Bella Buzz – December Updates
Hello you lovely lot,
Christmas is just around the corner and before we all sign off for a wee while to spend time with family, friends and far too many mince pies, we wanted to drop in with a festive Bella Buzz and a little catch-up on what we’ve been up to.
It’s fair to say things haven’t slowed down just yet…
A little Bella magic for under the tree
If you’re still thinking about Christmas gifting (or dropping a very big hint), we’ve been busy making sure there are a few Bella-themed options out there.
We now have physical Belladrum tickets available from Eden Court in Inverness, as well as from Kevin and his brilliant team at Kiltarlity Post Office. They’re perfect if you like something tangible to wrap, to pop in a card or if you’re like us and like a keepsake for your memories box!
A very important reminder though… please keep these tickets safe. We don’t have duplicate copies and can’t replace them if they’re lost.
Already bought a digital ticket but still want something fun to put under the tree? We’ve also spent some time creating a few print-at-home Bella voucher ticket designs which are ideal for gifting when the real ticket lives safely in your inbox.
Final chance to enter our Christmas Hamper competition
Before Santa makes his rounds, there’s still time for one last bit of festive fun!
This week is the final chance to enter our Christmas Hamper competition with the chance to win an incredible mega prize bundle worth approx. £3,500 all in exchange for a £5 donation, supporting our 2026 Charity Partner – Cantraybridge College.
It’s a lovely way to give back while being in with a shout of winning something very special. If you’ve been meaning to enter, this is your gentle nudge.
A London trip, and some award news
Last week, Dougie hopped on the plane to London for the LIVE Awards, where Belladrum was shortlisted for Festival of the Year.
It’s always a tough gig for smaller festivals going head-to-head with some of the biggest events in the UK, and while we didn’t come home with the win, it was still a brilliant trip and a real honour to be recognised alongside such company.
And there were some very special wins on the evening worth noting…
Stuart Galbraith (Kilimanjaro / Belladrum) received the LIVEtime Achievement Award, an incredible honour that recognises years of dedication to live music, and one that couldn’t be more deserved.
And our very own Dave Hale won Road Warrier of the Year! Huge congratulations to both.
Photo credit: Access All Areas | READ MORE
Mince pies, mulled wine & music at Wild Gorse Kitchen
One of the loveliest moments of the month came a little closer to home.
We had a festive get-together at Wild Gorse Kitchen, right on the Belladrum Estate, and invited along the estate residents for a wee festival-style thank you. Some of them have houses literally within the festival site, so it’s fair to say that without their patience, understanding and ongoing support, Belladrum simply wouldn’t happen.
There were mince pies, mulled wine, Christmas tunes courtesy of Kenna MacRae, and lots of good chat. A proper reminder of the community that sits at the heart of Bella, and something we never take for granted.
Entertainment & trader applications now open
While we’re still very much in festive mode, plans for 2026 are well underway.
Entertainment applications are now open, welcoming those working in street theatre, performance, walkabout acts and all the wonderful weird and magical moments that bring Bella to life beyond the stages.
At the same time, trader applications are now LIVE, including crafters, makers, creatives, food traders and drinks vendors. If you’ve been thinking about joining us next summer, or know someone who should, now’s the time to get those applications in.
2026 Tickets
As we look ahead to Belladrum 2026 (and start dreaming of long summer days again), we wanted to share a small and friendly ticketing reminder.
From 1st January, we’ll be moving into our final ticket pricing tier for 2026. Adult tickets will see a small increase of £5, while all other ticket types will remain exactly the same. This helps us continue to deliver the Bella experience you know and love, from the music and magic to the infrastructure that makes it all happen. If you’ve been thinking about booking, hopping in before the new year is the best way to secure current/lowest prices.
We’ll share plenty of reminders along the way, but for now this is just a gentle heads-up
Until next time
As we wind down for Christmas, we just want to say a huge thank you for the excitement, the messages, the support and the continued love for Belladrum.
We can’t wait to welcome you all home again next summer. Until then, have the loveliest festive season, take care of one another, and if there’s a Bella ticket, voucher or IOU under the tree this year… well, we fully approve.
With love,
Team Bella