Speyfest – the much-loved Moray folk festival – will return for its 26th year in 2023, with the first acts on the bill announced and limited early bird tickets on sale at 12pm today, Friday 2nd December.
The event, which is nominated for Event of the Year at the MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards 2022, is set to display the very best Scottish talent in Fochabers between 21st – 23rd July 2023.
A trio of multi-award-winning acts are the first in a string of artists to be added to the line-up, comprising Scottish favourites Skerryvore, Celtic supergroup Mànran and folk singer Siobhan Miller.
The event, at the heart of the Speyside community and the Scottish events calendar, will see thousands of people flock to the Tented Village on the banks of the River Spey for a weekend of top-tier Scottish music and culture.
It follows a triumphant return for its 25th birthday this year which saw around 4,000 people pass through the gates across the three days to enjoy concerts, lively stomps and sessions involving more than 70 musicians across 39 performances.
Speyfest Chair Ashleigh McGregor said: “We’re so pleased to be back in full force for 2023 and have a line-up of incredible acts on offer, including the incredible Skerryvore, Mànran and Siobhan Miller, with many more to be revealed.
“Early bird tickets are on sale now for all three days of entertainment and activities. It’s going to be brilliant to welcome audiences old and new to the north-east for a weekend they won’t forget – we are counting down the days to summer already.”
Martin Gillespie of Skerryvore said:
It was just brilliant to perform at Speyfest last year for their 25th anniversary and we’re delighted to be returning again and making this year just as special. It is a really fantastic festival with a magic atmosphere and we’re all looking forward to returning to Fochabers and taking to the stage.
Speyfest also provides an amazing platform for up-and-coming musicians from Moray and beyond to showcase their talents.
The full line up will be revealed in spring 2023 with Speyfest’s packed programme set to also feature its much-loved music workshops, craft fair, whisky and gin tasting and Celtic Kirk service.
First held in 1995, Speyfest has grown from a local event with one small tent holding around 300 people, to a 1500-capacity festival and a much-loved jewel in Scotland’s traditional music calendar.