Registrations open for 2024 Scottish Traditional Boat Festival

Maritime Registrations Open for 31st Scottish Traditional Boat Festival in Portsoy

The 31st annual Scottish Traditional Boat Festival returns to the historic harbour of Portsoy on Saturday 22nd and Sunday 23rd June 2024. Welcoming heritage craft from across the country, registrations are now open for skippers and sailing crews to sign up for this year’s event, which is expected to attract over 13,000 visitors.

Around 30 boats took part in the 2023 festival, which was officially opened by HRH The Princess Royal, Princess Anne. Maritime registrations are now open on the festival website: www.stbfportsoy.org/take-part/maritime.

Richard Thorne, maritime co-ordinator of the festival has already confirmed 10 traditional boats from across the UK to attend, he said: “We have had a strong start to our maritime line-up with 17th century Fifie herring drifter Reaper, confirmed to make the journey from the Scottish Fisheries Museum in Anstruther, Fife. We will also welcome back White Wing, a 33ft Baldie and setting sail from Wick in Caithness will be 19th century Fifie and festival favourite, the Isabella Fortuna."

“Since the festival began in 1993, it has attracted some of the finest, and most historic, craft to Portsoy. We have been fortunate that many of the crews and boats return year after year, as they enjoy the festival’s unique atmosphere, along with the opportunity to link up with other boating crews and coastal communities.

“The flotilla of traditional boats forms the centrepiece to our weekend of maritime celebrations, which include live music and dance, Scottish food and drink and age-old crafts. Our aim is to increase the number of boats attending and we would encourage crews and traditional boat builders to get in contact and sign up to attend. Portsoy harbour is well-equipped to support boats of all sizes, shapes and depths and we work closely with the Harbourmaster to plan and advise on harbour access, and manoeuvrability, to provide adequate berthing options.”

The Scottish Traditional Boat Festival puts the spotlight on the north east’s sea faring culture, sharing stories and songs, craft demonstrations and an insight into what life was like at sea, hundreds of years ago.

The Scottish Traditional Boat Festival was first held in 1993 as an event to celebrate the tercentenary of Portsoy’s old harbour. Since then, it has been firmly anchored in the town’s calendar, taking place annually each summer and attracting thousands of visitors from across the region, and further afield. 

The festival is set around Portsoy’s 17th Century harbour and is run by Portsoy Community Enterprise which also manages Portsoy Links Caravan Park, The Sail Loft Bunkhouse, The Salmon Bothy and The Boatshed. For more information visit www.stbfportsoy.org or on social media at @STBFPortsoy #ahoyportsoy.