Posts for May, 2026

After an incredible show with us last year, these guys booked to come back straight away, so get your dancing shoes on Boat of Garten, its time for a Rock N Roll party!

Three Artists celebrate the music of Roy Orbison, Buddy Holly & Elvis Presley all driven by a lively Rock n Roll Band!

All the classics from I Drove all Night , Oh Boy & Return to Sender!

We dare you to stay in your seats!
Will Rock n Roll in Boat of Garten ever die ? That’ll be the Day!

❤️ Suits all ages
🚪 Doors open at 6.30pm
⏰ 7:30pm-10:30pm approx

We will have a licenced bar running on the might with non alcohol drinks also available.
We have paper tickets available to buy at the Hall, priced at £18.50 each – CASH SALES ONLY PLEASE!
Or wegottickets online also has tickets for sale.

Join nature and travel writer Joe Minihane for a one day writing workshop in and around the Dell’s tipi. This informal, friendly one day nature and memoir writing retreat is for anyone looking to tell their own story, whether you already love to write or are a beginner in search of inspiration.
With time to walk and explore the forest surrounding The Dell, chances for encounters with nature, and prompts designed to get creativity flowing, this will be a relaxed and informal day that will help you on your writing journey.
There will be writing exercises, one to one tutorials and the opportunity to share work with the group at the end of the day if you wish. You’ll leave armed with new ideas and work that you’ve made and can feel proud of.

Joe Minihane is a writer and journalist based in Sheffield. He is the author of Floating (Duckworth 2017), a memoir about wild swimming and mental health, and a recipient of the Society of Authors’ K Blundell Trust award. He has also written a series of guide books for the London-based publisher on Hoxton Mini Press, while his writing on travel and the outdoors has appeared in The Guardian, Sunday Times, Mail on Sunday, Lonely Planet and CNN.

Lunch and refreshments included. For more info or to book head to the ticket link

An hour of theatre and comedy with author and Mountaineer John D. Burns
In a remote Highland bothy, a traveller finds shelter from the storm. In his rucksack he has coal for the fire, candles to ward off the darkness, and a little whisky to bring some cheer. The wanderer invites you into his world.
In a unique piece of theatre, John tells stories of his wild journeys among Scotland’s mountains. There are near death adventures on ice wreathed cliff faces. Tales of dark deeds in distant bothies and even a brush with royalty. Yet in the heart of so much beauty there is conflict. Hear how working-class folk have fought to establish their right to wander the hills.
Come and join John, smell the woodsmoke and be transported to a world where all you have is what is packed on your back and the dreams that you follow.
John D. Burns is an award-winning mountain author and his books, Bothy Tales and The Last Hillwalker, have become acknowledged as classics among those who enjoy the outdoors. You can hear more of John and his wonderful guests on his podcast, Outdoors in Scotland.

Dinner is our love language!

Let’s gather for an evening of long table feasting, with new & old friends.

We’ll be at the magical Dell of Abernethy for an all out Tipi Mexican Fiesta! Lindsay & I will be joined by Rachel Glueck, local story teller & author of cookbook ‘The Native Mexican Kitchen’. Rachel will take us on a journey into mexican cuisine, culture & mezcal!

Our menu will be inspired by Rachel’s personal experience as well as female chef Ixta Belfrage who spent her youth absorbing food traditions in Italy, Mexico and Brazil. She began her culinary career with Ottolenghi so she’s a bang full of flavour!

You’ll be welcomed with a mezcal cocktail (there will be a virgin option) & some history behind mezcal alongside some nibbles before a feast full of bold flavours & vibrant sharing plates. We’ll take your tastebuds through Mexico with a nod to some local Highland produce. This one is going to be special!

3 courses – £60pp (subject to £1.50 transaction fee)

Saturday 1st August @ 6pm

Dell of Abernethy, Nethy Bridge

We cater for vegetarians – any other dietary requirements, please get in touch before booking! As always, the menu will be a surprise for the evening.

A rare chance to catch local musician Hamish Napier performing solo – for the first time in his hometown.

Join us for this extra special music event at the Spey Bank Studio, an intimate arts venue.

Hamish will play for an hour, with music inspired by Strathspey and the Cairngorms. Doors open at 7.30pm for an 8pm start.

Hamish is a Scottish folk multi-instrumentalist and composer from Grantown-on-Spey. He is inspired by the heritage and nature of his native landscape of Strathspey. His album The Woods explores the flora and fauna of Scotland’s native forests. It won Album of the Year at the Scots Trad Music Awards and is the third album in his Strathspey Pentalogy, a ambitions project to produce 5-albums in celebration of his homeland,

Humorous, engaging and heart-warming, Hamish’s performances often incorporate poems and stories about nature, folklore and communities.

Great selection of unique arts and crafts.

Grantown Open Studios is an artist-led initiative rooted in collaboration, skill sharing and place, and returns from 1–4 May 2026, inviting visitors to experience the growing creative energy of Grantown-on-Spey and the surrounding area.

This artist-led event brings together 18 artists and makers, opening studio doors that are rarely accessible to the public and offering a unique opportunity to meet creatives in their working environments. Visitors can plan their journey in advance using the interactive map available at www.grantownopenstudios.com.

The event showcases an inspiring breadth of disciplines, reflecting the remarkable concentration of talent in the area. From contemporary abstract painting, ceramics and design to illustration, photography, wildlife art, leatherwork and paper art, Grantown Open Studios highlights both established and emerging creatives. Alongside studio visits, an expanded programme of partner venues and events will feature exhibitions, workshops, performances and talks, offering a rich and immersive cultural experience.

New for 2026, the Grantown Open Studios express – a free, bookable bus service – will connect venues across the programme, making it easier than ever to explore the full range of studios and events. This initiative enhances accessibility while encouraging visitors to engage more deeply with the creative community.

Grantown Open Studios is supported by the Cairngorms Trust, the Cairngorms National Park Authority, the Berryburn Community Fund and delivered in partnership with Grantown Business Association, whose support has been instrumental in enabling the project to grow.

This will be a collaborative triple-headline show with the mesmerising velvety sounds of Tommy Ashby, Jodie Marie and Lydia Clowes , with no single artist topping the bill. Instead, you can expect a shared, songwriter-led performance where all three artists appear on stage together, playing on each other’s songs in an intimate, songwriters’ circle style format.

Doors will be open from 6.30pm with the gig starting around 7.30pm. The Dell will be running a bar and parking is available in the large timber layby on the right before reaching The Dell

Scottish singer-songwriter Tommy Ashby blends classic folk and blues influences with modern, textured production. With over 40 million streams, his music has featured in major TV series including Grey’s Anatomy, Love Island and Netflix’s The Innocents.
Lydia Clowes is a vocalist and songwriter from England whose career spans film, television and live performance. As a highly sought-after session singer, she has contributed vocals to films such as The Little Mermaid, Dune: Part Two and Hamlet, and performed backing vocals for artists including U2, Ellie Goulding, Tom Odell and Dermot Kennedy. Her voice has also been sampled by Fred Again.. and Brian Eno.
Welsh artist, Jodie Marie completes the trio, bringing a depth of experience and cinematic songwriting to the shared stage. Signed to Decca Records early in her career, she has collaborated with artists including Bernard Butler, Ed Harcourt and Green Gartside (Scritti Politti). Her albums Mountain Echo, Trouble in Mind and The Answer received critical acclaim and extensive BBC radio support.

We’d love to see you here!

We are so delighted to be hosting Three Inch Fools again for what’s set to be a truly uplifting and energetic night of music, story telling and rip roaring hilarity. This time they are bringing you the story of ‘King Arthur and the Holy Fail’. A definite fun for all the family!

In a land of daring quests, dashing knights, and endless jousting, there lived a would-be hero – waiting in the wings – who went by the name of Arthur. When Camelot is rocked to it’s core by a tragic – and frankly improbable – incident involving a large table of an undisclosed shape, Arthur is thrust into the quest of a lifetime. Will he bravely battle through blistering cold and scorching fire to save his beloved realm, or will he crumble as fate refuses to cooperate?

The performance will be on our lawn at The Dell with plenty space for you to bring your picnic rugs and deck chairs. You are very welcome to bring your own food, but we will be running a bar so no BYOB.
For more information and to buy tickets, please get in touch.

Join us for a special Storylands Poetry Night celebrating poetry, spoken word and the creative voices of our community.

April is Poetry Month, and we’re marking the occasion with an evening dedicated to sharing poetry in a welcoming and supportive setting.

Hosted by Karen Hodgson Pryce, poet and leader of the Storylands spoken word workshops, the evening will feature a series of 10-minute poetry performances from Highland poets and writers.

Whether you come to perform, listen or simply enjoy the evening, you will be very welcome.

Performance slots are open to anyone who would like to share their work – whether you are an experienced poet or trying out your work in front of an audience for the first time. There is no expectation that work has been published – the focus is on creating an encouraging space for creativity and expression.