Bella Buzz - June 2026
Hello you lovely lot,
Can you feel it? That little buzz in the air, that itch you can't quite scratch, that almost-can't-sleep-for-excitement feeling? Yes. THAT one.
Belladrum is NEXT MONTH.
We genuinely can't believe we're saying that. After months of planning, dreaming, building ideas and all the behind-the-scenes magic that goes into making Belladrum happen, July is finally, actually, almost here.
If you haven't got your tickets yet, now is very much the time. Head to our website, grab yours, and join us. We promise it'll be worth it.
Win £1,000 + 2 Tickets with the Co-op
Right, we need to start here because this one is brilliant and we want as many of you in the draw as possible.
We've teamed up with our friends at Co-op for a competition that could see one very lucky winner walking away with two tickets to Belladrum PLUS £1,000 in Co-op membership spend. That is a serious prize, and it's open to entries, right now.
Whether you're already a Co-op member or not, it's well worth a look. Head over and get your entry in, fingers crossed it's one of you lot.
BBC Alba Talent Search Winner: Meet The Socialites
Earlier this month we ran our yearly talent search in partnership with BBC Alba, looking for an emerging act worthy of a very special slot at Belladrum 2026.
The applications came in, the talent was incredible (genuinely), and after much deliberation…
The Socialites from Wick have won.
These brilliant young musicians will be opening the Main Stage on Thursday - the very first band of the entire 2026 weekend. What a moment and a great way to kick things off.
If you're arriving on Thursday (and why wouldn't you be, because coming for all 3 days just makes perfect sense?), please get yourselves down to the main stage to give them the warm welcome and support they deserve.
Fancy Dress Is Moving, And It's Got Brand New Hosts!
Big news for all you costume fanatics (you know who you are, and we bloomin’ love you for it).
Our beloved Saturday afternoon fancy dress parade has a new home in 2026, the Garden Stage!
What’s more, it's coming with two brand new hosts to take the whole thing up a notch. Say a huge hello to Boogie and Arlene from award winning MFR breakfast show, who will be bringing the energy, the laughs, and the judgement (the good kind) to what is always one of the most wonderfully chaotic and joyful moments of the weekend.
You can read more about our fancy dress, fancy upgrade, on our previous blog post.
Tomatin Whisky Masterclasses — Selling Fast!
For those of you who like your Bella experience with a wee dram of sophistication, our Tomatin Whisky Masterclasses are on sale now, and they are selling quickly. And no, this isn’t scare tactics. They sell out EVERY YEAR. 2 classes have already full, while 3 have only got between 1 and 2 tickets left.
For best availability check out the Thursday afternoon classes, and Saturday from 3pm.
These intimate, guided sessions are a gorgeous way to discover the craft behind some exceptional Highland whisky, and they make for a really lovely experience within the wider festival weekend. You can opt to try Whisky tasting, Whisky cocktail making - or, both!
![@smphotography.7[Instagram]39.jpg](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63ed13564e413b64fd6b8103/1782299762933-KBZM39KEMDY6CKH8RDDF/%40smphotography.7%5BInstagram%5D39.jpg)
Stage Splits Are Dropping
Over on our Facebook page, we've been steadily revealing the stage splits for 2026 and the reaction has been, well, exactly what we hoped for. So far we've announced line-ups across Trailer Trash, Ice House, Venus, Seedlings and more, but there’s plenty more still to come over the next couple of weeks including Garden Stage and Main Stage.
If you're not already following us over there, now is the time. Head to Facebook, give us a follow, and keep your eyes peeled. Every announcement brings us one step closer to the full picture, and it’s an absolute beauty.
Merch Has Landed
We've had a lot of messages asking about this one, so here's your official confirmation: the 2026 Bella merch is here, and it's looking pretty great if we do say so ourselves.
This year's collection is available to browse and order now, perfect for getting yourself festival-ready, treating someone who's coming with you, or adding to your keepsake collection.
All of the merch is on a pre-order basis, meaning you order now, and pick it up when you arrive at Belladrum from the merch stall. The only item currently available for home delivery is our Belladrum football shirts.
See you next month…
Goodness. It feels extremely exciting (if not slightly panic inducing) to be able to say that. In short, there is SO much happening right now that it’s hard to squeeze it all in. Belladrum Festival is alive and kicking and building towards what we genuinely believe is going to be a very special 22nd year.
From all of us at Team Bella, thank you. Thank you for your excitement, your support, your messages, your ticket purchases, your fancy dress planning, your whisky class bookings, and your endless enthusiasm for this wonderful little corner of the Highlands.
We cannot wait to see your faces.
See you in the fields.
With love, Team Bella
