Longstanding Moray music event Speyfest has expanded its 2025 programme, with the final acts and a host of activities announced for the July event.
Speyfest Festival 2024, courtesy of Speyfest.
From surprise pub sessions and resident bands to musical workshops and yoga for all ages, the Scottish festival is gearing up for one of its busiest ever editions.
Local and emerging talent will bring the festival’s second stage – the Duncan of Fochabers Stage – to life. Supported by The National Lottery through Creative Scotland, artists including Americana fusion force The Forty Elephants, emerging North East artist Amber Thornley Trio and beloved local talent Colin Campbell are set to perform.
The mighty Cabrach Ceilidh Band and local singer songwriter Lewis Wiles also join the bill, while already announced Main Stage acts and Fochabers legends Tour Bus Fortune and the party-starting BROMA will also take up slots. Elsewhere, Strathisla Pipe Band will be taking to the Playing Fields across the weekend for some rousing pop-up performances.
These acts join a stellar line up of talent taking to the Main Stage across the festival’s three days, from Friday 25 to Sunday 27 July, including Skipinnish, Red Hot Chilli Pipers, The East Pointers, Trail West, Flook, Mànran and Siobhan Miller.
New for 2025 is the launch of Speyfest Sessions which will see some special visiting bands and festival guests pop-up to play at much-loved Fochabers pubs including The Red Lion and The Gordon Arms. These surprise slots aim to stretch the spirit of the festival right across the village and bring further economic benefits to the local area.
For the first time in 10 years, four bands will take up residence in Fochabers for the duration of the festival – playing sets across the Christie Stage, Duncan of Fochabers Stage and pub sessions circuit.
Trad six-piece TRIP, neo-trad trio Project Smok, Virginian bluegrass outfit The Hot Seats and Cabrach Ceilidh Band will be amplifying the party atmosphere and giving audiences the chance to hear them in different environments across the weekend.
Macgregor’s Bars in Inverness will bring their Live at 5 concept to Speyfest on Friday, with host Bruce MacGregor bringing audiences some backstage blethers and tunes from special festival guests.
A packed programme of activities will keep attendees entertained all weekend long, with yoga sessions for all ages, Speyfest Sunday Skedaddle 5K and Prosecco afternoon tea. Highland Artistans will deliver arts, crafts and face painting for children and magician Dean Spruce will be putting smiles on festivalgoers’ faces, while the annual Craft Fair on Saturday morning and free Celtic Kirk Service on Sunday morning are also scheduled.
The very best traditional talent will also be sharing their skills with attendees and locals through the festival’s music workshops, also supported b The National Lottery through Creative Scotland. Scottish songstress Siobhan Miller will lead fun and inclusive singing workshops, the inimitable Adam Sutherland will host advanced fiddle workshops and MacGregor’s Gathering will host multi-instrumental workshops for all ages and abilities.
Speyfest Chair Ashleigh Macgregor said: “Speyfest is more than just a music festival – it’s a celebration of community and culture that brings people together and showcases the very best of what Fochabers has to offer. We’re absolutely thrilled to unveil our expanded programme for Speyfest 2025. This year’s line-up is set to be one of our most exciting yet, with incredible talent gracing our stages, surprise performances around the village, and a vibrant mix of activities for all ages – it really represents our love of music and its power to connect and entertain.”
Siobhan Anderson, Music Officer at Creative Scotland said: “It is fantastic to see how Speyfest nourishes local talent and provides a stage for emerging acts to perform alongside their headline acts. The exciting addition of artists performing across Fochabers in partnership with local businesses looks to engage with more of the community, and the programme shows that there is truly something for everyone to enjoy.”
Speyfest has been bringing the very best of contemporary traditional music to the picturesque village of Fochabers in the north east of Scotland for almost three decades. The community-driven event transforms the playing fields into a bustling tented village filled with music, culture, crafts and more each July.
Speyfest takes place from 25 to 27 July 2025. For tickets and more information visit www.speyfest.com.
Background
Speyfest brings the best in traditional and contemporary Celtic music to Moray each July. The festival was founded by James M Alexander in 1995. Having played with the Fochabers Fiddlers and a number of Scottish trad bands, James realised what a spectacular setting Fochabers would be for a summer event showcasing traditional music, dance and crafts.
The festival was founded on the premise that it would give keen young musicians a chance to meet and learn from the best known musicians on the scene while they were in town. With help from the local Fochabers Gala Committee, some fellow musicians, the local headteacher and pupils of Milne's High School and many others, Speyfest became a reality.
Over the last 26 years, it has grown from a local event with one small tent holding around 300 people, to a 1500-capacity tented village welcoming visitors and families of all ages, from pre-school children to senior citizens.
The festival is supported by private and public backers including the Christie family, The National Lottery through Creative Scotland and many others.
Creative Scotland is the public body that supports culture and creativity across all parts of Scotland, distributing funding provided by the Scottish Government and The National Lottery, which, now in its 30th year, has supported over 14,600 projects with more than £501.9 million in funding through Creative Scotland and its predecessor, the Scottish Arts Council. Further information at creativescotland.com. Follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram. Learn more about the value of art and creativity in Scotland and join in at www.ourcreativevoice.scot.
Media contact
For interviews, images and further information please contact Corrie Campbell at Innes and Campbell Communications, [email protected], 07900 981 073