We have free workshops, performances and talks happening across the site throughout the weekend!
Here’s what we had in 2024.
Asylum Monologues Scotland
Asylum Monologues follows refugees on their journey as they travel across borders – and explores the hurdles they continue to face once they arrive at their destination. This piece of verbatim documentary theatre focuses on the experiences of people from Kurdistan, Pakistan and Iran. Originally launched by Amnesty International in June 06, the Asylum Monologues has been touring ever since to raise awareness of asylum seekers’ experiences.
Where: Taigh
Bothy Ballads
Come along and get inspired by learning some traditional ballads, building up to a collectively written Knock inspired bothy ballad, written during the 25th anniversary!
Where: Taigh
Bubble Skills
Create massive wibbly wobbly bubbles, learn how to create big bubble donuts, do bubbles inside bubbles, and create cellular alien bubble monsters with the ‘beastie’ bubble nets!
Where: Tallyn
Circus Skool
Fabulous fire performance group Pyroceltica will take you through some circus skills. Suitable for all ages.
Where: Tallyn
Crystal Suncatchers
Make crystal sun catchers to make rainbows on your walls when hung in the window. For adults and kids aged 8+. Beads are reused from broken jewellery etc where possible.
Where: Tallyn
Carsphairn Hedgehog Sanctuary
Meet and learn about rescued hedgehogs!
When: Sunday 2pm
Where: Discee Centre
Deughside Village
Here you’ll find the yurt village, healing area and sauna. Come to find therapeutic massage, oil massage, Thai massage, shiatsu, sports & remedial massage, chair massage, feather stone healing, reiki, or relax and get squeaky clean with the sauna.
Where: Near the Discee Centre
Donkeys
Meet the Knockengorroch donkeys, Howar, Kief and Jill!
When: Saturday 12:30pm and Sunday 3.30pm
Where: Discee Centre
Gàidhlig Song with Ewan Macintyre
Learn some simple and beautiful Gaelic songs with Ewan Macintyre. From pipe tunes to mouth music and ballads and back. Come get a taster of the rich songs and sounds from the west coast of Scotland. No previous knowledge of Gaelic necessary – though you are most welcome if you do! Lyric sheets will be handed out and can be kept.
Where: Tallyn
Galloway’s Dark Skies
Hear more about our UNESCO dark skies status and don’t forget to join Dark Skies ranger Jesse Beaman for some star gazing around the site later.
When: Saturday 5pm
Where: Discee Centre
Georgian Singing
An exquisite workshop to learn three-part harmonies and shiver-inducing polyphonic songs from the Republic of Georgia. Songs will be taught by ear and sung by exploring body vibration and voice resonance. Come and experience the joy of connecting with others through harmonic sounds!
Where: Tallyn
Growing a Local Food Ecosystem
Come and explore what our local food systems could taste like if they were truly fair, healthy and sustainable. With Abi Mordin from Propagate.
When: Sunday 5pm
Where: Discee Centre
Headset Disco
A wide choice of music and djs to dance away into the night on Friday and Saturday night, through headphones. Perfect for little ones’ ears! This year we remember Rona.
Where: Tallyn
Indian Head Massage
This ancient practice has been shown to reduce tension, improve circulation, and promote a sense of well-being in both the mind and body. Join in with this practical Indian head massage workshop. Whether you’re on your own or want to woo a partner on the fields, this workshop massage style can be performed by anyone, making it perfect for anyone looking to learn.
Where: Tallyn
Lucy: BlundaBuskers
Calling the crumpled, the confused and the chuckle-headed to a musical ritual celebration of the Present Moment. Part ceremony, part gig, part ridiculous hoo-ha, hosted by the People’s Priestess Lucy Hopkins. Vibes, love and sound.
Where: Taigh
MELT
A unique and gentle, recuperative series of movements using balls and foam rollers that works on your nervous system, breath, and connective tissue which helps reduce the risk of repetitive injury whilst making you feel fantastic! Perfect after a poor night’s sleep In a tent! Hosted by Dr Mary-Jane Andersen.
Where: Tallyn
North Indian Classical Dance
Come and have a go at learning North Indian classical dance – Kathak. Let’s get bare-footed! Dana will teach you how to rhythmically stamp your feet, move your arms gracefully and do different kinds of pirouettes. Will include some nice gentle stretching!
Where: Tallyn
Oceanallover: Kroovan Wings
Oceanallover’s new performance project, celebrating trees and landscape and questioning concepts of ‘natural’. Small groups are invited to meet to be taken and guided through a piece of visual poetry.
When: Saturday 2pm, 3pm and 4pm
Where: Meet at the Longhouse
Pond dipping with Tilly
Back by popular demand.
When: Friday midday, Sat and Sun 12pm and 4pm ish
Where: The pond
Pyroceltica: Mechanica
Pyroceltica presents Mechanica: a 25 minute fire theatre stage show fusing circus, dance and physical theatre to a captivating celtic infused industrial soundtrack. This specially curated piece celebrates the height of the industrial era where anything was possible. Honest people worked tirelessly making things happen as pioneers of a new age of creativity
When: Sunday 10pm
Where: Fire arena (near Longhouse)
Ramblers Teatro: Ye Jacobites
The rebellion o’ the 1700s is brought back tae life. Short stories o’ the time are retold through bletherin’, a bit o’ banter, the odd bothy ballad, and no tae mention a wee tune on the bagpipes. A bloody guid tale o’ “Ye Jacobites”
When: Taigh
Recycled Windchimes
Get creative and make a beautiful set of windchimes from recycled materials.
When: Taigh
Rhyze to Morph by Nomoss
A sensory tale of transformation, of zombie mushrooms and the powerful fungal capabilities to connect, destroy, deconstruct and decompose. An outdoor performance using Butoh dance, evocative and stirring guitar and playful vocals. Also join Nomoss and Suzi Cunningham in a workshop in the Tallyn.
When: Sunday 10pm
Where: Fire arena (near Longhouse)
Sound and Movement workshop with Suzi Cunningham
Suzi is a Scottish-based live-performance artist who delves into ritualistic responses to the seen and unseen. The workshop will be fun and interactive focussing on making sound from found organic objects, using smell and touch and how all these elements can enter our bodies and make us move in authentic and exciting ways.
When: Sunday 10pm
Where: Fire arena (near Longhouse)
Star Gazing
Discover the stars in one of the darkest skies in the world, UNESCO designated, with Dark Skies ranger Jesse Beaman and his professional long range telescope.
When: Sunday 10pm
Where: Fire arena (near Longhouse)
Stone Stacking
European Land Art Festivals and James Craig Page. Find them on the River Deugh near the healing area, with fire cairns to be lit over the weekend.
When: Sunday 10pm
Where: Fire arena (near Longhouse)
Stories for Strangers
Have your unique story, on any subject, written for you by Luke Winter, using a typewriter, right in front of you.
Where: Freestanding
Tai-Chi
Come and learn about the ancient practice of tai-chi and what it can do for you, starting with an explanation and live demonstration, you will then be guided through the basics several times to gain an authentic tai-chi experience, eventually leading up to a demonstration of the entire solo form.
Where: Tallyn
Telltale Tea Tent
Stories and tea with storyteller Owen Pilgrim.
Where: Around the site
The Craft Village
Two Shires Craft Group, CosmiCoze tent, Bodgers Green, Chicken Shed forge, festival masons, Wool ‘n’ Apples’. Join a workshop and get creative!
When: Either drop in or see boards for timings
Where: Behind the Longhouse
The Big Sing Together with Chandra Mather
Learn songs from around the world in this singing workshop with experienced facilitator and performer, Chandra Mather.
When: Friday 4-5pm and Saturday 11am to 1pm
Where: Acoustic Sessions Tent
The Green Well of Scotland
An insight into this mysterious well by D&G Museums Officer Dr Peter Hewitt.
When: Saturday 2pm
Where: Discee Centre
The Southern Upland Way
Learn more about this iconic route, with Countryside Ranger Tom Henry.
When: Saturday 3:30pm
Where: Discee Centre
This Is Who I am (Ice & Fire)
“Then they separated us. We tried to say no, we applied for asylum as a couple. They say we don’t have any civil evidence that we are a couple. And we’re like “how can we show you any civil evidence if homosexuality is forbidden in my country?” This Is Who I Am shares first-hand accounts from LGBT+ people seeking asylum in the UK about their experiences in their own country and on arrival in the UK, addressing the particular challenges they face. Read by members of the Actors For Human Rights Network.
Where: Taigh
Tribal Drumming
Open to all ages and abilities. Come and join in and share in the magic of making music together. Bring your own drum or we have a selection for you to choose from.
Where: Taigh
Yoga
Hatha Yoga – start your festival mornings with a gentle yoga practice incorporating pranayama, mindful movement and guided relaxation. Also in the Shieling Tent.
Where: Tallyn
Wildcraft Workshop
Come and have a go at making natural paints and watercolours out of different coloured soils collected from all over the UK. Use pestle and mortars to crush up the pigments and paint using natural utensils of feather, pine needles, sticks and hair.
Where: Tallyn
3000 Trees
The return of the moving and thought provoking lauded one-man play by Andy Paterson about Willie MacRae, the anti-nuclear campaigner whose death prompted speculation that he was murdered by the state.
Where: Taigh
