We have free workshops, performances and talks happening across the site throughout the weekend.
9 Waves Tai Chi
Starting with an explanation and live demonstration, you will then be guided through the basics to gain an authentic Tai Chi experience, leading up to a demonstration of the entire solo form.
9 Waves Tai Chi instructor, Bob Neeson, has been practicing the internal forms for 40 years & reading the philosophy for over 60 years… Japanese Zen, Daoist Classics, Indian & Tibetan Buddhist, Sufi & Christian Mystics, Mr Natural, Furry Freak Brothers, Far Side etc.
When: See board for times
Where: Giddy Up
Articulation – Dreams for the Future
Articulation supports all things outdoor arts, circus and spectacle in Scotland – and they’re here to help! If you’re an artist, audience member, part of the crew, if you’re local or have travelled from far flung places – they want to speak to you about your dreams for the future of Knockengorroch. Come and say hello!
When: See board for times
Where: All around
Bairn Banter: Hobby Horse Workshop
Bairn Banter is a Carsphairn based volunteer led children’s group, which offers fun, free, family stay and play sessions on a weekly basis. Children will create their own hobby horse to ‘hop in the saddle’ during the procession on Sunday 4pm.
When: See board for times
Where: Clann Tent
Bum Notes Workshop
Heck, we have played all the good notes, let’s find some nasty, new, fun or scrumptious ones to play in the Bum Notes Workshop.
When: See board for times
Where: Wierdstrings Tent
Carsphairn Hedgehog Sanctuary
Learn about hedgehogs and what to do if you find one injured.
When: Sunday
Where: Disgee Centre
Connected Ramblings of A Lakeland Poet
Ciel, aka Charles Lowther’s, first collection of poetry.
This debut work emerged without agenda or performance. Shaped by time spent living and walking in the northern lake district, the work is grounded in attention, stillness and lived experience. Nature is not treated as backdrop, but as presence within the work, its light, weather and rhythm woven through.
When: Saturday and Sunday
Where: Disgee Centre
Crystal Suncatchers
Drop-in workshop for adults and kids. Make a crystal sun catcher to hang in your window – it will cast rainbows on your walls when the sun shines! Spend a peaceful 15 minutes finding beads and treasures then create your unique sun catcher. Donation £2 to cover materials.
When: See board for times
Where: Clann Tent
Deughside Village
Here you’ll find the yurt village, healing area and sauna. Come to find therapeutic massage, oil massage, Thai massage, shiatsu, sports and remedial massage, chair massage, feather stone healing, reiki, or relax and get squeaky clean with the sauna.
Where: Near the Disgee Centre
Donkeys
Meet the Knockengorroch donkeys, Howar, Kief and Jill!
When: Saturday & Sunday
Where: Disgee Centre
Ethiopian Coffee Ceremony
Hanna Tilahun is the founder of Kofeopia, here to share the origin story of coffee and its deeper purpose — connection and community — through an immersive, traditional Ethiopian coffee ceremony. Born in Ethiopia and now based in Scotland, Hanna Tilahun brings heritage, single-region, Grade One coffees from the motherland to share with the world. Each ceremony is a heart-opening, meditative ritual rooted in ancient Ethiopian traditions, inviting people to slow down and connect with the sacred coffee plant and one another. A sensory experience where we roast, brew, and share a cup, celebrating Ethiopia as the birthplace of Arabica coffee and reflecting on its journey across the world.
When: Friday, Saturday & Sunday
Where: Busk Stop by the Giddy Up Bar
English Tune Session
Come along to play, learn, share and join in with some excellent traditional tunes from across the border.
When: See board for times
Where: Wierdstrings Tent
Family Capoeira
Join a fun, energising capoeira workshop open to all — families, adults, and curious movers alike. This Brazilian art form blends dance, martial arts, music, and play. Explore basic movements, defence, kicks, and small acrobatics through games and rhythm in a relaxed, welcoming space. Come with kids, friends, or on your own — no experience needed. Best for ages 5+.
When: See board for times
Where: Giddy Up
Gàidhlig Song with Ewan Macintyre
Come learn and sing some incredibly 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. – Suitable for all levels but aimed to those with limited-no knowledge of Gaelic. Lyric sheets will be handed out and can be kept
When: See board for times
Where: Wierdstrings Tent
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
Where: Disgee Centre
Georgian Singing
An exquisite workshop to learn three-part harmonies and shiver-inducing polyphonic songs. Songs will be taught by ear and sung by exploring body vibration and voice resonance.
When: See board for times
Where: Wierdstrings Tent
Good Times Theme Time Music Sessions
Join the good times theme time music sessions on tour as we attempt to fill an entire session with songs, tunes and occasional spoken word pieces which relate to this year’s chosen theme of “ANIMALS”.
When: See board for times
Where: Wierdstrings Tent
Galloway and Southern Ayrshire Biosphere – Non-humans of Galloway
A collaborative role-playing game for understanding non human needs, biodiversity and climate adaptation. Embody the plants, animals and fungi of Galloway and negotiate, barter, sing for survival. www.gsabiosphere.org.uk
When: Saturday
Where: Disgee Centre
Growing a Local Food Ecosystem with Propagate
Gardening and composting made easy with ecologist and community gardener Roz, teaching about the wonders of sphagnum moss in relation to the local Biosphere reserve and how to garden sustainably.
When: Sunday
Where: Disgee 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!
When: Friday & Saturday
Where: Clann Tent
Hometown
Playwright and actor Andy Paterson brings us a collection of original stories and songs about the raw, intimate moments that define who we are and where we come from. Adult themes and language.
When: See board for times
Where: Giddy Up
Ice & Fire
Following refugees on their journey as they travel across borders and exploring the hurdles they face once they arrive at their destination. Asylum Monologues is a first-hand account of the UK’s asylum system in the words of people who have experienced it.
When: See board for times
Where: Wierdstrings Tent
JOURNEY by Delighters
Cirqulation, Scotland’s circus cabaret night, presents Journey, a stunning, emotionally resonant ride through stories of change, challenge, and connection. Enjoy a heart-warming, immersive experience, featuring a fresh mix of aerial, acrobatics, dance and poetic storytelling.
When: Saturday
Where: Giddy Up
Knockengorroch Mod!
Thig is comharraichibh cànan na Gàidhlig leinn! Clàraibh aig oifis na fèise le òran neo dàn a tha sibh airson sgaoileadh. Nach tig sibh ann?
Our very own wee celebration of Gaelic language and culture. Register at the festival office if you have a song or a poem you’d like to share. Come join the fun!
When: Turn up and book a slot
When: Giddy Up
Lucy Hopkins & Jemima Thewes: Visionary Tales Of Whatever
Spinning our folklore roots into uplifting imaginings for the future. Why not?
When: See board for times
When: Giddy Up
Muckle Gype Theatre: Bothy Ballads
Come along and get inspired by learning some traditional ballads, building up to a collectively written Knock inspired bothy ballad. With Muckle Gype Theatre.
When: See board for times
When: Giddy Up
Magik Door
Magik Door is the brainchild of Augustine Leudar, using cutting edge emerging technologies to create immersive interactive hallucinatory environments, underground electronica, and soundscapes which transport audiences to surreal and distant worlds.
When: Friday, Saturday and Sunday
Where: By the Muckle Heid on the bank
Naomi’s Big Bubbles
A fantastical bubble workshop where you will learn how to make giant bubbles bigger than you’ve ever seen, put bubbles inside bubbles, and have fun popping them all. You might even find yourself inside a bubble!
When: See board for times
Where: Giddy Up
North Indian Classical Dance
Kathak is a prominent dance style from North India. Get barefoot and let Dana teach you how to rhythmically stamp your feet, move your arms gracefully and pirouette in all kinds of ways! Can also be adapted for being seated & all ages welcome.
When: See board for times
Where: Giddy Up
Oceanallover – The Sailmaker’s Palm
Mesmerising outdoor theatre rooted in nature and rich with symbolism. With a unique fusion of physical movement and original soundscapes, this show invites audiences to explore deep questions about the human condition and our place in the world. Inspired by the wild landscapes of Scotland. Expect an immersive, otherworldly experience—at once
When: Thursday
Where: Longhouse
Open Music Sessions
All are welcome at the music session in the Wierdstrings acoustic tent, bring yourself, instruments, good voice and good cheers to make magic moments. Add to the experience. Join in, relax, listen, laugh, applaud, doze.
When: Friday, Saturday & Sunday
Where: Wierdstrings Tent
Owen Pilgrim
Owen Pilgrim has been telling stories at Knockengorroch for over 20 years. In his bag of tales are Celtic myths, folktales from around the world, and stories of the otherworld. This year he’ll be telling a re-imagining of the myth of The Fisher King.
When: See board for times
Where: Tchai-Ovna Tent
Pond Dipping with Tilly
Come pond dipping and find newts, tadpoles, dragonfly nymphs, greater diving beetles and more! Fun for all ages, all equipment is provided and loads of fun to be had! Meet outside the Clann Tent.
When: Saturday and Sunday
Where: Meet outside the Clann Tent
Scandi Tune Session
Time to play dark and some twisted folk dance tunes from Scandinavia.
When: See board for times
Where: Wierdstrings Tent
Sophia West
Sophia West will also bring immersive art and video creation to the hills. Expect lasers cast onto trees, and visuals harmonised alongside music and story, operating alongside each other live to add spectacle to a beautiful show.
When: Friday, Saturday and Sunday
Where: Disgee and Bo Airigh
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: Friday and Saturday
Where: Meet at the 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: Friday, Saturday & Sunday
Where: By the river at the Healing Area
Strange Loop
A participatory immersive and meditative experience from artists Sita Pieraccini and Jamie Wardrop. Collect pond dipping water, bring back and explore using digital microscopes to create a unique installation and performance, featuring up a feedback loop between VJ, technology, music, and living organisms together entering abstract, conceptual and visionary
realms.
When: Saturday
Where: Wierdstrings Tent
Stories While You Wait
Have your unique story, on any subject, written for you by Luke Winter, using a typewriter, right in front of you.
When: Saturday & Sunday
Where: Somewhere
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: See board for times
Where: Wierdstrings Tent
Taiko Drumming
With Joao Madeira, professional taiko player, and founder of Shoshin Taiko Dojo CIC in Scotland, dedicated to teaching and spreading taiko drumming in Scotland, and to use taiko as a tool for social inclusion and positive mental health.
When: See board for times
Where: Giddy Up
The Craft Village
Two Shires Craft Group, Greenheart, Festival Masons, Wool ‘n’ Apples’, Galloway & East Ayrshire Biosphere, Hey Clay Pottery. Join a workshop and get creative!
When: Either drop in or see boards for timings
Where: Behind the Longhouse
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.
When: See board for times
Where: Giddy Up
Ye Jacobites
This entertaining performance directly confronts the historical events and enduring myths surrounding the Jacobite uprisings blending historical research with lively storytelling, incorporating traditional Scottish music and humour to offer a compelling and nuanced exploration of this significant period in Scotland’s past, with Muckle Gype Theatre.
When: See board for times
Where: Giddy Up
Yoga
Hatha Yoga – start your festival mornings with a gentle yoga practice incorporating pranayama, mindful movement and guided relaxation. Also in the Shieling Tent.
When: See board for times
Where: Giddy Up
