Knockengorroch
| Knockengorroch | |
|---|---|
| Genre | Celtic, World, Roots |
| Dates | End of May (3 days) |
| Location(s) | Galloway, Forest of Ae, Talnotry, Scotland |
| Years active | 1998 - present |
| Website | |
| www.knockengorroch.org.uk | |
Knockengorroch is a world music festival held annually among the Carsphairn hills in South West Scotland. Originally there were two festivals held each year - the World Ceilidh, usually held around the end of May, and The Hairth, held in mid September. As of 2010, Knockengorroch ceased hosting two festivals each year and instead focused its attention on the Knockengorroch World Ceilidh festival. The festival started in 1998 and has licensing for around 3000 fans.
In mid-summer 1998 a 'rainbow gathering' was held on the Knockengorroch Farm in Galloway with the agreement of Simon and Liz Holmes. The festival is now an established event in the region. It has grown since its beginnings while still remaining an intimate and hospitable experience, welcoming people from all over Scotland, the UK and beyond for a relaxed, inspiring and riotous four days.
The festival has grown from an audience of 300 locals to 2700, including international visitors. The origin of the festival's name is unclear, but in Gaelic ‘knock’ (Cnoc) means a hill and ‘gorroch’ has a variety of meanings. The featured artists originate from Celtic, world and roots music genre and the festival has been held in various other locations as the Forest of Ae near Dumfries, and Talnotry near Newton Stewart.
The festival now takes place in the Dumfries and Galloway hills, in a natural greenfield amphitheatre. The festival features outdoor and covered stages, a dance marquee, a recreated Iron Age Longhouse venue, a Ceilidh, a children’s marquee and procession, puppet shows, cabaret, fire shows, open mic, workshops, camping, real ale, food and shopping stalls. There is an emphasis on as much environmentally sound practice as possible, with a rigorous recycling policy, use of biodegradable products and alternative sources of power wherever possible, and both green and heritage workshops are available to participate in during the day.
The object of Knockengorroch artistic direction is to establish progressive linkage between the celebration of the natural amphitheatre of its venues and the now far-flung Celtic diaspora, once rooted in such homely places. It is Knockengorroch’s remit not only to celebrate ethnic diversity and fusion, but to make the music home in its natural home.
On the still wider contemporary seas of world-music the aim is primarily to promote multi-cultural forms and musical genres, highlighting the connection between roots music and the land that gave birth to that music and its people. Music from all continents is therefore booked alongside the best in Scottish, and European, talent to showcase Celtic and World music in both traditional and contemporary fields.
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