Posts for July, 2026

Discover the work of artist Gill & Ian Williams at an inspiring exhibition in the Long Room at Logie Steading. Showcasing a collection of vibrant and expressive pieces, this exhibition offers visitors the chance to explore Gill’s unique artistic style in a beautiful Highland setting. A perfect addition to a visit to Logie Steading, combining art, creativity and the charm of this much-loved destination.

Carlo Collodi’s classic is a perennial favourite. It is the third most translated book in the world, having appeared in no fewer than 260 languages since it was published in 1883, and has never been out of print. Childless toymaker Geppetto buys a piece of wood to make a puppet – little realising the chaos he is about to unleash. The puppet yearns for adventure and runs away, but instead of excitement only finds glorious attractions containing hidden dangers. He returns home hoping to be showered with sympathy and learns his tribulations are just beginning. Running away hasn’t worked; lying won’t work; he must become a real boy to achieve the belonging he craves. Collodi describes the development from puppet to real boy in the same way that useless green timber is matured into useful well-seasoned wood – a transformation only achieved through trials of water and fire. Illyria celebrates this magical coming-of-age tale in a thrilling musical outdoor show.

Running time: 95-minutes (approx.), including a 20-minute interval.

Recommended for ages 5+ (younger children also welcome).

Bring your own seating/rug, suitable clothing and picnic.
Well-behaved dogs on leads are permitted. Venue is wheelchair accessible.

The Cafe at Logie Steading is open offering takeaway hot & cold drinks, cakes & ice creams from 5.30pm until the start of the performance and again in the interval.

Doors open at 5:00PM
Show starts at 6:00PM

Join us every Wednesday from the 8th July to the 26th August for our Heritage in Action Days!
Across the museum we’ll be demonstrating various traditional crafts including weaving, spinning, ropemaking, and more including performances from the Badenoch Waulking Group.
Activities will vary each week

New for 2026 – We’ll also have open sessions in our Am Fasgadh collections store from where anyone can drop in between 2pm and 3:15pm and see our collection of over 15,000 objects. No need to book!

We don’t charge for entrance to the Museum but do welcome donations.

Mix of paintings, photography, glass, jewellery, ceramics and tweed by local artists

Step back to 1745 and experience the sights, sounds and stories of the Jacobite Rising as Jacobites and Redcoats descend on Braemar Castle for a weekend of living history and action-packed battles.

Join us for a spectacular weekend as Jacobite and Redcoat reenactors bring history to life with authentic camps, military displays, living history demonstrations and thrilling skirmishes throughout the day.

Get up close to the action, explore the castle, meet the characters of the past and discover the stories behind one of Scotland’s most dramatic chapters.

Set against the stunning backdrop of Braemar Castle and the Cairngorms, this is the perfect excuse for a Highland day out!

Please note: Last entry to the castle is 4:30pm

Mesmerizing folk duo Ordinary Elephant has spent the better part of the last decade on a never-ending tour that’s earned married couple Crystal and Pete Damore widespread critical acclaim and made fans of luminaries like Tom Paxton and Mary Gauthier. In 2017, the pair took home the International Folk Music Award for Artist of the Year on the strength of their breakout album, Before I Go, and two years later, they returned with the similarly lauded Honest, which the Associated Press hailed as “one of the best Americana albums of the year.” The duo hasn’t slowed down, earning consecutive International Folk Music Award nominations for Album of the Year in 2024 for their self-titled release, and then Artist of the Year in 2025.

This latest eponymous record is the purest distillation of their sound yet, showcasing the arresting power of the couple’s gorgeous harmonies and intricate fretwork. The songs are timeless, rooted in rich, character-driven storytelling, and the performances are similarly transportive, fueled by delicately intertwined banjo, guitar, and octave mandolin. Though the songs were born out of a period of deep uncertainty, the record itself is a work of profound self-assurance, one delivered by a duo whose personal and professional lives embody the limitless possibility of honest, organic collaboration. Press play on Ordinary Elephant, or attend a live performance, and you’ll hear more than just a husband and wife; you’ll hear the sound of sincerity and commitment, of patience and gratitude, of learning to let go of expectation and revel in the simple beauty of the moment.

“This is the kind of music that lingers long after the last note fades.”
— Red Line Roots

“Two become one, in song. Stripped down, intertwined clawhammer banjo and guitar, and hand in glove harmonies surprise the listener with focused intensity and musical mastery. Songs are pouring out of them, and I suspect their rise will be steady. I’m a fan.”
— Mary Gauthier

“…beautiful, soulful, exquisitely simple, and totally essential.”
— Ben Salmon, Bandcamp Daily

“I’m a big fan of Ordinary Elephant—their intimate songs, the weaving harmonies, and the stories that draw you in as if you were gathered around an enchanted campfire.”
— Eliza Gilkyson

“[Their] songs speak, heal, and we need them more than ever.”
— Donald Cohen, No Depression

Come along to the Old Bridge Inn and give Screen Printing a try with Colleen from Timber + Stitch.
Suitable for kids age 5+ and adults too

Design your own stencil and screen printing your own Tshirt or tote bag.

Come along to the C.Nicol studio on Sunday, 2 August, for a relaxed summer shopping day in Grantown-on-Spey. Step behind the scenes and see how C.Nicol bags are designed and brought to life.

Come and meet me, Cathleen, explore the studio, learn about the design and sampling process, and discover where each collection begins.

Whether you’re looking for the perfect summer accessory, a timeless everyday bag, or something truly unique, you’ll find styles available exclusively at the studio.

Bring friends and make a day of it with lunch at a local spot, or simply enjoy some solo summer shopping, I’d love to welcome you.

Join us at the C.Nicol studio on Sunday, 14 June, for a relaxed shopping experience in Grantown-on-Spey.

This is an opportunity to step behind the scenes and discover how C.Nicol bags are designed and brought to life. Come and meet me, Cathleen, explore the studio, learn more about the design and sampling process, and see where each collection begins.

Whether you’re looking for the perfect gift for someone special or treating yourself to a timeless everyday bag or something truly unique, you’ll find styles available exclusively at the studio.

Bring friends and make a day of it by going somewhere local for lunch or simply enjoy some solo shopping – I’d love to welcome you.

‘Uisge Spè’ is a long‑term photojournalistic study of one of Scotland’s most important rivers, tracing its 170‑kilometre course from the Monadhliath Mountains, through the central and eastern Highlands to the Moray Firth. Supported by The Cairngorms Trust, this is the first public launch of the exhibit, which will then move through at least four other venues within the River Spey catchment over the coming months.

More than a scenic backdrop, the Spey is portrayed as a living system where environment, culture, industry, and history converge. The project explores how climate change, fluctuating water levels, and land management threaten salmon, settlements, and whisky production, even as local communities and conservationists fight to protect its biodiversity. It examines the river’s role in shaping identity and belonging, from local students to global whisky branding, and connects visible historical traces to ongoing struggles over land, labour, and power. Through sustained, seasonal visual reporting and multiple canoe descents of the river, the work reveals the Spey as a microcosm of global tensions between heritage and globalisation, economic survival and environmental responsibility.