Article Source: Doune the Rabbit Hole
Last Updated: 15 July 2022 14:51
The event, named by The Guardian as “one of the UK’s best small family festivals”, swung open its gates and has begun delighting attendees with this year’s incredible lineup.
With punters pitching their tents and getting their dancing shoes on, stages erected, musicians tuning up, family activities assembled and food vendors and bars fully stocked, Doune the Rabbit Hole is raring to go for 2022.
Thursday night festival-goers enjoyed stand-out performances from the likes of legendary Patti Smith and Band and Charlatans frontman and Listening Party host Tim Burgess.
More than 200 international and Scottish acts, as well as 100s of workshops, talks and family-friendly activities are set to take place across the weekend, with thousands of revellers set to flock the festival site in Stirlingshire across the weekend.
Doune the Rabbit Hole Festival Director Jamie Murray said: “We’re so delighted to be back with an incredible weekend of amazing entertainment and unique experiences for people of all ages. Our Thursday night acts got things off to an unforgettable start and has set the tone for all of the brilliant performances still to come this weekend. Seeing people gathered, dancing and enjoying the music all together once again was terrific.
“We’ve added so many new additions to the festival this year so it really is bigger and better than ever. It feels so special to be welcoming visitors old and new to Cardross Estate once again. It’s been a long wait for the return of Doune but all worth it in the end.
“Making the festival an inclusive, family-friendly space is also so important to us and this is my first Doune the Rabbit Hole as a parent myself, so it’s all the more poignant. It’s amazing to see so many people of all ages flocking through the gates and to get the weekend underway.”
The diverse and eclectic musical lineup includes main stage headliners like multi-million selling Scottish singer-songwriter Amy MacDonald, homegrown, world-famous talent Belle & Sebastian, English post-punk duo Sleaford Mods and Bellshill natives and C86 scene superstars Teenage Fanclub.
Scotland’s biggest independent festival has returned bigger and better than ever after pandemic-related postponements in 2020 and 2021 and will provide a weekend of relaxed, family-friendly fun for festival goers. The number of stages across the site has nearly doubled from five in 2019 to nine in 2022, with more than 100 additional acts on the bill in comparison to the last time the festival took place.
Other acts on the bill this weekend include Leeds four-piece Yard Act, rave era electronic act 808 State, Radio Two’s Craig Charles DJing funk and soul, and Baccara and their big footie anthem. Optimo (Espacio), aka DJ duo Keith McIvor and JG Wilkes, will also celebrate 25 years of DJ’ing with an eclectic set featuring many lesser-known treasures from their extensive record collections. Four-piece Boney M, led by original member Maizie Williams, will also perform classics such as Rasputin, Rivers of Babylon and Daddy Cool.
The festival line-up also features Tide Lines, the first unsigned band to sell out Glasgow’s Kelvingrove Bandstand and a host of other amazing Scottish artists such as Honeyblood, Sacred Paws, The Rezillos, The Bluebells and BIS.
The Bandersnatch folk stage will host the likes of beloved Irish folk group The Mary Wallopers, while there will also be extra special performances and experiences in a variety of areas including The Warren Woodland Dance Arena and inspiring Douniversity talks on the likes of STEM, social change and the climate and ecological crisis.
The festival will keep people of all ages entertained with nearly 100 hours of free entertainment for the little ones and free entry for children aged 12 and under. The event is also dog-friendly, with ticket holders able to bring their pooches along.
There is also a Family Field with a vast outdoor play arena and an Out of the Ordinary arena with everything from acrobats to clowns and stand-up comedy, and highlights such as storytelling, night-time cinema, arts and crafts, free play, Doune-on-Sea, a Mermaid Cafe mud kitchen and Bubbles vs Balloons. There are also various children’s workshops teaching everything from seed heads and kite making.
In addition to this, festival-goers can also enjoy 100s of workshops, educational talks, comedy events, and yoga and wellness activities, alongside jam sessions and pop-up performances.
There is also excellent food on offer, with independent and affordable vendors across the festival site, all with kids’ meal options on their menu, and a wide range of vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options.
Tickets are on sale at https://www.dounetherabbithole.co.uk/
Image credit: Ryan Buchanan
Historic Environment Scotland (HES) has announced that over twenty sites across the country are set to reopen their doors to visitors this weekend.
READ MOREJoin Diabetes Scotland for a virtual event about an exciting new programme supporting children and young people 11 - 25 living with type 1 diabetes - Together Type 1.
READ MORENoughties stars The Cheeky Girls, Gareth Gates and S Club 7's Bradley McIntosh have taken a sip back in time to mark the release of IRN-BRU's new 2000s-inspired flavours!
READ MOREMacdonald Hotels, one of the UK’s most popular independent hotel groups, invites you to join them for an Easter break to remember.
READ MOREA mass gathering of heavy horses assembled at the home of Scotland’s iconic Kelpies structures today (Tuesday, March 26) in celebration of the forthcoming 10th anniversary.
READ MOREDobbies is welcoming families along to 68 of its stores this Easter to enjoy an array of free activities, including its Little Seedlings Club workshop and Easter Holiday sessions.
READ MOREThe search is on to find the best of the best in Scottish tourism as the Scottish Thistles Awards returns.
READ MOREThis year's FREE Springfest is playing host to two great Scottish chefs – Niall Murray and Rohan Wadke, who will inspire visitors with their FREE cooking demonstrations.
READ MOREA host of brand-new family favourites are landing at Vue this Easter, meaning there are plenty of opportunities to spend quality family time at the big screen during the holidays.
READ MOREA range of Stirling’s outstanding independent business owners were rewarded with trophies last night at the city’s annual Business Awards.
READ MORESpring is in the air and with it comes the return of one of Scotland's largest outdoor food and drink festivals to Paisley!
READ MOREFull cast and creatives announced for the tour of Maggie & Me, the first stage adaptation of Damian Barr's award-winning memoir touring UK in May and June!
READ MOREDobbies today launches Dobbies Community Gardens, to offer support for community and charity groups across the UK to help transform, restore or start their indoor or outdoor green spaces.
READ MOREA sinister story involving 'stovies' and a grisly tale about the strange sheep of Greshornish have been chosen as the winning and runner-up stories in The Glencairn Glass crime short story competition
READ MOREThe National Trust for Scotland is going hopping mad for Easter and hosting a bumper 35 Easter egg trails at the special places in its care this spring.
READ MOREStirling’s business community is getting ready to celebrate at the city’s annual awards for independent traders.
READ MOREExcavation work on a Pictish stone of potential ‘international significance’, discovered buried in a cemetery near Doune, will begin within the next fortnight.
READ MOREGreat Run 2024 series highlights inspirational stories from runners around the UK.
READ MOREDobbies, the UK's leading garden centre, is bringing back its much-loved Easter event, inviting families to hop along to their nearest store and enjoy an Easter Bunny Breakfast egg-stravaganza.
READ MOREFriday 8th March marks International Women's Day and to celebrate Vue is set to screen four inspiring films which follow the achievements of incredible female leads.
READ MORENew research released by VisitScotland reveals the growing popularity of Scottish traditional music, finding that over a third of Scots (34%) are listening to it more often in the past year.
READ MOREThe public was treated to a surprise choir performance against the backdrop of the National Wallace Monument in Stirling to mark Marie Curie's Day of Reflection this weekend.
READ MOREA stellar line-up of authors are set to take Paisley by storm at this year's Paisley Book Festival in April!
READ MOREThe AJ Bell Great Scottish Run is back on Saturday 5th and Sunday 6th October, and the Earlybird offer to save up to £8 off your entry ends this Friday 1st March at 10am.
READ MOREA Scottish author's poignant tale of generosity and kindness has raised £2,262 to help the homeless.
READ MOREDobbies is offering customers the chance to treat the mother figures in their lives to an indulgent Mother's Day Afternoon Tea experience and a special flower gift on March 9th & 10th.
READ MORESTEP, in partnership with Forth Valley Food and Drink, is thrilled to announce a series of engaging business events throughout March.
READ MOREA project involving the University of Stirling, Stirling Council and a group of volunteers has uncovered a historic folly on the university grounds.
READ MOREAn Impassioned photo-led exhibition that depicts the challenge, pride and responsibility felt by those working in Scotland’s fishing industry is to debut within the Scottish Parliament.
READ MOREThe Scottish Influencer Awards, the major awards ceremony celebrating Scotland's stars of social, has announced the full shortlist of nominees in the running to be named the Influencer of the Year.
READ MORE