Girvan Festival was started in 1975 by  local  traditional singers led by Bobby and Ben Robb and various friends and family.As the festival became quickly established more enthusiastic volunteers were enlisted to tackle the ever increasing workload, including Pete and Heather Heywood. The festival became known for presenting the best traditional acts not only from Scotland , Ireland and England but  from overseas as well. It very soon became very difficult to get tickets on the door as the venues were sold out before hand.
            As the main concerts went from strength  to strength , other events like the Songwriting Competition, the Songs of the Sea,  the Folk Group Competition and the Story Telling also presented unique entertainment enjoyed hugely by all. The Song writing especially over the years has been  the birthplace  of many songs now in the tradition. In earlier years when the pubs still threw everyone out at 10 there were wild dance ceilidhs in the Beach Pavilion.
             A Girvan experience can mean so many different things to so many people.
The informal sessions are legendary. Over the years venues have had to change because of hotel closures but a full picture of Girvan Festival over the years would have to include. The weekend long  Irish sessions in the Ailsa Craig; the traditional singing sessions in the Southfield; the sessions in every corner of the Harbour Bar, the singing sessions in the dome of the foyer of the old Kings Hotel now no longer a hotel; the Queens Hotel for  events and sessions; the different sessions  and the concerts in the Westcliffe Hotel  and latterly but going from strength to strength, sessions in  the Royal Hotel and the Fish Inn , formerly the Swee.The Roxy Beer Garden has also hosted  sundrenched Saturday afternoon sessions and the Hamilton Arms has hosted dance ceilidhs and also had an official fringe with alternative bands for several years.
            Early years of the festival saw performances by Willie Scott, Lizzie Higgins and other source singers while of course at the other end of the spectrum starting out on their now famous careers there were appearances from members of Altan, Boys of the Lough, Mary Black, The Voice Squad and many more, too many to mention.
            Girvan has always been a family festival with amazing kids’ entertainment from Major Mustard the galloping major with his girning competitions, Cilla and Artie when the Kettle was just coming to the boil and just about to start singing and in later years the marvellous Suitcase Circus.
            No Girvan Festival history would be complete without mention of the campsite. For most of the years of the Festival the McCreath Park has filled up with punters with families or just a crowd of like- minded friends or both. They might have only the bare essentials for a warm dry night’s camping but they’ll have a carry.oot, some food and instruments and the music and songs will happen.This will be their Girvan experience. ‘Aye we never got left the campsite but it was the best weekend ever’.They’ll be lots of caravanners as well , all ready for good music sessions.
             To bring us bang up to date , this past picture of the Girvan Campsite was not the experience many had in 2006 and the Committee is now in the throes of organising  security for the safety of the campers after problems with disorder caused by  a rowdy element. ......Thanks go to Maggie Macrae for this page.