 Darvel Music Festival is a music festival in Darvel, Scotland, that has been held since 2002. It is located in Darvel, a town in East Ayrshire, in the historic county of Ayrshire. The Darvel Music Festival is a community-led initiative, managed and supported by the Darvel Music Company, which features ten days of music featuring seven concerts and twenty five international and national performers at Darvel Town Hall. The festival, which occurs during the month of May, will begin to run bi-annually starting in 2009. People from not only the Irvine Valley near Darvel, Scotland, but also elsewhere in the United Kingdom and the world, attend the festival thus increasing tourism and benefitting the economy in the area. The Festival is largely the result of the work of Neil McKenna and his wife Shelia, the director of the festival. When describing his reasons for wanting a music festival in Darvel, Neil McKenna said, “We moved to Darvel 13 years ago. In 2002 it was Darvel’s 250th anniversary, and I managed a series of events. After getting involved in the community stuff, I wanted to focus on a central theme, which was essentially making Darvel a music town. It’s already known for its lace and weaving, and Alexander Fleming , but we would love to make it the first-ever music town in Scotland.” While they didn’t actually launch the festival, the McKennas have been very involved in the process, and are known to personally pick up artists from the airport, cook for them, and to let bands stay overnight in their home. Since its formation seven years ago, the festival has managed to get well-known bands to play, and attracts people from all over the world. In order to attract people to the event, bands are asked not to play in Glasgow or anywhere else in the west of Scotland around the time of the festival. Over the past few years people from such locations as Japan, Canada, Italy, Spain, Ireland, France, and Germany have come to the festival as it has gained notoriety. The local economy of Darvel has prospered because of this increase in visitors to the area  Neil + Sheila McKenna |
"INTERNATIONAL STARS COMING TO DARVEL" The Darvel '4' Seasons Music Festival reconvenes in May at Darvel Town Hall with two great concerts. On Friday 7th May, the legendary Blues Band will play the only Scottish gig of the bands 30th anniversary tour with support from the Larry Miller Band (Larry Miller, Pictured Right) and Main Street Blues. The following evening will feature the highly rated Glasgow band, Kassidy with Radio 2 favourites Vandeville Falls and the First Charge of the Light Brigade. These shows will coincide with the 8th Irvine Valley Walking & Outdoor Festival and as part of this event a 'FREE' concert featuring local musicians will take place at the Black Bull Inn between 3 and 5 pm on the 8th of May.  During the month of June there will be concerts featuring Counselled Out and the Train Wreckers on 11th June and a special Scottish Arts Council, Youth Music Initiative concert showcasing the talents of Attic Lights, A Band Called Quinn, the La Fontaines and the Rudiments on 12th June.  The '4' Seasons Festival will come to a fantastic finale during St.Andrew's weekend with four of Scotland's finest acts performing. Dougie MacLean (of 'Caledonia' fame) and his band will appear on Friday 26th November with support from Phil Campbell and then on Saturday 27th November, the Peatbog Faeries (Pictured Left) will headline the final show of the year with support from Iain Morrison.  |
