Scotland's 10 best summer festivals that are not Edinburgh Festival

The Herald Scotland

a day ago

So what other festival treats can we snaffle up in Scotland over the summer? Here are 10 that might just be worth risking the weather for.
TRNSMT is Glasgow's big summer music festival (Image: free) Eden Festival
Moffat, June 12-15
Growing out of the Wickerman Festival, Eden is now in its 14th year and prides itself on being a family-friendly festival with activities for all ages. Wellness is a big strand of the festival with an extensive programme of workshops (if you've ever wanted to make nipple tassels, well, here's your chance). But of course the main draw will be its wildly eclectic music programme (more than 250 acts over 10 stages) which takes in DJs, Dub and Jungle sound systems, English punk duo Bob Vylan, Africa's Orchestra Baobab, American hip-hop group Slum Village and Scotland's own The Bluebells. Someone in that line-up is going to get those tassels twirling, surely?
edenfestival.co.uk
The Bluebells (Image: free) Solas Festival
Errol Park, Perthshire, June 20-22
'A Summer Celebration of Music, Arts and Wellbeing' is the pitch for this bespoke festival located between Perth and Dundee. That means everything from yoga sessions to spoon carving and Indian Head Massages. There's also music and arts onsite, with appearances from the likes of headliner Hamish Hawk, Scottish folk band Kinnaris Quartet and Iranian classical musician Aref Ghorbani, as well as a literature programme that features Len Pennie.
solasfestival.co.uk
Len Pennie (Image: free) East Neuk Festival
Fife, June 25-29
No one ever needs an excuse to visit the East Neuk, but this festival is a gorgeous optional extra at the end of June. Classical music is at the heart of it and it takes place in churches and town halls in Crail, Anstruther, Kilrenny, Cellardyke, and on Bowhouse Farm. This year's programme sees a focus on Beethoven's Late Quartets and Schubert Song Cycles, and features an impressive array of classical musicians including Diyang Mei, the Belcea, Castilian, Elias and Pavel Haas Quartets, Sally Beamish, tenor Mark Padmore and baritone James Newby. Jazz is represented by the Euan Stevenson Trio and the Tom Smith Septet. Pipe player Kathryn Tickell's show is already a sellout, but there will be a chance to see oud maestro Nizar Rohana. And guitarist Sean Shibe will be giving a number of performances over the long weekend.
Nizar Rohana (Image: Nizar Rohana)
If this gives you a taste for classical music near the seaside then you should check out the Lammermuir Festival in East Lothian (lammermuirfestival.co.uk) in September.
eastneukfestival.com
Kelburn Garden Party
Kelburn Castle and Estate, Ayrshire, July 3-7
Back for a 15th year, Kelburn Garden Party is a little mini Glastonbury in the middle of Ayrshire. Combining music, art installations and theatre, it's the chance to lose yourself just off the A78. The music programme is eclectic with a capital E. Peruvian singer-songwriter Soufia Kourtesis will make her Scottish debut, Drum 'n' bass master Dillinja will also be on hand and there will be sets from Jamz Supernova, Shooglenifty and The Rebecca Vasmant Ensemble. And, of course, you have to explore the Neverending Glen.
kelburngardenparty.com
HebCelt Festival
Isle of Lewis, July 16-19
HebCelt is nearly 30 now and it's now difficult to imagine a Scottish summer without it. This year's music programme mixes up Scottish folk, trad and pop names, with Tide Lines, Eddi Reader, pedal harpist and clarsach player Ciorstaidh Beaton, Kassidy and the indestructible Lulu all booked to play (and that's just a small sample of the line-up). NB, this is a festival where the majority of acts are women. There are certain Glasgow festivals that might take a lesson. Meanwhile, An Lanntair will also be hosting music events alongside a hat making workshop and a couple of ceilidhs.
hebceltfest.com
TravFest25
Edinburgh, July 25-August 24
Lucie Barat (Image: Corinne Cumming)
Breaching my 'strictly no Edinburgh guidelines', it seems worth flagging up the Traverse Theatre's festival programme which features three world premieres, three UK premieres and three Scottish premieres amongst its 12 productions. This summer will see the return of John Tiffany, former associate director of the National Theatre of Scotland, who's teaming up with writer Johnny McKnight to direct She's Behind You, exploring our love of panto. Meanwhile, Lucie Barat - sister of Libertines frontman Carl Barat - is bringing her autobiographical play Standing in the Shadows of Giants to Edinburgh for its world premiere. Other shows hail from Belfast and Nova Scotia.
traverse.co.uk
Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival
Inverness, July 31-August 2
Now 21 years old, Belladrum has a line-up that might be aiming at the older brothers and sisters of TRNSMT attendees. Or maybe even their parents. This year's headliners are Texas, Supergrass and Paul Heaton (formerly of The Housemartins and The Beautiful South), with a supporting line that includes Tom Walker, Natasha Bedingfield, English rapper Example, the wonderful CMAT (the world's best pop star right now) and, umm, Gok Wan. Inevitably, there's a strong Scottish folk strand to the programme, with the likes of Karine Polwart and Tide Lines performing. And Doctor Who fans take note, recent The Herald Magazine cover star Peter Capaldi will also be playing.
tartanheartfestival.com
Fringe By the Sea
North Berwick, August 1-10
This seaside adjunct to the main events in the capital has been going for the best part of two decades now and it provides a sweet-and-salty alternative to battling through the crowds on the Royal Mile. This year's line-up is typically eclectic, with everyone from Ruby Wax and Joe Wicks to Rory Stewart and Artie's Singing Kettle making an appearance. As well as a new music film festival event, music highlights include Hamish Hawk (clearly a mainstay on this year's festival circuit), Eddi Reader (ditto), Pictish Trail, Ezra Collective, Dave from Blur talking and DJing and, best of all, French synth duo Air, in town to perform their classic 1998 album Moon Safari in full. It's an album that sounded like a dreamy, hazy long-ago memory back then. What will it sound like now?
Oh and The Boomtown Rats are about too, if that's your kind of thing.
fringebythesea.com
Nairn Book and Arts Festival
Nairn, August 30-September 7
Sally Magnusson (Image: JULIE HOWDEN)
The programme for this year's Highland celebration of literature, music, visual art and film will be announced later this month, but last year saw Sally Magnusson, Irvine Welsh and Jackie Kay all visit the Moray Firth. Team it up with a visit to the Wigtown Book Festival at the end of September and you'll have covered the country.
nairnfestival.co.uk
Lochaber Live
Fort William, September 12-14
Locabher no more, no more. (Sorry, not sorry.) After a 30-year absence, Lochaber Live has been brought back to life thanks to Manran's Gary Innes. Following last year's revival, it returns this September to An Aird Shinty Field in Fort WIlliam, with a programme full of familiar trad and folk names including Karen Matheson, The Peatbog Faeries, Trail West, Breabach, Cara DIllon, Fara and Manran, obviously.
Fort William gets a bad name (it was voted 'worst place to visit in Scotland' last year), but it has a fine bookshop, a great cinema, and couldn't be better located. The revival of Lochaber Live is another step in the revival of the place. And how many times can you combine a festival weekend with a walk up Ben Nevis?
tartanheartfestival.com