Scotland’s biggest Bluegrass music festival is about to get even bigger and better. John Sheldon, who is the main man behind the event, a formidable banjo picker himself, first set up the Guildtown event in 1986 in memory of Kentucky’s ‘Father of Bluegrass,‘ Bill Monroe, and it grew in popularity, attracting capacity crowds of aficionados, many of them from abroad, for close to 30 years. Having outgrown the rural site in Perthshire, which was its base for almost thirty years, the Guildtown event will this year be moving, and fittingly, as it grows to meet the demands of fans, to the town of Biggar. Geddit?
The move to the picturesque South Lanarkshire town will guarantee more space for all of those who will bring campers, caravans, or a tent, with the local Showground big enough to accommodate the volume of visitors expected to attend. The organisers say that they had no choice but to relocate as local facilities at the 2025 weekender were stretched to the limit. “Both the physical nature of the site at Guildtown and what we were able to provide from accommodation opportunities to catering and most importantly, presenting the music in the best possible circumstances, had their limitations,” said John Sheldon.
Among the top acts booked to appear are The Hackney Hill Pickers (who you can watch below), Martha Spencer Trio (USA) and Scotland’s own Good Guy Hank, featuring top Australian mandolinist, Pepi Emmerichs. John continues, “The increased interest we experienced meant we simply had no alternative but to look around for an alternative that will allow us to grow in order to meet that demand, and that will also include a greatly expanded programme and a much larger main stage.”
Over the first weekend in August (7/8/9), Biggar, already awarded a Best Tourist Town commendation, will be transformed into a guitar and banjo-picker’s paradise with the driving sound of mandolins, fiddles, double bass and hallmark vocal harmonies, echoing through the streets. The principal hub will be the Municipal Hall, which will host the main headliners, including visiting artists from the USA and all over the UK. Fans can all enjoy a host of sideshow sessions, which will take place at selected cafes and local bars. The event is sponsored by The British Bluegrass Music Association.
Tickets and camping options, etc., are available here.
