The fastest growing multi arts festival in Scotland returns for 2026
Kelburn Garden Party returns this July to the enchanted grounds of Kelburn Castle in Scotland, celebrating its 16th year of music, art, nature and adventure!
Article Source: Kelburn Garden Party
Last Updated: 4 February 2026 11:36
Image Credit: Recompose
Kelburn Garden Party returns this July to the enchanted grounds of Kelburn Castle, celebrating its 16th year of music, art, nature and adventure, as well as a landmark moment for Scotland’s independent festival culture.
Now officially Scotland’s second-largest camping festival, Kelburn continues to grow while still retaining the magic, intimacy, and creativity that have defined it since day one.
Taking place across four unmissable days 2-6 July, Kelburn Garden Party is set beneath ancient woodlands at the foot of a spectacular Scottish glen, surrounded by waterfall plunge pools, secret pathways, and the striking painted walls of the 13th-century Kelburn Castle.
The festival will host music across 14 bespoke stages, ranging from Scotland’s premier outdoor electronic arena, the Landing Stage, to the far-flung Beech Plateau, a breathtaking venue nestled on a wooded promontory some 30 minutes’ walk up the glen. Celebrating its new charitable status, the Neverending Glen offers an immersive open-air gallery experience, featuring a record-number of installations of multidisciplinary art hidden throughout the estate's ancient landscape. Two brand-new micro-venues will debut in 2026, rewarding curious wanderers willing to follow the paths deeper into the landscape.
In the first phase artist announcement, Kelburn’s commitment to progressive club culture and grassroots collaboration continues through a series of special stage takeovers. Edinburgh club institution Sneaky Pete’s curate Thursday on the Pyramid Stage, while the essential Glasgow party Subculture take over the Landing Stage on Friday, headlined by the pioneering French-born DJ and producer Jen Cardini and featuring a rare b4b between the beloved Subculture residents. The same stage welcomes Headset back to curate a night of cutting edge bass music, jungle and D’nB.
Award-winning rap sensation BEMZ brings his own M4 banner to Kelburn to curate the Saloon on Friday and performing live with his full band on the much-loved Viewpoint Stage, while The Skinny returns to curate the Pyramid Stage, spotlighting Scotland’s most exciting emerging artists. In a new addition for 2026, Gilded Balloon joins the programme, introducing a dedicated comedy offering to Kelburn’s expanding cultural landscape.
Further highlights include Sao Paolo’s BADSISTA’s signature blend of futuristic baile funk and electro. A true pioneer of drum & bass and jungle, Bristol legend Krust brings his classic, much-imitated sound to Kelburn, drawing on decades of influence from his work with Full Cycle, Reprazent.
Leon Vynehall pushes the boundaries of modern dance music, joins the lineup following the success of his latest album for Ninja Tune, In Daytona Yellow, alongside a reputation for standout DJ mixes across Radio 1, DJ-Kicks, Fabric Presents, and Resident Advisor. Glasgow sound-system heavyweights Mungo’s HiFi return with their bass-driven blend of reggae, dub and global collaborations, reaffirming their status as mainstays of Scotland’s club and festival culture.
Under his Quantic alias, Will Holland brings nearly two decades of soul-rich global sounds, blending live instrumentation and electronics. High-speed club innovator SHERELLE storms the lineup with her boundary-pushing, 160bpm-plus sound for her first ever Scottish festival show. Globe-trotting producer Wallace will deliver his left-field electronic sound to Kelburn, following standout releases on Studio Barnhus, Disco Halal and Rhythm Section, and numerous appearances at Berlin’s infamous Panorama Bar
Mercury Prize–nominated producer, composer and multi-instrumentalist Emma-Jean Thackray delivers her fearless blend of jazz, soul, pop and electronic music, following the release of her acclaimed and deeply personal album Weirdo. BBC Introducing NI Artists of the Year Huartan fuse Irish traditional song with electronic and industrial textures, reimagining Irish-language music through powerful live performances.
Edinburgh-based project Indoor Foxes, led by songwriter Martha Barr, delivers heartfelt, melody-driven pop and rock, pairing gut-honest lyrics with powerful, captivating vocals that have quickly marked her out as a standout new voice. Following the viral success of “Mum does the washing” spoken-word artist Joshua Idehen performs his urgent, life-affirming poetry blending rhythmic narration with expansive electronic production.
Acid house purists Paranoid London bring their raw, distorted live show to the Landing Stage, channeling the genre’s underground roots into rough, jack-heavy tracks built on overdriven machines and no-frills intensity. Long-time collaborators Gerardo Delgado and Quinn Whalley have spent over a decade turning dancefloors inside out, becoming festival favourites at Glastonbury, Dekmantel, Movement and beyond.
The psychedelic electronic-pop project of Isle of Eigg songwriter Johnny Lynch, Pictish Trail delights audiences with his signature mix of wonky synths, lo-fi folk and widescreen songwriting, ahead of his forthcoming album Life Slime while London post-punk agitators Snapped Ankles bring their feral, masked live show to Kelburn, fusing experimental electronics, dance rhythms and art-rock into an exhilarating, pagan-tinged assault on the senses. Glasgow punks SOAPBOX arrive armed with razor-sharp politics and raw energy, quickly becoming one of Scotland’s most talked-about new bands after sold-out shows, festival slots and a run of confrontational releases.
Self-styled “Mother of Afro-Rave” Toya Delazy delivers a fearless, high-energy collision of rap, rave and Afro-futurist club sounds, honed through electrifying performances across the UK festival circuit. Skye duo Valtos blur the lines between trad and electronic music, creating a euphoric, genre-defying sound inspired by folk roots, club culture and the spirit of the Highlands.
Supported by EventScotland’s National Events Programme, Kelburn Garden Party continues to push boundaries in Scotland’s independent festival scene, balancing world-class talent with grassroots values and a strong connection to its natural surroundings.
David Boyle, Director and Co-Festival Founder, said: “When we started The Kelburn Garden Party we were, without doubt, lacking experience and blind to the challenges ahead of us, you might say naïve, but we always had big dreams and a dogged enthusiasm to create something truly magical, full of joy and creativity. What Kelburn has become, through the vision and belief of so many incredible creatives and crew, and through the beautiful culture that has blossomed in the Kelburn community, is far beyond my wildest imaginings. Kelburn to me, and I hope to many others, has become a shimmering light in the murky waters of modern existence, a weekend of boundless joy and creative self expression, where anything can happen, dreams are forged and where we can find hope in human nature.”
Remaining tickets for the festival are on sale now at www.kelburngardenparty.com
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