Scottish Traditional Boat Festival returns to Portsoy
Celtic rockers Skerryvore will headline the event in June
Last updated 13th Feb 2022
The Scottish Traditional Boat Festival returns to the North East this summer.
Thousands are expected to flock to the Aberdeenshire coast as the popular event returns after being replaced by a virtual session in 2020 and 2021.
As the tide turns on Covid, Scotland’s leading maritime festival makes its return to Portsoy on Saturday 18 and Sunday 19 June.
The event's chairperson David Urquhart told us nothing compares to having it in-person.
He said: "We are very much looking forward to having a festival as we have not had one for two years. We're looking forward to seeing a lively audience back in Portsoy.
"It was an annual event until the dreaded Covid hit us. In 2022, we are actively getting the whole thing put in place again so we can have some normality back into life.
"It's not just for Portsoy - it's for the whole of the north east. It pulls a lot of people in.
"We get around 16,000 to 18,000 over the weekend. It creates atmosphere in different areas - Banff, Macduff, Cullen as well, because a lot of other businesses experience an upturn when the festival is on."
Skerryvore to headline
Scottish trad rockers Skerryvore have been enlisted to ensure that the festival hits the high notes.
The Celtic rockers are honouring a pledge made back in 2019 to perform as headliners at the festival’s opening concert.
They will finally play the live stage at Portsoy’s Big Gig on Back Green on Friday, 17 June.
The chance to see the award-winning rockers perform in person at Portsoy is being met with eager anticipation, according to Mr Urquhart.
He said: “It’s taken time, but Skerryvore will certainly be worth the wait, as this will be a top-rate concert that will set the tone for the return of our in-person festival.
“Following on from the interest shown in our 2021 virtual festival, we’re eager to get people back to Portsoy to enjoy the real thing – savouring a distinctly nautical atmosphere with heritage boats, maritime crafts, sailing and rowing events. All this alongside a medley of music, dance, crafts, food and drink marquee, stalls, road races, children’s entertainment and much more.
“After a couple of challenging years, there will be no better feeling than seeing our festival back in its picturesque setting where we’ll celebrate all that is great about our region, our people and our seafaring traditions. We look forward to reconnecting with old friends and making new acquaintances too.”
Organisers are inviting retailers and traders, food and drink producers, craftspeople and entertainers to join the celebration.
Applications are now open at the website stbfportsoy.org.
Award-winning festival
Portsoy’s boat festival has been running since 1993 and has welcomed visitors from across Scotland and much further afield, including boat clubs in Germany, Norway and Sweden, cultural groups from the Baltic States and Shetland’s Jarl Squad Vikings.
In 2019, it won best cultural event/festival at the Aberdeen City and Shire Tourism Awards.
Last year’s reformatted virtual festival was delivered as part of Scotland’s Year of Coasts and Waters and can still be viewed via the boat festival website.
Tickets for Skerryvore are available via the festival website at an early bird discount of £25 each. This licensed event is for the 18s and over.