This May bank holiday weekend sees 3 day festival take over Ayr Beach and the sun is set to shine!

Pavilion Festival 2025: From Big Top, live music to secret gigs - here's what to expect!

Article Source: Pavilion Festival
Last Updated: 30 April 2025 9:49

The countdown and build is on! This weekend is set to be a sunshine scorcher and Pavilion Festival will return to Ayr for its third and biggest year yet, transforming the iconic Low Green into a bank holiday weekender like no other.

Making its grand debut for 2025 is the Electric Brae Big Top, a state-of-the-art, 5,000-capacity tent that will anchor - and weatherproof, the beachfront festival across three stacked days of live music, DJs, immersive experiences, and unforgettable energy.

Spanning four stages and welcoming over 120 artists, selectors and DJs, Pavilion will showcase a genre-spanning programme from legendary Britpop bands to underground electronic pioneers. With an expected audience of over 13,000, this year’s edition marks a serious step up.

Speaking about the new main stage, Ewan McVicar said: “I’m absolutely buzzing to bring a brand new main stage experience to Pavilion Festival for year three. We all know Ayr Beach can be a wee bit windy, so the new big top means we’re covered whatever the weather! From a DJ’s point of view, it’s a total game-changer with better sound, better atmosphere, and for the first time ever, we’ll be able to fire up the lasers. It’s going to be pure magic, and I can’t wait to show everyone what we’ve been working so hard on for this year!”

Final tickets are now on sale via www.skiddle.com

The festival, co-founded by Ewan McVicar and STREETrave pioneer Ricky Magowan brings world-class acts to Ayr Beach, showcasing an unparalleled mix of live music, cutting edge electronic beats and heritage dance superstars.

Sunshine is forecasted for all three days down at the seaside in Ayr, bringing the feel good factor of sun, a stacked lineup and of course the seaside for Pavilion Year 3!

WHAT TO EXPECT
• The Electric Brae Big Top: A state-of-the-art, 5,000-capacity tent designed to keep the energy high, regardless of the Scottish weather.

• Immersive Production: Enhanced lighting and sound systems to elevate every performance.

• Pop-Up Experiences: Discover secret bars and unique installations scattered throughout the festival grounds. Look out for the Pavilions Arms - a secret bar if you find it! Decorated like a pub, complete with a wooden interior, dart board, and a bar area. It also has a full DJ setup, including CDJs, a mixer, and a sound system. The bar has limited capacity, adding to the intimate experience, and features secret sets from DJs, including Ewan McVicar himself.

• Seaside Vibes: Enjoy the stunning coastal backdrop of Ayr's Low Green as you dance the weekend away.

• New Breakthrough and Powerhouse tent with local programming seeing Ayrshire bands take to the stage. Watch out for Local Authority, The Marches, Seaside Sons and Pelikan Rogue.

Friday 2nd May: Ayr Beach Live
Kicking things off, Ayr Beach Live is an unmissable nostalgia-fuelled celebration, headlined by James and featuring Starsailor, VISTAS, and Swim School and rising Scottish and local talent across the day.

Saturday, 3rd May: Ewan McVicar & Pals
Saturday sees Pavilion Festival co-founder and international sensation Ewan McVicar take the reins for a day curated by him and his closest friends. Highlights include Ewan’s electrifying B2B sets with top-tier talent, joined by Annie Mac, Ben Hemsley, DJ Seinfield, Sally C, and more. For fans of underground sounds, the Sub Club Stage will host techno legend Robert Hood, Scottish trailblazers Optimo, and other top selectors.

Sunday, 4th May: STREETrave Takeover
Rounding off the weekend, Sunday brings a nostalgic STREETrave Takeover, headlined by Happy Mondays and featuring heritage dance acts alongside the awe-inspiring STREETrave Classical, celebrating 30+ years of dance music culture. Look out for. A Guy Called Gerald, Jeremy Healy, Danny Rampling, Altern-8, Phil Hartnoll (Orbital) and more.

Pavilion Festival remains Scotland’s most affordable festival, offering an unrivalled lineup at an unbeatable price. Travel made easy: Pavilion has teamed up with Happy Bus for direct transfers from key locations. Guests can also travel by Scotrail to Ayr Station, just a short walk from the festival gates.

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