Bella Buzz - March Edition
Spring has well and truly sprung and those longer, lighter evenings are starting to work their magic. There’s something about this time of year that feels particularly exciting for the team at Bella and it really does suddenly feel like festival season is no longer a distant idea but instead, it’s right there on the horizon! March has absolutely flown by for Team Bella and it’s been hectic but in all the best ways.
First Site Visit of 2026!
One of the biggest milestones for us was our first site visit of 2026.
There’s honestly nothing quite like being back on the Belladrum estate. We know we’re biased, but it really is a special place and the most beautiful location for a festival.
After months of planning from desks and screens, getting boots on the ground again brings a completely different energy and is always a lovely buzz.
We spent the day walking the fields, chatting through plans and looking at where we might tweak or build on what’s come before. It was a very positive trip all round and in true Bella fashion, while much of the local area including Inverness was grey and drizzly and blowing a hoolie, we somehow managed to be treated to blue skies.
The famous “Bella microclimate” seems to be alive and well. Fingers crossed that’s the case for our 2026 weekend.
Our Theme Has Been Revealed
Another big moment this month was finally unveiling our 2026 theme: Party Animals (Wildlife).
We’ve been sitting on this one for a while, so it’s always brilliant to share it with you all. It feels like a theme that really captures the playful fun of Belladrum Festival, and we already have so many ideas bubbling away about how it might come to life across the site. From decor to performances to those unexpected little details you always end up stumbling across while doing your rounds of the site, the theme always finds its way into the full Bella experience!
Of course, no mention of “party animals” would be complete without our very own Bella the Cow, who is undoubtedly the original and ultimate Bella party animal. You may have spotted her making an appearance in the latest artwork and lineup poster already, and we’ve a feeling she might pop up in a few more places as the summer rolls around.
For those who might be newer to Belladrum, the theme isn’t just something we stick on a poster, it helps us shape the festival. Saturday is our much-loved fancy dress day, and every year we’re blown away by the effort people go to. It’s creative, chaotic, and a lot of fun. The Fancy Dress parade and competition is always a huge highlight, with some brilliant prizes up for grabs (tickets for 2027).
New Names Joining Us In The Fields
On the lineup front, March brought a mix of news. We were really sorry to share that Ella Henderson will no longer be able to join us this summer, although we’re hopeful we’ll see her at Bella in the future. That said, festivals are ever-evolving things, and we’ve been able to welcome some fantastic new additions in her place!
We’re delighted to be bringing Rizzle Kicks to Belladrum for the first time. They feel like a natural fit for Bella… high energy, feel-good, and guaranteed to get the hot house field bouncing. Alongside them, we’ve added Rose Betts, whose songs you may well recognise from their viral success online, and Janet Devlin, who has really carved out her own space with a distinctive alt-folk sound in recent years.
We’ve also welcomed names like Shanghai Treason and Becky Sikasa to the bill as well as Glasgow duo Scratchcard Wednesday. It’s something we say often, but it’s always worth repeating, there is genuinely something for everyone across the lineup, and some of the most special moments of the weekend happen away from the main stage, tucked into smaller tents and hidden corners of the site. That sense of discovery is a huge part of what makes Bella, Bella.
Late Night Fun…
The lineup announcements didn’t stop there either, as we also shared a first look at our late-night offering for those party animals that can keep up the momentum.
When the sun goes down, the festival takes on a whole new energy, and this year is shaping up to be no different.
We’ve got Definitely Oasis bringing the anthems, Massaoke making their main stage debut with what we expect will be one of the biggest singalongs we’ve ever had, as well as Spiders on Mars and returning favourites MacFloyd.
Club Clan Bella News
For those who haven’t experienced it before, Club Clan Bella is our own little upgraded space to relax and recharge, and we’ve been working on a few additions this year to make it even better.
We’re particularly pleased to be welcoming The Gadget Refuge, who will be managing the phone charging area, so no more worrying about cables going walkabout. They’ll also be offering complimentary device cleaning, which feels like a small but very satisfying touch after a day in the fields!
Alongside that, we’ve invested in a brand new toilet block which, while perhaps not the most glamorous update, is one we know will be very much appreciated. You can learn more and book tickets for Club Clan Bella, online.
The Belladrum Festival Community Trust
We also want to share a bit of an update on something that means a lot to us at Belladrum - news surrounding the Belladrum Festival Community Trust.
We launched this towards the end of last year, and we’re excited to share that the first round of funding is soon be making its way into the succesful local projects and groups. We’ve got a blog post about this coming soon in more detail, so keep an eye out for this.
The funding for the Trust comes directly from car parking pass sales, which were introduced in 2024. Remember, if you’re bringing a car to Belladrum and parking, then you’ll need a car parking pass. These should be purchased in advance from our ticketing page.
Scouting For Girls – Bella on Tour
We also had a lovely trip down to Glasgow this week, where Dougie and Cairan caught up with Roy Stride from Scouting for Girls ahead of an upcoming STV interview about their return to Belladrum.
It’s safe to say that Roy was every bit as warm, friendly and brilliant as you’d hope, and it’s only added to the excitement of welcoming the band back to Belladrum this summer. We’ll be sure to share more details on when that interview will be airing very soon!
The BBC Alba socials team were also on site, so keep an eye out for a bit of fun content coming from them, soon!
In the meantime, if you’re looking to fulfil your Scouting For Girl needs, then you can catch some of their previous Bella sets over on YouTube curtesy of BBC iPlayer. Or, they feature in our 2026 official Spotify playlist which makes for a fab listen.
All in all, March has been a big one and we’re working away at quick speed behind the scenes.. The fields are waiting, the plans are forming, and before we know it, we’ll all be back together again. Woohoo!
Festival season is coming… who’s joining us?