A Community Message on the Purpose and Programming of Our Award‑Winning Festival

The purpose of the Kincardine Scottish Festival & Highland Games is to celebrate our town’s Scottish heritage, not to operate solely as a Scottish music festival. That distinction matters because the cultural experience extends far beyond music.

Over 2.5 days, the festival delivers more than 23.5 hours of live entertainment, including pipe competitions, a full day of Scottish music, and evening programming. Of that total, only 6 hours feature non‑Celtic acts. The remaining 17.5 hours (roughly 75% of the schedule) are dedicated to traditional Scottish and Celtic music. This balance keeps the festival firmly rooted in its cultural purpose while allowing a small amount of variety to broaden appeal and support attendance.

It’s also important to note that, thanks in large part to the evening lineup, much of the daytime Scottish programming is now free to attend. This helps keep the experience accessible, authentic, and welcoming to the entire community.

The evening entertainment therefore serves a different but equally vital role. It attracts a wider audience, strengthens financial sustainability, and supports the long‑term viability of the festival, all while continuing to feature Scottish and Celtic performers each night.

Maintaining this balance is essential. It allows the festival to remain inclusive, evolve responsibly, and consistently deliver a meaningful celebration of Scottish heritage.

We also have to acknowledge the broader reality: many traditional festivals are facing increasing financial pressures, with some scaling back, cancelling altogether, or struggling to continue. Our board has demonstrated that a balanced programming model helps ensure events like ours will endure and many other far more established festivals are taking notice!

In the end, variety doesn’t diminish tradition, it helps preserve it.

Respectfully,

The Executive Board of the Kincardine Scottish Festival & Highland Games

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