News
Media release launching the 2025 Festival
The Scottish Smallholder Festival announces its return to the Royal Highland Centre in October for a third year, and also features for the first time at the Royal Highland Show.
The 2025 Scottish Smallholder Festival will once again be returning to the Royal Highland Centre on the 18thOctober 2025 as the event looks forward to celebrating its 14th year of operation. To formally launch the 2025 edition, for the first time the Scottish Smallholder Festival is exhibiting at the Royal Highland Show, giving visitors the chance to learn what happens on the day and offering the chance to buy tickets or to become a member of Smallholding Scotland. The Stand will be found in the Lifestyle Village on 2nd Avenue, Stand 20L.
The Festival is unique in Scotland, as it provides competitive classes for livestock and rural skills, a showcase for information, a programme of education and demonstrations, and finally a large dose of inspiration, both for new entrants coming into agriculture as well as long standing smallholders who are looking to widen their knowledge.
The event, which is owned and run by Smallholding Scotland, is focused on the smaller end of Scottish agriculture, with competitors and visitors coming from all over Scotland, many of them with small farms, crofts or rented land, and many just starting out. The organisers believe it keeps alive many of the traditions of Scottish smallholding including rural skills, handcrafts, the keeping of rare and minority breeds, as well as pioneering low input growing and a sustainable approach.
Once again the event has been supported by the Scottish Government who have been instrumental in bringing it to the Royal Highland Centre, the home of Scottish agriculture. Mairi Gougeon MSP, the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands said: “The Scottish Government is delighted to be supporting the Scottish Smallholder Festival once again this year. The festival continues to be a valuable space for sharing ideas, celebrating success, and looking to the future. It also offers a fantastic introduction for those considering smallholding, with opportunities to learn, showcase livestock, and build community connections.
“Scotland’s Smallholders have a distinct and essential role to contribute to our Vision for Agriculture and we will continue to work with them as we work to make that Vision a reality. The Scottish Government recognises the importance of events like this in developing rural networks and skills, and we are proud to support such a vital part of Scotland’s rural life.”
The Festival has also been fortunate to have Lantra as a Gold Sponsor for the third year running, as well as the continuing support of Harbro, SRUC and the Rare Breeds Survival Trust. The Festival will once again host the prestigious RBST Scotland National Championships.
The Scottish Smallholder Festival is now a firm fixture on the Scottish show calendar. More information and tickets are available at www.festival.scot.
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Further Information
The Scottish Smallholder Festival is the showcase for small farming and rural life in Scotland. It is run by a team of volunteers on a not for profit basis, and is now in its 14th year of operation. The event is owned by Smallholding Scotland, a Scottish registered charity focused on improving the knowledge of smallholders and promoting their contribution to the Scottish agricultural scene.
