The Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival is an annual music and arts festival, held on the Belladrum Estate in Kiltarlity, Scotland. The festival was founded in 2004. In 2022 it attracted 20,000 attendees.
Background information
The festival is well known for its wide-ranging musical scope, as well as its family friendly atmosphere, with a large dedicated family camp-site, as well as free entry for children under the age of 12. Previous acts that have played at the festival include Madness, Tom Jones, Two Door Cinema Club, Kaiser Chiefs, Ed Sheeran, Ben Howard, James, Manic Street Preachers, Deacon Blue, Texas Embrace, The Automatic, The Proclaimers, The Wombats, Travis, and many more.
Stages include, The Garden Stage (Main Stage set in Italian Gardens), The Hot House (Rock Indie, Alternative, Singer-songwriter), The Grassroots (folk, roots, acoustic), Venus Flytrap (comedy, wrestling, cabaret), The Seedlings (emerging and buzz new acts), Mother's Ruin (Dance and Electronic), The Verb Garden (talks, debates, films), The Burke and Hare (cabaret, performance, dj's), The Bella Bar stage, Free Range Folk Stage (singer-songwriters, traditional, acoustic based bands), Jazz Bar (new for 2016) and an array of busking stages.
Other areas of the festival include a dedicated children's area, with puppet workshops, arts and crafts, circus skills, dance and music classes and much more. The Walled Garden hosts a variety of alternative therapies, the Burke & Hare and Free Rage Folk stages, and re-enactment groups.
Over the years the festival has also hosted Ice-rinks, roller discos, Danny Maccaskills Drop & Roll, and a zip line.
The festival has a tradition of selecting a theme and organisers encourage revellers to don fancy dress on the Saturday. Previous themes have been:
2026 - Party Animals
2025 - Bella Goes To The Moovies
2024 - Love
2023 - Cartoons
2022 - Myths and Legends
2021 - [cancelled due to COVID]
2020 - [cancelled due to COVID]
2019 - Science Fiction
2018 - Bollywood
2017 - Summer of Love
2016 - Superstition
2015 - Superheroes
2014 - Wild Life
2013 - Carnival
2012 - Royalty
2011 - Space
2010 - Wonderland
Fringe In previous years as well as the festival itself there was also a Festival fringe which centered around the 2 weeks surrounding the festival. This finished in the early hours of Hootananny's on the Thursday prior to the festival. The fringe's gigs had no entry-fee in some bars/pubs however others may charge, the fringe showcased a variety of Acts and Music Genres. The Fringe set the mood in the run up to Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival on 8 and 9 August 2008, offering a musical trail around the Highlands for the intrepid music lover.
2004 The festival began in 2004 with 2,000 people attending for one day in Belladrum's Italian Gardens, the terraced arena that now acts as the Garden Stage. Since then, the capacity has grown 18,500 people over two and a half days (3 - 5 August 2017), with an additional headliner being added to the ceilidh warm up on the Thursday night in 2015.
Garden Stage Friday 14 August Linda Gail Lewis & The Lewis Three The Grim Northern Social The Andy Gunn Band & Geno Washington James Grant & Friends Karen Matheson & Donald Shaw of Capercaillie The Lush Rollers The Peatbog Faeries The David Ogilvy Band Totó la Momposina Dionyssus Mystic Shoes Winners of the Hootananny's Battle of the Bands Competition
2005 In 2005 the festival was on Friday 12 and Saturday 13 August. This year it had five stages, ranging in size from the Grassroots Tent, which has a capacity of approximately 250 and is dedicated to small acoustic and folk acts, through to the Garden Stage, which is a natural amphitheatre that can hold several thousand people
In 2005, new features include the Seedlings Stage for new or unsigned artists and the Venus Flytrap Palais, a stage totally dedicated to the wonderful and sometimes, frankly, weird in music, theatre, cabaret and performance art.
Garden Stage Friday 12 August Saturday 13 AugustAlabama 3 The Bees Emiliana Torrini The Duhks Stetsonhead El Presidente Pulse WinnersThe Proclaimers The Peatbog Faeries British Sea Power Aberfeldy Ricky Ross The Country Joe Band Karine Polwart Baka Beyond Galipaygos
Hothouse Stage Friday 12 August Saturday 13 AugustJah Wobble The Black Velvets Editors Exist Endrick Brothers Ruthless Blues The SundownsThe Bluetones Trashcan Sinatras Mohair Brakes The Cinematics Poor Old Ben The Jim Hunter Band Dexter Ardoine & The Creole Ramblers The Hazey Janes
The Black Isle brewery Grassroots Stage Friday 12 August Saturday 13 AugustAndy White Karl Broadie Band Alex Ryan Jason Ringenberg Wadada The Hotlicks Cookies N'Faly Kouyate Gypsy Dave SmithMichael Marra Unholy Trinity - Ronnie Elliott, Terry Clarke & Wes McGhee Andy Gunn Foy Vance Heather MacLeod Calamateur Craig Anderson Ruth Sutherland Davy Cowan Feis Rois Ceilidh Band
2006
Garden Stage Friday 11 August Saturday 12 AugustEcho & the Bunnymen Mark Saul Mystery Jets Lee Scratch Perry The Cinematics Camera Obscura Union Avenue The Hazey JanesEmbrace Bellowhead Bell X1 The Automatic Dreadzone Arlo Guthrie The Vatersay Boys Batucada Sound Machine Dangleberries
Hothouse Stage Friday 11 August Saturday 12 AugustRed Hot Poker Session: Andrew MacDonald Biffy Clyro Guillemots 3 Daft Monkeys Forward Russia The Young Knives The Rumble Strips Cord The Green Machine Paddy RastaThe Eco Policeman's Ball(Featuring Dolphin Boy) The Wonder Stuff King Creosote Morning Runner Seth Lakeman Tiny Dancers The View Vincent Vincent and the Villains Stereoglo Acoustic Love Experience
The Black Isle brewery Grassroots Stage Friday 11 August Saturday 12 AugustGlobal Cooling Session: The Shortwave Set Chris Difford Culture Clash Unkle Bob Shipcote Seasick Steve David Ogilvy Scott MacDonald The Moonshiners Claire Campbell Caley Ceilidh Trail BandGlobal Cooling Session: Grandadbob Stephen Fretwell Breaks Co-Op The Puppini Sisters Martin Stephenson & The Toerags Charlotte Gordon Cumming Luke Toms I See Hawks in LA & Tony Gilkyson Errol Linton Tom Morton Hobotalk Feis Ross
Hail Seedlings Stage Friday 11 August Saturday 12 AugustThe Rites Edgar Prais Our Small Capital Magdalen Green Endor The Galipaygos Employee of the Month Shutter Call to Mind Copy Haho BeerjacketJyrojets Drive-by Argument Invisibles Pop-up Marshall Arts Vivian Scotson The Side Hussys Mouse Eat Mouse Michael Rattray The Now
Venus Flytrap Palais Friday 11 August Saturday 12 AugustI Can't Handle Me' Chantale MacCormick Jamboree/Wardrobe of Delights The Ralfe Band Hot Potato Syncopators Joe West The Laundrettas Kid Carpet Attic LightsFlash Monkey & Rev Rum Tum Ti Bum Bum iLiKETRAiNS Illicit Session A9 Puppetry of the Pops (Nathan Evans) Mama's Brand New Bag Meg & Peg Go To The Fest (The Reduced IMPs) Mark Dean - the Yodelling Mix Meister Cape Reality (Jeep Solid & Graeme Roger)
2007
Garden Stage Friday 10 August Saturday 11 AugustMagic Numbers Alabama 3 The Peatbog Faeries Ghosts Jackie Leven, Robert Fisher, Michael Weston King The Law Nuru Kane Crash My Model Car Jazz On The Lawn - Four On SixJames The Ring Of Fire Misty In Roots The Hoosiers Fred Morrison The Dykeenies Dangleberries The Parsonage Choir Beat That
Hothouse Stage Friday 10 August Saturday 11 AugustJulian Cope Nine Black Alps 1990s Martha Wainwright The Earlies Phil and Ally Jyrojets Skilda The LoreleiPigeon Detectives Mumm Ra Scouting for Girls Bens Brother Pete & The Pirates String Driven Thing Polytechnic Babel Paul Steel
The Black Isle brewery Grassroots Stage Friday 10 August Saturday 11 AugustRed Hot Poker Session: Skibunny DJ Sandi Thom Amy MacDonald Tom Russell Angus & Julia Stone 6 Day Riot Lisa Haley & The Zydekats Nick Harper Ben Taylor Jaymay Gypsy Dave Smith with Retro SmithRed Hot Poker Session: Oom Lloyd Cole Duke Special Wreckless Eric & Amy Rigby Martha Tilston Kris Drever Piney Gir Loomer Lach Roddy Hart James Lawton Feis Ross
Hail Seedlings Stage Friday 10 August Saturday 11 AugustThe Needles Theatre Fall Sergeant The Wallbirds Lowtide Revelry Luva Anna Strike the Colours Micheal MacLennan Haight Ashbury Brendan Campbell Caley Ceilidh TrailAction Group The Vivians Make Model Figure 5 Le Reno Amps Our Luna Activities Foxface Baxter Sorren MacLean FiveFifteen
Venus Flytrap Palais Friday 10 August Saturday 11 AugustHeadphone Disco Flash Monkey The Strange Death of Liberal England Murdina Morag - The Musical with the Love Pylons Blazin' Fiddles Circulus Luminescent Orchestrii All Three Kingdoms by The Tartan Troubadors Slow Club The White Cat/ JaberwockyInvernetian Masked Ball/ Secret Chamber Orchestra Club Noir & The Martians in the intermission Tunng Murdina Morag - The Musical with the Love Pylons Kate Nash Fake Bush Orchestre del Sol The Seven Plots by R.I.P. Ox.Eagle.Lion.Man The White Cat/ Jaberwocky
2008 2008 saw the Tartan Heart Festival win the award for the best Grass Roots Festival (2008)
Garden Stage Friday 8 August Saturday 9 AugustScouting For Girls Jefferson Starship One Night Only Vatersay Boys Baka Beyond Big Hand Union Avenue Leonard Jones PotentialThe Waterboys Sons and Daughters Dreadzone Nouvelle Vague Salsa Celtica Attic Lights Punch and the Apostles Dangleberries Low Tide Revelry & Inverness Gaelic Choir
Hothouse Stage Friday 8 August Saturday 9 AugustIdlewild Black Affair The Twilight Sad Red Light Company Old Blind Dogs Broken Records The Brute Chorus Frightened Rabbit Call to MindCold War Kids Infadels Sergeant Kissmet Look See Proof Friends Of The Bride The Hosts The Xcerts
The Black Isle brewery Grassroots Stage Friday 8 August Saturday 9 AugustJustin Currie Angus & Julie Stone Kathryn Williams & Neil McColl Rachel Unthank and the Winterset Southern Tenant Folk Union Pete Molinari Brendan Campbell Rosabella Gregory The Lost Brothers Calery Ceilidh TrailEdwyn Collins Pete Wylie Lisa Knapp Wallbirds Dennis Hopper Choppers Agnostic Mountain Gospel Choir The Mercury Men Wynntown Marshalls Jake Cogan Feis Rois
Hail Seedlings Stage Friday 8 August Saturday 9 AugustAbigail Gray The Kazoo Funk Orchestra Jocasta Sleeps Jack Butler Captain and the Kings Root System 28 Jacks Manor Park Elite Battle for Bella WinnersShutter Twin Atlantic Edgar Prais Paper Planes Alto Elite Injuns The Draymin Dotjr Ketimine Deco
Venus Flytrap Palais Friday 8 August Saturday 9 AugustBaby Beat (for Kids) Rhythm & Rhyme (for Kids) Yusef Azak Reggae Woodland Roots Derek Meins The Blank Album Orchestra del Sol The Cyriac Review Cabaret Show (Adult Only)Baby Beat (for Kids) Bruce Fummey (Adults Only) Animal Behaviour The Parsonage Choir Four On Six Kerieva Izo Fitzroy & The Royal Bastards The Cyriac Review Cabaret Show (Adults Only) The Invernetian Masked Ball (Adults Only)
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2009 The 2009 festival took place on 7 and 8 August, and the headline acts were the Editors and Ocean Colour Scene
Garden Stage Friday 7 August Saturday 8 AugustEditors Peatbog Faeries Toploader Transglobal Underground Broken Records The Joy Formidable Kid British Scooty & the Skyhooks Grousebeater SoundsystemOcean Colour Scene The Saw Doctors Noah & the Whale Treacherous Orchestra Kissmet Edward II The New Forbidden Dangleberries Theatre Fall
Hothouse Stage Friday 7 August Saturday 8 AugustShed Seven Alabama 3 *The Wallbirds Dananananaykroyd Orkestra Del Sol Little Comets Official Secrets Act The Unthanks Shutter The Holloways replaced The Wallbirds after they cancelled their appearanceBritish Sea Power Sons & Daughters DeVotchKa Twin Atlantic The Phantom Band Magistrates Hatcham Social 3 Daft Monkeys Sparrow & Workshop
The Black Isle brewery Grassroots Stage Friday 7 August Saturday 8 AugustGlenn Tilbrook & Fluffers Tommy Reilly Lau Pearl and the Puppets Tommy Womack Blue Roses Babel Jo Hamilton Rebecca Hollweg Caley Ceilidh TrailSeth Lakeman Aberfeldy The Lost Brothers Rory McLeod Sam Issac Phil Lee Ballachulish Hellhounds Jonathan Jeremiah Alex Cornish Feis Rois
Hail Seedlings Stage