Stonehaven Folk Festival has been the host of the Falkland Bothy Ballad Competition since 2019, stepping in when the Falkland Festival was no longer able to organise the event. This transition marked a new chapter for the competition, ensuring its continuation and ongoing success within the Stonehaven community.

The event has proved to be highly successful for Stonehaven, drawing in participants and audiences alike. The organisers were pleased to be able to adopt this TMSA (Traditional Music & Song Association) competition, maintaining the tradition and spirit of bothy ballad singing.

We were delighted when Allan Taylor and Geordie Murison agreed to organise the event and a new Cup has been sponsored by long-time Festival supporter, Geordie Murison.

2025 saw the very first “official” Stonehaven Bothy Ballad competition – there were 17 entries in total with Judges Dennis & Lorna Collie.  The winner of the brand-new cup was Paddy Buchanan:

The 2026 Stonehaven Bothy Ballad competition will take place on Saturday 11th July in the Royal British Legion.
 
Bothy Ballads are farming songs sung mainly in Doric and celebrate the farming life of North East Scotland. The winner of the competition automatically qualifies for the Annual Bothy Ballad Champion of Champions competition (The Bothy Ballad World Championship!!) which is held in February each year with the winners of the six heats competing for the porridge bowl and the title Bothy Ballad Champion of Champions.

Competitors enter on the day at the venue at least 15 minutes before the competition starts, and sing one bothy ballad of their own choice, sung unaccompanied and from memory. 

Although it’s a competition, the regular competitors are all great friends and see it as a way of keeping the tradition alive rather than as a competition and are regularly seen celebrating with whoever wins on the day. All are welcome so if you have a bothy ballad in your repertoire come along and have a go in front of a friendly and welcoming audience or come along and be part of the audience.

Who will be the 2026 Champion?