. The events raised funds for CHAS, which supports babies, children and young people requiring palliative care, respite and end-of-life support. Centre manager Nicola Martin said the programme helped provide inclusive entertainment and create positive memories during the school holidays.

Clackmannanshire Council is expanding its Wee County Bus scheme after securing additional funding from SEStran. The Coalsnaughton-to-Fishcross shuttle, introduced following the closure of The Glen and resulting disruption to residents, will operate until at least the end of March 2027. The wider service will also add demand-responsive transport linking Muckhart with Dollar and Tillicoultry, with further communities including Forestmill expected to join later in 2026. The buses accept NEC cards, offer lower fares and are wheelchair accessible without requiring advance booking.