Each year we bring together an excellent bill of musicians and performers who appear on the many stages across the Festival, delighting the crowds with their rhythmic songs and dance.  Find a summary of events and performers below, see Festival programme for full details.

Friday 23rd June 2017, Urang Matang supported by Journey North.  Wally Green Marquee, Portsoy.  8pm – 11pm.  Tickets £10 in advance.  Over 18s only.  Licenced bar.  Journey North, a 5 piece Scottish folk rock band from Tayside and Fife, will kick off the evening.
Urang Matang, featuring Portsoy’s own Jim Paterson of Dexys Midnight Runners fame take to the stage with their eclectic ska and reggae mix.

This will be followed by a late night folk session from 11pm until 1am. Free entry.

Saturday 24th June 2017, De Kinkels, Wally Green Marquee, Portsoy.  9pm – late.  Tickets £10 in advance.  
Over 18s only.  Licenced bar.  Dutch favourites are back to rock the stage with their renditions of popular rock and pop songs.

Saturday 24th June 2017, Hootenany at the Hut, family ceilidh with music by Bourach and dancers Feerochie.  Scout Hut, Loch Soy, Portsoy (outdoors if weather permits). 7pm onwards.  Bring your own bottle.  No entry fee, but donations very welcome.

Saturday 24th June 2017, Open Mic Folk Night.  Portsoy Bowling Club, Doors Open 8pm for 8.30pm start – late, Tickets £5 at the door. All welcome.  Hosted by Folk at the Salmon Bothy.  Danny Couper will be your MC for the evening introducing a host of performers.  The evening kicks off with an extended set by Arthur Watson.

Over Festival weekend, by The Salmon Bothy, you’ll find the Bothy Folk Club Stage, where you will find a host of talent led by  Northern Shore on Saturday and  Moonshine Madness on Sunday.

Don’t miss the Youth Stage at Loch Soy, showcasing a host of young talented performers.

Andrew Legge / Arthur Coates: The Rowies  -Andrew on fiddle and Arthur on guitar will be performing on the youth stage at the Loch and also as part of The Rowies with Ellie Beaton, vocals and Stuart Jack, percussion.

Anne McArthur Dancers – Anne’s dancers will be taking part in the Festival for the 23rd year. Look out on Sunday afternoon as they have a surprise for our visitors…

Arthur Watson – A world renowned artist and a very fine folk singer and musician who learnt many of his songs from source singers such as Jeannie Robertson.

Aurora Music – Local choir formed in Huntly in 2011, still going strong, winning the Mixed Voice Open Choir Competition at the Aberdeen Music Festival. They will be treating us to a mix of popular, Scots and musical theatre songs alongside the more serious choral delights.

Bourach Ceilidh Band / Cait and Annie Lennox – The fantastically talented Lennox girls who are joined by Euan Reid, Molly Nolam and Calum McIlory for Bourach. They have a love of the traditional songs and arranging them in a contemporary way.

Calum Jones/Footerin’ Aboot Ceilidh Band – A talented young musician who regularly performs at local folk sessions he will also be performing with Footerin’ Aboot along with Lewis, Rowan and Jocky Ross.

Corralach – Based in Inverness, duo Corralach perform mostly in the traditional genre, some a’capella and some accompanied.

Da Shanty Yellmen – The only male group singing shanties and sea songs in Shetland.

Danny Coupar  – A fine musician and singer who is a veteran of many festivals, Danny will be hosting the late night music session at the Wally Green on Friday and the Open Mic event at the Bowling Club on Saturday evening.

De Kinkels -Dutch Band the De Kinkels are Festival favourites with their fantastic mix of sax, piano, guitars, drums and of course fine tunes.

Elsa Jean McTaggart accompanied by Gary Lister – Mercenary Fiddler Elsa McTaggart, with her latest show Sings Strings, accompanied on keyboard by Gary Lister.

Fair Trickit – twins Chloe and Sharlotte from Cullen, now living in Aberdeen are excited to be back at the Boat Festival, is the highlight of their year! Find them at the Loch Soy Youth Stage, where their set will aim to make everyone smile and have fun.

Feerochie  – Aberdeen-based dance display team performing Rapper Sword, Scottish & Percussive Step Dance and Highland Dance.

Fisher Folk – Returning for their tenth appearance at the Festival, the talented local band Fisher Folk.

Hjaltibonhoga – Old Norse for “Shetland, my spiritual home”.  The famous Hjaltibonhoga, Shetland Fiddlers, who regularly perform at the Edinburgh Military Tattoo.

Iona Fyfe / Luc McNally – Luc is a guitarist and singer originally from County Durham, he is teaming up with Huntly lass, Iona Fyfe, award-winning folk singer and a regular in ballad competitions across Scotland.

J J Dancers – Based in Cullen. Miss Jennie’s young dance group will be performing in the Wally Green Marquee.

Journey North – 5-piece folk Scottish rock band who take their variety of musical backgrounds and influences from rock and blues to world class pipe bands and mix them with the instruments and storytelling traditions of Scottish music.

Kimbers Men – Highly acclaimed folk group and shanty singers, they have appeared at festivals all over Europe and the UK.

Millbrig Music – An acoustic duo who have been operating for over a year now playing all original material in and around the Aberdeenshire area. Recently played an intimate gig at the Pitmedden festival and are now regulars at Stonehaven as well as playing various other venues and folk clubs around about.

Portsoy Pipe Band – Formed in 2013 and going from strength to strength we are delighted to welcome our local Pipe Band.

Ron Gardiner and Bob Sharp – Local folk musicians who will be MCs on the harbour stage.

Skip 2 The Beat  – Formed in 2004, members of the group have gone on to win competitions in Europe and at home.

The Great Okwardo – Nine piece Irish band who were born out of a road trip to New Orleans. Traditional, folk, acoustic rock, alternative and roots is their style.

The Strathspey Fiddlers – A performing group of talented young instrumentalists, singers and dancers from across East Moray and West Aberdeenshire. They are raising funds to visit Germany later this year.

Tripple – Cait, Annie and Jill Lennox sing, play fiddle, clarsach and dance. They have been performing at the Festival for many years now.

Urang Matang – Scottish five piece band specialising in their own blend of Ska and Reggae. They generate an upbeat that is hard to resist and chill out a groove that will keep your soul blissed.