The countdown to the 2026 edition of the Back Doune the Rabbit Hole festival is underway, with a top summer of music in Stirling kicking off next weekend. The revamped festival proved popular upon its return last year at the Cardross Estate near Port of Menteith after a three-year hiatus following the collapse of the previous event.
2025 Success and Community Support
The three-day festival in 2025 brought fun for all the family, with top performances from artists including Scouting for Girls, Marc Almond, and The Skids. Musician and businessman Brian Harkin, who was at the centre of the revamped BTDRH in 2025, said: 'Independent events are not easy to pull off and I honestly could not believe the reaction to last year’s festival. The support from the audience and the local community was incredible and it reminded me exactly why festivals like this matter. We’re ready to take everything we learned into 2026 and build an even better weekend.'
2026 Headliners and New Stage
Headliners for the 2026 event include legendary indie favourites Ash, with the Northern Irish act set to bring their landmark tunes to the Stirlingshire countryside. They are joined at the top of the bill by former Fun Lovin’ Criminals frontman and BBC Radio 6 Music DJ Huey Morgan, and Alabama 3, best known for 'Woke Up This Morning,' the iconic theme tune to The Sopranos. Alongside the family entertainment, this year brings the launch of a new stage – The Looking Glass. It is a folk and traditional music stage curated by Scots folk artist Lee McGilvray and Glasgow musician Louis Page, championing independent Scottish artists.
Festival Dates and Broader Context
The festival runs between July 17 and 19, starting a special couple of months for local music fans before the Radio 2 Party in the Park spectacular swings into City Park in Stirling between September 11 and 13. The initial August dates for that event were moved following concerns over the impact on other festivals, including the Port of Menteith favourite. Among the performers set to take the headline bill in Stirling are 'Queen of Funk' Chaka Khan, legendary Scottish band Simple Minds, and solo favourite James Blunt.
