Our next Club Night is on Friday 31st July 2026
NEW START TIME 7:30 (ish)pm – 10:30 pm, In The Kilmarnock Arms Hotel
Our Next Regular Club Nights are on:
– Friday 31st July – Club Night
– Friday 28th August – Club Night
– Friday 25th September – Club Night
– Friday 30th October – Club Night
– Friday 27th November – Club Night
We are delighted to cofirm our support for Crudebay.life as part of our 2026 charitable support programme. To find out mre about our charitable giving click here→
Countdown to the next Cruden Bay Folk Club at the Kilmarnock Arms Hotel from 7:30(ish)pm
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Since October 2012, and up until the Covid 19 Lockdown, Cruden Bay Folk Club has been meeting monthly on the last Friday of the month at the Kilmarnock Arms Hotel in Cruden Bay.
During Lockdown, between February 2020 and June 2022, we canceled 27 club nights but we kept things going with our Virtual Club Nights prior to our long-awaited return to the Kilmarnock Arms Hotel on Friday the 30th of September 2022 when normal service resumed.
We have recorded many of the club night performances across the years and have posted both video and audio playlists on the individual pages dedicated to our club nights in the website menu. We hope you will enjoy watching these recordings and that we can look forward to welcoming you in person to one of our regular Folk Club Nights which are always held in the Kilmarnock Arms Hotel from around 8:30 pm on the last Friday of the month (pandemics and other such catastrophes permitting).
What’s On
When you think about it, we’ve done a lot to be proud of since October 2012.
Club Nights
Virtual Club Night
Workshops & Concerts
Individual Performers
Songs & Tunes
Videos on this website
The Speech That Never Needed to Be Made
I was invited to officially open the 2026 Port Erroll Harbour Gala with a speech celebrating our community and thanking everyone who had helped make the event possible.
As it turned out, the speech was never delivered.
Technical challenges with the PA system, last-minute changes and the constant demands of keeping a full programme of live entertainment running meant there was never quite the right moment. Looking back, though, I realised those carefully prepared words were never really needed. The Gala itself became the speech.
Throughout the day, musicians, volunteers, sponsors and organisers quietly stepped forward whenever challenges arose. Headline performers adapted to unexpected circumstances, experienced musicians helped solve technical problems, volunteers gave up their own time to support others, and countless people worked behind the scenes to ensure visitors simply enjoyed a wonderful day by the harbour.
The photograph alongside this introduction captures one of my favourite moments of the day. It shows me with my Uncle George, a lifelong fisherman whose connection with Port Erroll Harbour stretches back many decades. Like so many friends and family members who stopped by to wish us well, George reminded me that the Harbour Gala is more than an annual event; it’s another chapter in the continuing story of a community whose traditions are carried forward by each generation.
This feature isn’t simply a report about another successful Harbour Gala. It’s the story of the people behind it—the performers, volunteers, sponsors and supporters whose quiet generosity turned an ordinary summer’s day into something rather special.
Because, in the end, the greatest strength of Cruden Bay has never been its scenery or its history. It’s the people who call it home.
International Folk Artist SNEZ Brings Her Cardboard Wings Tour to Cruden Bay Folk Club
Cruden Bay Folk Club was delighted to welcome acclaimed Australian singer-songwriter SNEZ as our Spotlight Performer on Friday 26th June, when our village became the fourth stop on her inaugural UK Cardboard Wings Tour. The evening proved to be a memorable celebration of outstanding songwriting, captivating storytelling and the warm community spirit that has become synonymous with our club.
SNEZ’s visit came about after discovering Cruden Bay Folk Club through our website while planning her ambitious grassroots UK tour. Impressed by the club’s reputation and welcoming atmosphere, she contacted our Promotion and Publicity Coordinator, Gordon Mackay, who helped make all the necessary arrangements to bring her to Cruden Bay. The result was a wonderful evening enjoyed by members, visitors and first-time guests alike.
Throughout the performance, SNEZ shared songs from her latest album, Cardboard Wings, alongside favourites from her extensive catalogue, weaving personal stories and heartfelt experiences into every set. Her genuine connection with the audience created an intimate atmosphere that perfectly suited our venue and left a lasting impression on everyone present.
We’ve created a dedicated feature celebrating SNEZ’s visit, including the full story behind her appearance at Cruden Bay Folk Club and a selection of videos recorded during her performance. We’ve also included several of SNEZ’s own productions, allowing you to explore more of her music and discover why she continues to win audiences wherever she performs.
Whether you were with us on the night or are discovering SNEZ for the first time, we invite you to read the full article, watch the videos, and relive an unforgettable evening of exceptional live folk music at Cruden Bay Folk Club.
Remembering John Gray
To read the full tribute and view the recordings, click here
Blues Theme Night – 29th May 2026
Cruden Bay Folk Club’s Blues Night brought together a lively mix of regular performers, returning friends, and new faces. The audience enjoyed an evening of blues-inspired songs, with several memorable performances throughout the programme.
However, the highlight came at the very end. Two young performers, Wrenn and Caspian, nervously asked if they could sing for the audience. At first, their nerves threatened to overwhelm them, but with warm encouragement from the crowd and gentle support from a couple of the club’s regular musicians, they found their confidence.
What followed was a remarkable performance that captivated everyone in the room. Their appearance provided a fitting and unforgettable conclusion to the evening, demonstrating the value of giving young talent the opportunity to perform. For many in attendance, Wrenn and Caspian’s performance was the moment that made the night truly special.
A new series of Retro Designs promoting Cruden Bay and the Folk Club
In the early 1900’s Cruden Bay was a popular holiday destination with a railway line running to the village station and a tram car ferrying passengers to and from the majestic Cruden Bay Railway Hotel. A series of posters were designed to promote Cruden Bay as a destination. We have created a whole new range of designs in a similar style to continue promoting Cruden Bay as a destination and hopefully new visitors to our village and our Folk Club.
Additionally, we have had these designs printed as postcards which can be purchased in gift packs including all 6 images from the Folk Club, or the village Newsagents for £3.00
These first four images all appear in the lyrics of the club anthem “Cruden Water,” while the “First Flight Across The North Sea” and “The Last Train To Cruden Bay” images both relate to significant moments in Cruden Bay’s history.
To find out more about the stories behind the individual designs, click on the images below.
Little Boats Tied In The Harbour
Where the Lads and Lassies Play
Cloaked In Myth and History
Years Ago The Vikings Landed
First Flight Across The North Sea 1914
The Last Train To Cruden Bay 1932
Bratach Bana – Fund Raising CD
In 2006 a group of local musicians formed a band called Bratach Bana who recorded the highly acclaimed album, Shetland Lights.
At the heart of Bratach Bana was our Folk Club Secretary Scott Thompson, who along with 5 other talented performers launched their seminal album at the 2007 Stonehaven Folk Festival.
Cruden Bay Folk Club is pleased to announce that we now have in our possession the remaining copies of this fantastic album and they are now on sale through the club for just £5.70 (including postage and packaging if required), with all proceeds going towards the club’s charity fund.
Cruden Bay Based All Female Singers
We warmly welcome anyone interested in singing with others, no matter if you already have experience, or are just thinking about giving it a go, you’ll find it comes easily amongst like-minded others, so don’t waste time thinking about it, get in touch, or come along, our contact details are listed below.
We meet every Tuesday evening at
St Olaf Hotel, Aulton Road, Cruden Bay – 7.30 pm to 9 pm
For much more information and contact details, click here
Looking for more like us ?
Scotland has a rich wealth of musical talent and has clubs like ours in every corner of the country. We are delighted to share information and contact details on other clubs so if you’d like us to link to your website just drop us an email at info@crudenbayfolkclub.co.uk and we’ll be delighted to give you a shout-out and share your details with our visitors, perhaps we could ask you to reciprocate by linking to our website from yours, you know it makes sense.
Folk Club Workshops and Concerts
Over the years the Folk Club has hosted a wide variety of Workshops and Concerts including the popular ‘Percussion’ workshops led by Angus McCurrach from Huggadrum as seen in the video behind this article which was held in 2015, to watch the extended video click here.
The club has also hosted several Singing Workshops, this link will take you to tha article created for the workshop held on the 13th June 2024
The Folk Club often takes to the road and since our first club night in 2012 we have hosted 90+ workshops and concerts in and around Cruden Bay.