“There’s not a man who doesn’t look good in a kilt,” said an appreciative Donna McLean-Beehag, of Tumbarumba, as she waited for her husband who was performing in the Wagga pipe band.

Celtic Festival committee secretary Harry Thomas said crowds at the event were up about 25 per cent, and the boost was partly due to healthy pipe band numbers.

He said a record 13 bands made the trip this year.

One of them was the Scots School band, who on a sunny Saturday were feeling a bit hot in their woollen Scottish dress.

Callum McLeod, 16, said while it was quite warm in their summer kilts, “obviously they let a bit of a breeze through”.

Callum said six years ago his parents had made him play the bagpipes.

But he had ended up enjoying the instrument — even if it means he doesn’t have the coolest extra-curricular activity in the classroom.

And while playing in the band may not impress at school, fellow bagpipe player Natalie Sargent said her music ability had a been a hit with her neighbours in Albury.

“I play it outside because the neighbours love it,” Natalie, 16, said.

Meanwhile, the grand sum of $50 could have earned the titled of lord and lady at the festival.

Stephen Rossiter, of Highland Titles Glencoe, travelled from Scotland to sell plots of land, as small as one square foot, that came with a title attached.

With the stroke of a pen and the swipe of a credit card, a mister became lord — or more accurately laird — in just seconds.

Mr Rossiter said the titles were genuine and people could actually change their names on their passports and driver’s licences.

And he said the titles could bring star treatment when known.

“We’ve got stories of people being upgraded on flights and upgraded at hotels,” Mr Rossiter said.

The scheme is all for a good cause.

The purchase of land in Scotland helps conserve woodlands in Lochaber.

Yesterday several wives bought their husbands a title vowing “to make a lord out of him”.

Editorial — page 12