Join local and visiting musicians for a night of traditional Scottish and Irish tunes and songs. Musician's very welcome and/or just come along and enjoy the music, atmosphere and the craic'.
Friday 21st August 2026
Save BIG with a Weekend Pass for the 13th annual Summer Trad Festival, running from 10th-12th July 2026 at The Vault Arts Centre and Festival Marquee in Newton Stewart! Offer expires 5pm on 10th June 2026!
Buy Weekend Passes!
Make sure you book early for the 13th annual Newton Stewart & Minnigaff Traditional Music & Dance Festival over 10th-12th July 2026.
Concerts and picking sessions throughout the weekend at SpringGrass Bluegrass Festival.
Outstanding sponsorship support from the team at Five Kingdoms Brewery for this year's festival, and outstanding beers on draught all weekend!
Five Kingdoms Brewery
A former bank, the Trust re-developed the unoccupied premises into what is now acknowledged as being one of the best live music/performing arts venues in Scotland. A social enterprise project, the venue provides vital income and office space.
Find Out More
Performing at SpringGrass Bluegrass Festival 2024, Sarah Jane Scouten has been nominated for 4 Canadian Folk Music Awards, a Western Canadian Music Award and an International Folk Music Award.
Australian fiddle player and tune writer Jeri Foreman delivers a fiddle workshops at SpringGrass Bluegrass Festival in 2023.
SpringGrass Bluegrass Festival
Southwest Scotland's biggest Highland dancing competition is held at Newton Stewart & Minnigaff Traditional Music & Dance Festival.
Highland Dancing Competition
Dancers celebrate their acheivements at the Highland Dancing Competition in 2018
47 young dancers competed in 2019 at one of the largest traditional Scottish dancing competitions in South West Scotland.
All the latest festival news as well as news and updates from the traditional music scene in Dumfries & Galloway including concerts, workshops, artist updates, new music releases, music reviews and more. We'll also be featuring news and views from some of our favourite traditional music artists and traditional music news from around the world.
Hands Up for Trad have opened nominations for this year’s MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards and we need your support to help make it a truly unforgettable year for Newton Stewart & Minnigaff Traditional Music & Dance Festival. Closing date is Sunday 14th October!
11 Oct 18Nathon Jones
Last week we received the very exciting news that Newton Stewart & Minnigaff Traditional Music & Dance Festival had been shortlisted as a finalist in the Tourism Champion category for this year's DG Life Awards! Thank you so much to everyone who voted for us. x
We are absolutely thrilled to announce that the one and only Dougie MacLean will be performing live in concert at Newton Stewart Cinema on Sunday 14th July 2019, part of the 6th annual Newton Stewart & Minnigaff Traditional Music & Dance Festival. Please book early to avoid disappointment!
10 Oct 18Nathon Jones
We were thrilled to be invited to Holyrood for a Parliamentary Reception to celebrate the Culture & Business Fund and the fantastic sponsorship the festival received from Creebridge House Hotel which, combined with the Scottish government backed fund, has helped the festival develop and grow.
4 Oct 18Nathon Jones
On the 8th August 2018 we were delighted to receive news from the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR) that our application for Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation (SCIO) status had been approved under the new name of the Trad Music Trust SC048610.
14 Sep 18Nathon Jones
With the closing date for nominations fast approaching on Monday, September 3, 2018 we hope you'll spare a couple of minutes of your time to nominate Newton Stewart & Minnigaff Traditional Music & Dance Festival for a Dumfries & Galloway Life Award this year.
28 Aug 18Nathon Jones
Delighted to confirm that Little Penguin Paints will be joining us at Minnigaff Playing Fields next year for the second Scottish Highland Dancing competition event on Saturday 13th July 2019 from 10am.
12 Aug 18Nathon Jones
We've just uploaded some of the best pictures from this year's Newton Stewart & Minnigaff Traditional Music & Dance Festival to the official festival Facebook page. Huge thanks to everyone who came and to David Moses Photographer for such outstanding photographs throughout the weekend.
26 Jul 18Nathon Jones
Weekend passes for the 6th annual Newton Stewart & Minnigaff Traditional Music & Dance Festival are on sale NOW and if you enter discount code SUPEREARLYBIRD19 at checkout you'll save 20% on the standard weekend pass price until January 2019!
24 Jul 18Nathon Jones
Just a wee note to say that our Festival Director Nathon Jones will be performing with the fabulous Rhona Jones this weekend at the Waterfront Hotel & Bistro, Portpatrick, between 6:30pm-8:30pm on Saturday 28th July.
28 Jun 18Billie Jones
The 49th Newcastleton Traditional Music Festival takes place this weekend over the 29th, 30th June and 1st July and it's a packed programme of dancing, workshops, competitions, tune and song sessions all weekend in the beautiful Scottish Borders. Don't miss it!
27 Jun 18Nathon Jones
Learn to use your camera properly with expert tuition and advice from professional photographer David Moses. Thursday evenings from 28th June 2018, 6pm-8pm, in Newton Stewart. Free for under 25's, or £40.00 for over 25's.
26 Jun 18Nathon Jones
Newton Stewart & Minnigaff Traditional Music & Dance Festival will celebrate its 13th year over 10th-12th July 2026. It's an incredible achievement. The charity has created a viable, sustainable, event that continues to grow and develop, proudly celebrating the very best in traditional Scottish, Irish and World music. Make sure you book early for what is shaping up to be the biggest event yet!