Moniaive Folk Festival Review – A Gem of a Folk Festival in the Galloway Hills
Moniaive is home to one of the hidden gems in the Dumfries and Galloway events calendar: the Moniaive Folk Festival.
The event takes place over three days, with the main action on Saturday. We were lucky enough to attend on both Saturday and Sunday.
The drive to the village was an event in itself. Bathed in glorious sunshine, the fields, cows, sheep, woods, and farms of this part of Galloway were a sight to behold. The light and landscape are captivating as you snake up the hills along the winding roads. It reminded us that Galloway is a diverse and magical place, full of unique scenery found nowhere else. At this time of year, there are few more beautiful places.
Moniaive Village
The village of Moniaive (often affectionately mispronounced as “Monnievie”) lies north of Dumfries toward Thornhill and is nestled in the Southern Uplands.
It’s a small, quintessential rural village – the sort of place you’d expect in the heart of Galloway. Winding close streets, houses older than the Act of Union, and a small but useful cluster of facilities, including a shop, a restaurant, and a couple of pubs that double as hotels.
In the sunny weather of May, strolling around the village, you could easily imagine moving here, starting a small homestead, and drinking cider in the garden. It has that kind of charm.
As we parked up, the buzz of the festival drifted across the air. Outdoor music, chatter, and laughter mingled into a beautiful soundscape – that spine-tingling excitement only live music in the sunshine can bring.
The Festival
The festival was first established in the wake of the 2001 foot-and-mouth crisis and has now been held 23 times (with Covid naturally interrupting things). We attended the 23rd edition.
The vibe was wonderfully low-key, family-friendly, and refreshingly non-commercial. The local bars, shop, and restaurant were doing a roaring trade, but it still felt like a genuine community event.
We visited with a toddler, which meant we were often on the move, but he was absolutely mesmerised by the music of Morag and Lewis. They played a mix of old Scottish Border tunes and Balkan folk music – Midwinter Makedonska was a particular favourite. I highly recommend you check out their album on Spotify or buy their CD from their website.
One of the best aspects of the weekend was the informal jam sessions happening in the bar rooms. Wandering into a pub and stumbling across a spontaneous group of musicians playing traditional tunes was a joy. It felt like being transported back in time, to an era when pubs were filled with live music rather than football on TV.
This mix of organised performances and spontaneous sessions gave the festival its special vibe – a true blend of entertainment and participation. It wasn’t about consumerism or spectacle; it was about community, connection, and culture. The spending supported local businesses, but the real focus was on music and people.
Without the feeling that you had to be a 'Folk head' to feel like you belonged.
The Parade
A highlight of Saturday afternoon was the village parade. Yes – there were many highlights – but this one stood out. Walking through the streets waving flags, accompanied by drums, fiddles, and bagpipes, among a sea of people, created a real sense of togetherness.
The flags were all handmade that morning and represented a range of ideas and causes. Costumes added colour and quirkiness.
In a wonderfully surreal moment, the traffic was held up by three volunteers dressed as traffic cones. I hope the driver waiting found it as funny as we did.
Food
We were lucky to stumble upon a food stand in the beer garden of the Craig Darroch Arms and enjoyed some tasty bratwurst sausages. There was also a potluck buffet in the evening, plus food available from the local shop and the Italian restaurant on the high street. Plenty of good options!
Other Activities
Across the weekend, there were plenty of activities on offer: recycled jewellery making, a solar-powered micro-cinema, and all sorts of performances and arts for kids (and adults who act like kids).
One curiosity that caught our eye was a beautiful, hand-cranked children’s carousel, operated by the owners of Wanderlusts Caravans – a true delight.
Costs
The festival is free at the point of entry, although donations are encouraged, especially for campaign causes and late-night performances. All proceeds go toward sustaining the festival and supporting the local community. Of course, you could choose not to donate… but that might bring bad mojo and bad vibes!
Overall, prices were fair. A pint of lager shandy was just £4 – refreshingly good value for a refreshingly good drink. (Don’t worry – I wasn’t driving!)
How to Get There
Excited for next year’s festival? Sign up to the newsletter via the festival website.
By car from Dumfries, head toward Holywood on the A76, then turn left onto the B729, which takes you through Throughgate and Dunscore to Moniaive. The drive should take between 30 and 45 minutes, depending on cyclists, tractors, and the occasional wandering cow.
By bus, head to Dumfries train station, Whitesands, or the Loreburne Centre and catch the 202 service run by Houston Coaches. You can check times and routes on their website or Traveline Scotland.
Stay Up-to-Date
📧 Join the festival newsletter here.
📘 Join the Facebook group here.
Final Thoughts
The Moniaive Folk Festival is a classic Dumfries and Galloway event: homely, entertaining, uncommercialised, and brilliantly family-friendly. My advice? Get on the mailing list and start planning for next year. You’ll be glad you did.
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