What started as a bold local idea is fast becoming one of the most important grassroots music festivals in the Highlands, with the Dornoch Music and Beer Festival set to return in July 2026 bigger, warmer and more family focused than ever.
Taking place at Dornoch Meadows on Friday 17 July and Saturday 18 July 2026, the festival is quietly carving out a reputation as the kind of event that once defined the early days of Belladrum, before scale overtook intimacy.
At its heart, this is a festival built for people, rooted in place, and shaped around community rather than spectacle.
This year’s headline acts have already set the tone, with Irish folk pop favourites The Tumbling Paddies confirmed for Friday night and chart topping indie pop band The Hoosiers headlining Saturday.
The wider line up reflects a carefully curated mix of rising talent and crowd pleasing energy, including Erin Ponsonby, Harleymoon Kemp, Bad Actress, Martin Bannon, Glasville, and Lucy Tay.
Rather than chasing trends, organisers have focused on building a line up that works across generations, creating a space where families, friends and music lovers can all feel equally welcome.
That family focus is not an afterthought, but a central pillar of the festival’s identity.
Significant investment is being made in children’s entertainment for 2026, with the Kids Zone returning and expanding to offer safe, engaging activities designed specifically for younger festival goers.
A key addition this year is RockzKool Academy, which will deliver interactive, music based sessions aimed at inspiring children to explore creativity and confidence through sound and performance.
Food and drink remain a cornerstone of the experience, with local and Highland businesses firmly in the spotlight.
Confirmed vendors include Nae Bad Bar, Capaldies, and North Coast Coffee, alongside a rolling programme of further announcements.
Returning favourites and new names will continue to be revealed in the months ahead, including The Thompson Bros, Salt & Chilli Chicken Van, Popeyes Doughnuts, and Thistly Cross Cider.
Beyond the music and food, the festival’s impact on Dornoch itself is becoming impossible to ignore.
Accommodation fills, local businesses benefit, and the town welcomes visitors who might never otherwise have discovered this corner of Sutherland.
Crucially, the festival has kept its feet on the ground, reinvesting locally, working with community partners, and creating an event that feels owned by the place it calls home.
In an era of increasingly corporate festivals, Dornoch Music and Beer Festival stands out by staying human, generous and accessible.
It is not trying to be the biggest event in Scotland, but it is quietly becoming one of the most meaningful.
For many, that is exactly how Belladrum once felt.
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