(Always the weekend of the first Friday in September)
PROGRAMME
Friday 4th September
Opening Concert – Kirk Hall, Bank Street – Starts 8pm £10
Session: Three Bellies Brae: 5pm-8pm
Session: Kerymor Tavern: from 9pm
Saturday 5th September
Competitions throughout the day at the Kirk, Kirk Hall and Guide Hall – see further down for details of venues, times and competition rules.
Storytelling Session at Barrie’s: 11am-12noonish – 13 Brechin Road. Pauline Cordiner with a lively storytelling session for children at the birthplace of Kirrie’s greatest storyteller – J.M. Barrie . Admission Free
Music in The Square: Forfar Instrumental Band 1pm; Gordon Ewan and Friends 3:30pm
Session: Pathhead Cafe – 10am-11:30am
Session: Three Bellies Brae: Starts 1pm
Session: Thrums: Starts 2:30pm
Session: Airlie Lounge: Starts 3pm (singaround)
Bowling Club Concert – Brechin Road – 8pm-10:30pm £10
Kirk Hall Concert – Bank Street – Starts 8pm £10
Singaround – Guide Hall – Starts 11pm
Sunday 6th September
Workshop: Shape Note Singing – Guide Hall, Roods 11am-12noon. Four-part hymn singing led by Saoirse McIntee – all voices welcome, books & instructions provided. Admission Free
Festival Talk – Thrums Hotel, Bank Street – 12:15pm-1:15pm: Donald Smith (the driving force behind Scottish storytelling’s revival) in conversation with Erin Farley. Admission Free
Session: Three Bellies Brae: afternoon and evening
Session: Thrums Hotel: afternoon
Thistle Club Concert – Westview Park – 2pm-5:30pm £10
Survivors’ Concert – Kirk Hall, Bank Street – Starts 8pm. Admission Free
GUESTS
Performers confirmed so far: Angus Folk (community singing group), Allan Taylor (singer & MC), Andrew Farquharson (fiddle) Donald Smith (storyteller), Forfar Instrumental Band, Gordon Ewan & Friends (fiddle, guitar, pipes), John Dickson (singer), Joyce Cocker & Alana Gowans (box & fiddle), Natalie Chalmers (singer & MC), Pauline Cordiner (singer & storyteller) Paul Anderson (fiddle), Shona Donaldson (singer), Sara Reith (whistle).
COMPETITION TIMES AND VENUES – Scroll to the bottom of the page for full Competition Rules section
Kirk in the morning
Fiddle Junior, Senior, Local, J.F. Dickie Cup Starts 10:30am:
Accordion Junior, Senior, Local. Starts 12noon
Ceilidh Band. Follows Accordion
Instrumental Pairs. Follows Ceilidh Band
Kirk Hall in the morning/afternoon
All singing classes run together, alternating between men and women.
Men’s Singing Junior, Senior & Newcomer, Women’s Singing Junior, Senior & Newcomer, Bothy Ballad Open & Newcomer, Local Singer, Novice Singer. All singing competitions start at 11am.
Kirk in the afternoon
Mixed Instrument. Within this competition the long-established trophies for the best players of mouthorgan, jaw harp, melodeon, concertina and tin whistle will still be awarded. Starts 1pm
Oral Whistling. Follows Mixed Instrument
Diddling. Follows Oral Whistling
Guide Hall in the afternoon
Storytelling Junior, Senior. Starts 2:00pm
Doric Verse under 8, 9 – 12, 13 -15 and Senior. Follows Storytelling
Printed Programme
You will be able to download a copy of the ‘printed’ Festival Programme here from the end of start of August.
You can also collect a copy at The Festival Office during the weekend.
Tickets
Available from the start of August: Phone: Geordie Rennie, 07938 246859 or email: bothyscott@hotmail.com
And from the Festival Office, Lesser Kirk Hall, Bank Street. Friday 4th Sep, 2pm – 8pm. Saturday 5th Sep, 9:30am – 8pm
Campsite
Campsite is at Davidson Park on Glamis Road. Entrance is opposite Melville’s Garage, Glamis Road, DD8 5DF. Space is limited so best to book in advance, especially if you’re travelling a long way
Phone: Sheila Ireland 07907 973950 or Email: sheilaireland57@icloud.com
General Festival Enquiries
Email: bothyscott@hotmail.com; Phone: tbc
COMPETITION RULES
Fiddle (starts 10:30am) in Kirk
1. Junior A (primary school age) – Any three Traditional Scottish Tunes of competitor’s own choice. Competitor can play a tune once or twice as they think appropriate (often twice for shorter tunes and once for longer). Chosen from the following list: Slow Air, Slow Strathspey, Strathspey, Reel, March, Jig, Hornpipe. Competitor may choose to be accompanied.
2. Junior B (lower secondary school age. Up to, and including, 15 years old) – Any three Traditional Scottish Tunes of competitor’s own choice. Competitor can play a tune once or twice as they think appropriate (often twice for shorter tunes and once for longer). Chosen from the following list: Slow Air, Slow Strathspey, Strathspey, Reel, March, Jig, Hornpipe. Competitor may choose to be accompanied.
3. Senior (16 years and over) – Any three Traditional Scottish Tunes of competitor’s own choice. Competitor can play a tune once or twice as they think appropriate (often twice for shorter tunes and once for longer). Chosen from the following list: Slow Air, Slow Strathspey, Strathspey, Reel, March, Jig, Hornpipe. Competitor may choose to be accompanied.
4. Local Trophy – Awarded to the highest marked entrant across the JuniorA, JuniorB and Senior competitions, who lives within a 20 mile radius of Kirriemuir.
5. J.F. Dickie (all ages) – Competitors play a slow strathspey, hornpipe and jig. Competitor can play a tune once or twice as they think appropriate (often twice for shorter tunes and once for longer).
Accordion (starts 12noon) in Kirk
6. Junior (15 years and under) – Any three Traditional Scottish Tunes of competitor’s own choice. Competitor can play a tune once or twice as they think appropriate (often twice for shorter tunes and once for longer). Chosen from the following list: Slow Air, Slow Strathspey, Strathspey, Reel, March, Jig, Hornpipe, Scottish Waltz.
7. Senior (16 years and over) – Any three Traditional Scottish Tunes of competitor’s own choice. Competitor can play a tune once or twice as they think appropriate (often twice for shorter tunes and once for longer). Chosen from the following list: Slow Air, Slow Strathspey, Strathspey, Reel, March, Jig, Hornpipe, Scottish Waltz.
8. Local Trophy – Awarded to the highest marked entrant across the Junior and Senior competitions, who lives within a 20 mile radius of Kirriemuir.
Ceilidh Band (follows Accordion) in Kirk
9. Not less than three instruments and no more than seven of any description. Own choice of one or more Scottish traditional dance tunes. Total playing time should not exceed five minutes.
Instrumental Pairs (follows Ceilidh Band) in Kirk
10. Competitors should play own choice of traditional Scottish tunes. Total playing time should not exceed four minutes. Anyone wishing to enter more than once must play a different instrument each time. Instruments must play as a pair – not as one instrument accompanying another.
Singing (starts 11am) in Kirk Hall
The singing classes run together (alternating between male and female competitors). Entrants for the Men’s/Women’s singing competitions do 2 songs (usually 1 traditional and 1 bothy ballad, but sometimes they choose 2 traditional) the marks of which are added together. If a singer only has 1 song we’d still love to hear you, and you’d be eligible for the Novice trophy.
11. Women’s Singing Junior (15 years and under) – Any two Scottish traditional songs of contrasting nature to be sung unaccompanied.
12. Women’s Singing Senior (16 years and over) – Any two Scottish traditional songs of contrasting nature to be sung unaccompanied.
13. Women’s Singing Senior – Newcomer Medal goes to the highest marked singer who first entered the Kirrie singing competitions during the last 3 Festivals (currently 2024, 2025, 2026). You can only win the Newcomer Medal in any category once. For example: if you won a Bothy Newcomer Medal (but not a Women’s Singing Newcomer Medal) in 2024, you couldn’t win the Bothy Newcomer Medal again. But would still be eligible for the Women’s Singing Newcomer Medal in 2025 or 2026.
14. Men’s Singing Junior (15 years and under) – Any two Scottish traditional songs of contrasting nature to be sung unaccompanied.
15. Men’s Singing Senior (16 years and over) – Any two Scottish traditional songs of contrasting nature to be sung unaccompanied.
16. Men’s Singing Senior – Newcomer Medal goes to the highest marked singer who first entered the Kirrie singing competitions during the last 3 Festivals (currently 2024, 2025, 2026). You can only win the Newcomer Medal in any category once. For example: if you won a Bothy Newcomer Medal (but not a Women’s Singing Newcomer Medal) in 2024, you couldn’t win the Bothy Newcomer Medal again. But would still be eligible for the Women’s Singing Newcomer Medal in 2025 or 2026.
17. Bothy Ballad – One bothy ballad to be sung unaccompanied. If the competitor is also an entrant in the traditional singing, then their bothy ballad is also judged as one of their traditional songs.
18. Bothy Ballad – Newcomer Medal goes to the highest marked singer who first entered the Kirrie singing competitions during the last 3 Festivals (currently 2024, 2025, 2026). You can only win the Newcomer Medal in any category once. For example: if you won a Bothy Newcomer Medal (but not a Women’s Singing Newcomer Medal) in 2024, you couldn’t win the Bothy Newcomer Medal again. But would still be eligible for the Women’s Singing Newcomer Medal in 2025 or 2026.
19. Local Trophy – Awarded to the highest marked entrant across the Junior and Senior competitions, who lives within a 20 mile radius of Kirriemuir.
20. Novice Trophy – Awarded to the highest marked entrant who has not previously won a TMSA singing competition. Can be awarded to a competitor who just sings 1 song.
Mixed Instrument (starts 1pm) in Kirk
21. Mixed Instrument Competition for solo musicians playing one instrument. Open to all musical instruments apart from fiddle and accordion. Within this competition the long-established trophies for the best players of mouthorgan, jaw harp, melodeon, concertina and tin whistle will still be awarded. Any two traditional Scottish tunes from the following list: Slow Air, Slow Strathspey, Strathspey, Reel, March, Jig, Hornpipe, Scottish Waltz. Each to be played through twice.
Mouthorgan
22. Long-established Mouthorgan trophy awarded as part of Mixed Instrument Competition.
Jaw Harp
23. Long-established Jaw Harp trophy awarded as part of Mixed Instrument Competition.
Tin Whistle
24. Long-established Tin Whistle trophy awarded as part of Mixed Instrument Competition.
Melodeon
25. Long-established Melodeon trophy awarded as part of Mixed Instrument Competition.
Concertina
26. Long-established Concertina trophy awarded as part of Mixed Instrument Competition.
Oral Whistle (follows Mixed Instrument) in Kirk
27. Any two traditional Scottish tunes from the following list: Slow Air, Slow Strathspey, Strathspey, Reel, March, Jig, Hornpipe, Scottish Waltz. Each to be played through twice.
Diddling (follows Oral Whistle) in Kirk
28. Any two traditional Scottish tunes from the following list: Slow Air, Slow Strathspey, Strathspey, Reel, March, Jig, Hornpipe, Scottish Waltz. Each to be played through twice.
Storytelling (starts 2pm) in Guide Hall
29. Junior (15 years and under) – Traditional story or tale to last no longer than ten minutes.
30. Senior (16 years and over) – Traditional story or tale to last no longer than ten minutes.
Poetry (follows Storytelling) in Guide Hall
31. 8 years and under – One Scottish poem to be recited in the traditional style. Poem may be the competitor’s own work.
32. 9 – 12 years – One Scottish poem to be recited in the traditional style. Poem may be the competitor’s own work.
33. 13 – 15 years – One Scottish poem to be recited in the traditional style. Poem may be the competitor’s own work.
34. Senior (16 years and over) – One Scottish poem to be recited in the traditional style. Poem may be the competitor’s own work
Chorus Cup (during 11pm Singaround) in Guide Hall
35. Awarded to the singer of the song which (in the judge’s opinion) gets the most chorus singing from the audience. Best Friday Pub Session
36. Awarded to the session venue which (in the judge’s opinion) hosted the best session on the Friday of the Festival. Best Saturday Pub Session
37. Awarded to the session venue which (in the judge’s opinion) hosted the best session on the Saturday daytime of the Festival. Best Saturday Non-Pub Session
38. Awarded to the session venue which (in the judge’s opinion) hosted the best session on the Saturday daytime of the Festival.