If the notion of festivals conjures up images of muddy fields and drum ‘n’ bass until 3am then Scotland’s offerings in 2016 may come as a delightful surprise.
More sedate island-based affairs like the Harris Tweed Festival and Bute Fest are more attractive than ever thanks to affordable fares, top accommodation and easy online bookings.
The sea also plays a vital part in some of Scotland’s mainland events, from the Herring Queen Festival in Eyemouth to the Kirkcudbright Art and Crafts Trail. But for those who prefer the city,
Edinburgh’s Hidden Door festival will again transform an urban depot into a unique cutting-edge arts festival. So if you thought you were over festivals, take another look...
1) Doune The Rabbit Hole, one of Scotland’s most intimate music and arts festivals, has revealed its final line-up for 2016, taking place at the idyllic Cardross Estate from August 19th – 21st.
Some of the acts joining headliners Admiral Fallow, Treacherous Orchestra and Cate Le Bon include Canadian rockers Suuns, Scottish songbird Kathryn Joseph and ambient artist Julianna Barwick.
As well as the eclectic mix of Scottish and International acts, Doune the Rabbit Hole is also famed for it’s ‘Mad Hatter's Reggae and Tropical Tent’ with artists this year including Mungo’s Hifi, Resonators, Robin Cato (Reggae Heaven) and onlyjoe, all programmed by Glasgow’s Decades of Dub.
Described as ‘heaven’ by Clash Magazine, the festival has been named among the best of family-friendly events by the likes of The Herald and this year will be no different.
This small music and arts extravaganza offers people of all ages, from babies to golden retirees, an eclectic mix of local and international music, crafts and a family-friendly culture that makes Doune The Rabbit Hole a unique festival.
Having started life in 2010 near the town of Doune (hence the name!) the event has since moved to Cardross Estate.
Set near the tranquil Lake of Menteith (Scotland’s only one!) and within beautiful parkland grounds, the festival will not only host a variety of local and international acts but will also feature an activity-packed children’s area and a dedicated family campsite.
As well as this, Doune the Rabbit Hole has also been lucky enough to receive funding from EventScotland to help celebrate the Year of Innovation Architecture and Design.
This grant will be used to bring a selection of artists and architects together to design and build a brand new stage and will feature an eclectic programme of new, innovative music to be curated by The Tolbooth in Stirling.
See www.dounetherabbithole.co.uk
2) Electric Fields has grown into one of the most hotly anticipated festivals, not just in the Scotland, but the UK.
With a lineup which puts some of the big boys to shame they’ve put together the perfect blend of critically acclaimed, established names such as Primal Scream and The Charlatans, with a wealth of the most up and coming artists in the land such as Neon Waltz, Be Charlotte and Sundara Karma. Edinburgh’s Sneaky Pete’s curates its own brand new stage with the best of electronic and dance and Charlatans frontman Tim Burgess brings his ‘Tim Peaks’ experience to Scotland for the first time.
With a small, intimate capacity made for discerning fans of good music, Electric Fields is held in the stunning grounds of the 17th century Drumlanrig Castle in Dumfries & Galloway, approximately an hour south of Glasgow. Think your mate’s barbecue meets Glastonbury and you’re part of the way there.
Tickets are selling fast with early birds and tier 2 tickets already sold out, but with tier 3 priced at just £89.50 for the whole weekend (including camping) there’s no doubt it’s one of the hottest tickets of the Summer.
See www.electricfieldsfestival.com
3) McEwan’s Party at The Palace is back for its third year following the success of the event last summer.
The two-day party will take place on Saturday 13th and Sunday 14th August in Linlithgow.
It’s only 20 minutes from Edinburgh and 35mins from Glasgow, making it one of the most easily accessible music festivals in Scotland.
“McEwan’s Party at The Palace might just have become one of the best boutique music festivals in Europe” …this was how one magazine described the two day event which takes place near the historical setting of Linlithgow Palace.
In the space of just two short years, the event has grown to become an essential feature of the music festival calendar.
Check out the line up at www.partyatthepalace.co.uk
4) Pandorafest, from Sat 16th July 2016, is the best Independent, Intimate, Underground, Eclectic, Music Festival this year!
Set in a replica Iron Age hill fort; Two stages of world-class, multi-genre, live music from Scottish, UK and International bands & solo artists. A hidden gem of prime musical talent, stalls & vendors, food & drink, all in a beautiful setting...what more could you want?
Camping tickets available. Bring your own tent or go glamping in a yurt for hire through the event website. Family and LGBTI friendly. Under 12's free with adult.
The Pandorafest location is the Duncarron Medieval Village, Carron Valley, FK6 5JL. Sited within a rolling forest on the shores of the Carron Valley reservoir, it is surrounded by beautiful walks and mountain bike trails, all less than 12km from Stirling. Good boots a good idea!
Look for the official Carron Valley Mountain Bike Trails site on the east side of the Carron Valley reservoir - accessible via the B818, which runs from Denny to Fintry.
Ticket from approx £20 to £60 - early bird prices available.
See www.pandorafest.com for complete information.
5) Glasgow Science Festival is 10! From 9-19th June, venues across the city will be a-buzz with a huge range of activities designed to engage and inspire the ‘weegie masses.
This year’s bumper birthday programme ‘Glasgow Innovates’ celebrates Scotland’s 2016 Year of Innovation, Architecture and Design, featuring our specially-curated exhibition on now at the Kelvingrove Art Gallery & Museum.
Featuring 80 events and hundreds of activities, there’s something for everyone. Cabaret, comedy, tasty science ‘chewtorials’ and outdoor cinema showings of Jurassic Park and ET.
From drug-doping in athletes to understanding the Zika virus, there’s plenty to talk about.
Meet the experts and ask those burning questions. Get hands-on at our big family weekends. Almost all our events are free. For more info please visit www.glasgowsciencefestival.org.uk
6) The West End Festival is 21 this month. We started small, but over the years we've grown to become the largest community-based festival in Scotland. Over 1 million people have attended thousands of events since 1996 – many of them free.
For WEF 2016 we are proud to announce a special collaboration with local heroes Belle and Sebastian, celebrating their own 20th anniversary with a series of unmissable shows. Who can forget their magnificent free concert in the Botanic Gardens in 2004?
Look at the ever-expanding section on singing.
This year there are at least 29 choirs and singing groups – a whole festival in its own right! There is a big free choral event in association with UNESCO City of Music at the Bandstand on June 18.
Other highlights include:
* Gibson Street Gala (19 June)
* Queen Margaret Drive gala (12 June)
* Outdoor ceilidh at Kelvingrove (12 June)
* A mini musicals season at Oran Mor,
* Bard in the Botanics
* Local history talks and guided walks
* Children's and adult authors
* Over 100 concerts of classical, jazz and folk,
* The new West End Fiesta at the Bandstand to close WEF with Billy Ocean, De La Soul and Sister Sledge.
For more info call 0141 341 0844 or email info@westendfestival.co.uk
7) Hidden Door: Electric City, deep in the heart of Edinburgh, from Friday May 27th runs for nine days and nights of music, art, theatre, cinema, spoken word, poetry, bars, street food and more.....
Featuring music from Teleman, NZCA Lines, Rival Consoles, This Is The Kit, Jane Weaver, Luke Abbott, Withered Hand, Rosie Lowe and many others. Plus Richard Wiseman, Jenny Lindsay (Rally & Broad), Ron Butlin, Magnetic North, Edinburgh Short Film Festival and lots, lots more. Tickets from £8.
The website is www.hiddendoorblog.org
8) The Pleasance is an entire festival in itself with something for people of all ages and curiosities to enjoy this August!
From big-name comedy hits and award-winning theatre, to thought provoking new writing, hotly anticipated debuts and fun-filled shows for all the family.
With over 225 shows, great bars, cafes and a legendary Fringe atmosphere, there really is no place like quite like the Pleasance.
9) The Mendelssohn on Mull Festival was founded in 1988 to celebrate the visit of the German composer Felix Mendelssohn to the Inner Hebrides in 1829.
During a single week a dozen concerts at venues on Mull and Iona and in Oban offer classical chamber music to the highest standard.
Musicians of long experience as specialists in the field come together with younger professionals to study the pinnacles of the repertoire, and audiences have always delighted in what feels like privileged access.
The beauty of the scenery and the intimacy of the venues make these concerts unforgettable, whether you’re a classical music aficionado or a novice.
All concerts are admission free, and they run from Monday July 4th to Friday July 8th in various venues on Mull and Iona, including Duart Castle and Iona Abbey.
On the evening of Saturday July 9th the final concert, a showcase of all the participating artists, takes place in St John’s Cathedral, Oban. Further details of programme, venues, and concert times can be found on our
10) FORFARFEST runs over Friday 3rd, Saturday 4th & Sunday 5th June, 2016.
The Angus town of Forfar plays host to an eclectic mix of music around a dozen venues, a major Celtic folk rock night in the Town Hall featuring Donnie Munro Band and Skipinnish and an outdoor stage and fun day for all the family.
The Fest is uniquely supported by the community and business community, funded by the sale of £2 festival wristbands, which also afford the bearer a discounts throughout the town over the fortnight.
The weekend kicks off with the most famous voice in Scots Folk Rock, Donnie Munro. He was the original voice of Runrig from 1974 to 1997, recording 10 albums, UK top 30 hits and the seminal end of the party song Loch Lomond.
This is a rare opportunity to hear him perform live with his full band. They are supported by top Western Isles band Skipinnish. Tickets for this event are available from www.ticketsource.co.uk/eplevents
The weekend pub trail of bands around the town’s hostelries, halls and even ice-rink!
They are all within easy walking distance of each other. There is music on offer from blues, rock and Scottish folk to country, jazz and reggae with 50 performances and 80 hours of music over the three days.
See www.facebook.com/forfarfest
11) Knockengorroch is a festival for nature lovers, a truly rural getaway, four miles from the nearest main road, in its own Galloway Uplands valley, with river, forest, and stunning views.
Intimate and family run the programme features music from across the world, with clubby trimmings, featuring reggae stalwarts Black Uhuru, Afro-Latin jam band Family Atlantica, the London Bulgarian Choir, plus a host of dubby sound systems, and a turf-roofed Celtic longhouse acoustic venue built on the footings of a medieval predecessor.
12) Glasgow Jazz Festival will kick off on Wednesday 22 June with some of the biggest names in Jazz descending on the city to celebrate the 30th festival. With the very finest of Scotland’s homegrown talent, some very well-known festival faces and an array of one-off musical collaborations, the 30th festival promises to be the very best yet!
The Glasgow Jazz Festival will take place in various venues across the city taking in the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, City Halls, The Old Fruitmarket, St Luke’s and The Hug and Pint.
Glasgow’s very own Jazz Singer Carol Kidd performed at the maiden festival and has that gig to thank for one of her most well-known stage characteristics.
In the lead up to the concert she had been so nervous that she’d managed to put her shoes on the wrong feet before going on stage. She realised halfway through the concert and took them off. Since then Carol has never worn shoes onstage again! Carol, and her bare feet, will be back at the Glasgow Jazz Festival in St Luke’s.
Another well-recognised festival face, vibraphonist Joe Locke and his Quartet, will also be playing in the stunning Old Fruitmarket.
Other highlights from the programme include an array of special one-off collaborations. Legendary saxophonist Alfred “Pee Wee” Ellis, one of the key members of James Brown’s band in the 1960s, will join Glasgow’s modern funk pioneers Federation of the Disco Pimp.
Scotland’s jazz trumpeter Ryan Quigley and his Big Band will also be joined by Hamish Stuart, of AWB fame, for a one-off collaborative concert.
Boasting a hugely diverse programme, Glasgow Jazz Festival offers something for everyone so, whether you are a seasoned fan or a first timer, get involved, soak up the atmosphere and enjoy the music at Glasgow’s longest running music festival!
Full details of this year’s programme and tickets on sale now at www.jazzfest.co.uk
13) Tiso are on hand to advise you of the best equipment for your budget to ensure you have a great Festival camping experience, whether it’s a May or September Festival.
They have been providing the highest quality camping and outdoor gear to the Scottish market for over 50 years. It is proud to be a family business, run locally by people who understand the unique nature of the Scottish conditions.
Tiso believe the experience we have accumulated ensures we are best placed to offer the best range, advice, price and the brands stocked share their commitment to quality and integrity.
See www.tiso.com
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