Provost and Depute Provost Attend Celebratory Event to Mark 100 years of the Ayrshire Music Festival
South Ayrshire Provost, Iain Campbell, and Depute Provost, Mary Kilpatrick hosted a civic reception at County Hall in Ayr's County Buildings to mark the 100th anniversary of the Ayrshire Music Festival.
Established in 1912, the first Ayrshire Music Festival took place on Saturday 1 June in Ayr Town Hall. Annual Festival's followed in 1913 and 1914 with the event then being suspended during the First World War.
The fourth Ayrshire Music Festival returned in 1920 and ran for 16 uninterrupted years but would face more challenges in years to come. During preparations for the 23rd Festival, when organising had to be halted for the duration of conflict during the Second World War.
The 23rd Festival was finally held in 1948 and marked the beginning of its longest uninterrupted annual run. The Festival faced challenges again in 2021 due to the global Covid-19 pandemic and preparations were paused before resuming annually again in 2022.
The 2026 Ayrshire Music Festival saw approximately 2,700 young people and adults take part in the competition across four venues. It is estimated that since the Festival's inception in 1912, around 250,000 will have participated in the event.
A trophy was gifted to the Ayrshire Music Festival Committee to mark this momentous occasion with plans for this to be used for future competitions.
South Ayrshire Provost, Iain Campbell said: "This is a remarkable milestone in Ayrshire's cultural life. The Festival sets a standard for participants to aspire to, and for many, marks the beginning of a lifelong journey in music—whether that journey leads to a professional career or simply nurtures a deep and lasting love of music.
"I would like to say a huge thank you to everyone involved in the Festival; teachers; stewards; sponsors and the committee members themselves. Your hard work and dedication does not go unnoticed and is the reason this Festival continues to flourish. I would like to congratulate everyone involved on this milestone anniversary and have no doubt that Ayrshire Music Festival will thrive for many, many more years to come."
