Welcome to Tarbert.info Guide To Festivals

Argyll is famous for its festivals; highland games, highland dancing, and Scottish country music, to name a few. If you plan to visit during these times, you are strongly advised to book your accommodation well in advance as during the festivals there is an over whelming demand for accommodation. The festivals are all very well attended and people come from far and wide as these festivals are an established part of the Scottish festivals calendar. Most of the festivals have highland games, highland dancing, and music. Some of these festivals are listed below:

Tarbert Fair, Seafood Festivals, Tennis

Ardrishaig Gala day

Ardrishaig Gala Day is a 'Fun For The Family' day and it is usually held in July every year. Details for 2008 are now at hand:

Mid Argyll Pipe Band: They will start the proceedings with traditional march at 2pm.
Stalls: Tombola, Bottle Stalls, Bric-a-Brac and Home Baking.
Entertainment: Inflatable Fun! Climbing Walls, Table Football, Test-U r-Strength, etc. from 12:00.
Tea & Coffee: Will be served in the village Hall.
Strathclyde Police: They are participating for the first time and they will bring along the police dogs to put them through their paces at the Monument.
The MV Crinan: The Dalriada Project will be running boat trips to and from Lochgilphead during the day.
Boat Race: Two (2) Loch Fyne Skiffs have been donated for the day by A & R Boatbuilding. Teams of four will race from the Community Slipway round a buoy and back. The winning team will grab £100 in Cash & Beer. Quarter Finals will start at 11:30 at the Slipway.
Evening Dance: Live Music and Entertainment in the Village Hall. 'Then There Were Two' bar provided by Campbeltown Bakery.

For details contact: Findlay Campbell, The Mailbox, 46 Argyll Street, Lochgilphead, Argyll, PA31 8NE. Telephone: 01546 602251.

The next Ardrishaig Gala Day will be on July 26, 2008.

Tarbert Fair

Tarbert Fair is one of the oldest and approved fairs in Tarbert. It is being held since 1705 on the last Thursday of July every year. The fair started after the Scottish Parliament passed an "Act in favour of Archibald Mackalester of Tarbert to hold four yearly fairs and a weekly mercat at the Toun of East Tarbert." According to the Act, yearly fairs were to be held on May 10, July 16, August 9 and October 16. This privilege appears to have been modified, and for one reason or another we ended up having only one fair and that too starting on the last Thursday of July every year. Originally a cattle fair; now music, amusements, rides and social gatherings have replaced the cattle.

The next Tarbert Fair will be on July 31 - August 3, 2008.

Loch Fyne Food Fair

Loch Fyne Food Fair and live entertainment has now become an annual event held over the last weekend in May every year. Stalls open from 11 am to 6 pm, admission is free but parking is charged £3 per vehicle. Location is just next to the Loch Fyne Oyster Bar, Clachan, Cairndow. For details contact: Virginia Sumsion, Loch Fyne Oysters, Cairndow, Argyll, PA26 8BL. Telephone: 01499 600264, Fax: 01499 600234, email.

The next fair will be on May 10 - 11, 2008.

Tarbert Seafood Festival

Tarbert Seafood Festival has been regularly held since 1967. The festival is held during the first full weekend in July every year. Many stalls are erected along the Harbour Street. You should park your vehicle away from this street as it usually overflows with visitors, street performers and cooking stalls. The visitors can sample the deliciously cooked Scottish seafood while exploring the other stalls lining the Harbour Street. You will find the vendors selling everything from hand made crafts to souvenirs. The music is loud, may be live and plentiful. The entire Harbour Street is well decorated and there is no admission fee.

The next festival will be held on July 5 - 6, 2008.

West Highland Tennis Championships

West Highland Tennis Championships, locally known as Oban Tennis Tournament will be held on June 28 - July 6, 2008.

This tournament caters for all levels of ability in tennis and for a wide age range. the Gents and Ladies Championship Singles are part of the SLTA Senior Grand Prix. The Junior events cater for juniors 6.1 and above rating. The Veterans' day is a relaxed friendly day with coffee and scones to start then lots of good competition, and home baking all through the day. Handicap events give non championship players the chance to do well.

There are five (5) courts; three (3) artificial grass, and two (2) hard courts. The social side of the tournament is considered very important and they put on different events in the evenings: quiz, bbq, council reception, wine and cheese welcome. For details Telephone: 01631 563516, 0r write to the Secretary, Joan Tolmie, Lismore House, Rockfield Road, Oban.