30/08/2026
Hopefully KFC strings will be part of this next weekend!
Forbye the concerts and sessions, Kirrie Festival has a long-running series of competitions which happen on Saturday daytime (5th Sep). Similar to those organised by our sister festivals in Keith (June) Strichen (May) and the Aberdeen TMSA (March), they give people of all ages an audience, and a chance to play their instrument, sing their songs, or do their stories and poems. As well as a trophy, winners are invited to perform at one of our concerts over the weekend.
Competition Rules
Fiddle (starts 1030am) in Kirk
1. Junior A (primary school age)
Any three Traditional Scottish Tunes of competitor's own choice. Competitor can play a tune once or twice as they think appropriate (often twice for shorter tunes and once for longer). Chosen from the following list: Slow Air, Slow Strathspey, Strathspey, Reel, March, Jig, Hornpipe. Competitor may choose to be accompanied.
2. Junior B (lower secondary school age. Up to, and including, 15 years old)
Any three Traditional Scottish Tunes of competitor's own choice. Competitor can play a tune once or twice as they think appropriate (often twice for shorter tunes and once for longer). Chosen from the following list: Slow Air, Slow Strathspey, Strathspey, Reel, March, Jig, Hornpipe. Competitor may choose to be accompanied.
3. Senior (16 years and over)
Any three Traditional Scottish Tunes of competitor's own choice. Competitor can play a tune once or twice as they think appropriate (often twice for shorter tunes and once for longer). Chosen from the following list: Slow Air, Slow Strathspey, Strathspey, Reel, March, Jig, Hornpipe. Competitor may choose to be accompanied.
4. Local Trophy
Awarded to the highest marked entrant across the JuniorA, JuniorB and Senior competitions, who lives within a 20 mile radius of Kirriemuir.
5. J.F. Dickie (all ages)
Competitors play a slow strathspey, hornpipe and jig. Competitor can play a tune once or twice as they think appropriate (often twice for shorter tunes and once for longer).
Accordion (starts 12noon) in Kirk
6. Junior (15 years and under)
Any three Traditional Scottish Tunes of competitor's own choice. Competitor can play a tune once or twice as they think appropriate (often twice for shorter tunes and once for longer). Chosen from the following list: Slow Air, Slow Strathspey, Strathspey, Reel, March, Jig, Hornpipe, Scottish Waltz.
7. Senior (16 years and over)
Any three Traditional Scottish Tunes of competitor's own choice. Competitor can play a tune once or twice as they think appropriate (often twice for shorter tunes and once for longer). Chosen from the following list: Slow Air, Slow Strathspey, Strathspey, Reel, March, Jig, Hornpipe, Scottish Waltz.
8. Local Trophy
Awarded to the highest marked entrant across the Junior and Senior competitions, who lives within a 20 mile radius of Kirriemuir.
Ceilidh Band (follows Accordion) in Kirk
9. Not less than three instruments and no more than seven of any description. Own choice of one or more Scottish traditional dance tunes. Total playing time should not exceed five minutes.
Instrumental Pairs (follows Ceilidh Band) in Kirk
10. Competitors should play own choice of traditional Scottish tunes. Total playing time should not exceed four minutes. Anyone wishing to enter more than once must play a different instrument each time. Instruments must play as a pair - not as one instrument accompanying another.
Singing (starts 11am) in Kirk Hall
The singing classes run together (alternating between male and female competitors).
Entrants for the Men's/Women's singing competitions do 2 songs (usually 1 traditional and 1 bothy ballad, but sometimes they choose 2 traditional) the marks of which are added together.
If a singer only has 1 song we'd still love to hear you, and you'd be eligible for the Novice trophy.
11. Women's Singing Junior (15 years and under)
Any two Scottish traditional songs of contrasting nature to be sung unaccompanied.
12. Women's Singing Senior (16 years and over)
Any two Scottish traditional songs of contrasting nature to be sung unaccompanied.
13. Women's Singing Senior Newcomer Medal goes to the highest marked singer who first entered the Kirrie singing competitions during the last 3 Festivals (currently 2024, 2025, 2026). You can only win the Newcomer Medal in any category once. For example: if you won a Bothy Newcomer Medal (but not a Women's Singing Newcomer Medal) in 2024, you couldn't win the Bothy Newcomer Medal again. But would still be eligible for the Women's Singing Newcomer Medal in 2025 or 2026.
14. Men's Singing Junior (15 years and under)
Any two Scottish traditional songs of contrasting nature to be sung unaccompanied.
15. Men's Singing Senior (16 years and over)
Any two Scottish traditional songs of contrasting nature to be sung unaccompanied.
16. Men's Singing Senior Newcomer Medal goes to the highest marked singer who first entered the Kirrie singing competitions during the last 3 Festivals (currently 2024, 2025, 2026). You can only win the Newcomer Medal in any category once. For example: if you won a Bothy Newcomer Medal (but not a Women's Singing Newcomer Medal) in 2024, you couldn't win the Bothy Newcomer Medal again. But would still be eligible for the Women's Singing Newcomer Medal in 2025 or 2026.
17. Bothy Ballad
One bothy ballad to be sung unaccompanied. If the competitor is also an entrant in the traditional singing, then their bothy ballad is also judged as one of their traditional songs.
18. Bothy Ballad Newcomer Medal goes to the highest marked singer who first entered the Kirrie singing competitions during the last 3 Festivals (currently 2024, 2025, 2026). You can only win the Newcomer Medal in any category once. For example: if you won a Bothy Newcomer Medal (but not a Women's Singing Newcomer Medal) in 2024, you couldn't win the Bothy Newcomer Medal again. But would still be eligible for the Women's Singing Newcomer Medal in 2025 or 2026.
19. Local Trophy
Awarded to the highest marked entrant across the Junior and Senior competitions, who lives within a 20 mile radius of Kirriemuir.
20. Novice Trophy
Awarded to the highest marked entrant who has not previously won a TMSA singing competition. Can be awarded to a competitor who just sings 1 song.
Mixed Instrument (starts 1pm) in Kirk
21. Mixed Instrument Competition for solo musicians playing one instrument. Open to all musical instruments apart from fiddle and accordion. Within this competition the long-established trophies for the best players of mouthorgan, jaw harp, melodeon, concertina and tin whistle will still be awarded. Any two traditional Scottish tunes from the following list: Slow Air, Slow Strathspey, Strathspey, Reel, March, Jig, Hornpipe, Scottish Waltz. Each to be played through twice.
Mouthorgan
22. Long-established Mouthorgan trophy awarded as part of Mixed Instrument Competition.
Jaw Harp
23. Long-established Jaw Harp trophy awarded as part of Mixed Instrument Competition.
Tin Whistle
24. Long-established Tin Whistle trophy awarded as part of Mixed Instrument Competition.
Melodeon
25. Long-established Melodeon trophy awarded as part of Mixed Instrument Competition.
Concertina
26. Long-established Concertina trophy awarded as part of Mixed Instrument Competition.
Oral Whistle (follows Mixed Instrument) in Kirk
27. Any two traditional Scottish tunes from the following list: Slow Air, Slow Strathspey, Strathspey, Reel, March, Jig, Hornpipe, Scottish Waltz. Each to be played through twice.
Diddling (follows Oral Whistle) in Kirk
28. Any two traditional Scottish tunes from the following list: Slow Air, Slow Strathspey, Strathspey, Reel, March, Jig, Hornpipe, Scottish Waltz. Each to be played through twice.
Storytelling (starts 2pm) in Guide Hall
29. Junior (15 years and under)
Traditional story or tale to last no longer than ten minutes.
30. Senior (16 years and over)
Traditional story or tale to last no longer than ten minutes.
Poetry (follows Storytelling) in Guide Hall
31. 8 years and under
One Scottish poem to be recited in the traditional style. Poem may be the competitor's own work.
32. 9 - 12 years
One Scottish poem to be recited in the traditional style. Poem may be the competitor's own work.
33. 13 - 15 years
One Scottish poem to be recited in the traditional style. Poem may be the competitor's own work.
34. Senior (16 years and over)
One Scottish poem to be recited in the traditional style. Poem may be the competitor's own work
Chorus Cup (during 11pm Singaround) in Guide Hall
35. Awarded to the singer of the song which (in the judge's opinion) gets the most chorus singing from the audience.
Best Friday Pub Session
36. Awarded to the session venue which (in the judge's opinion) hosted the best session on the Friday of the Festival.
Best Saturday Pub Session
37. Awarded to the session venue which (in the judge's opinion) hosted the best session on the Saturday daytime of the Festival.
Best Saturday Non-Pub Session
38. Awarded to the session venue which (in the judge's opinion) hosted the best session on the Saturday daytime of the Festival.
You can enter the competitions at The Festival Office (lesser Kirk Hall, Bank Street) on the Friday (4th) and Saturday (5th) of The Festival. Entering ahead of time by email [email protected] is also encouraged, and helps lower the stress levels of our competitions mannie 🙂 This is especially the case for the Saturday morning instrumental competitions, which usually have a mad rush of sign-ups in the half-hour beforehand.
