KNOCKENGORROCH COMMUNITY INTEREST COMPANY

What KNOCKENGORROCH COMMUNITY INTEREST COMPANY does

Knockengorroch Community Interest Company is a Scottish social enterprise (CIC No. 298142) that operates the Knockengorroch Festival, an annual 4-day independent music and cultural festival held in Carsphairn, Galloway, SW Scotland, within the Galloway and Southern Ayrshire UNESCO Biosphere. Founded in 1998 by Liz and Simon Holmes, the festival celebrates music from the Celtic diaspora and beyond, spanning traditional Scottish, world, dub, folk, and electronic genres, with 28 editions held by 2026. Core products include the multi-venue festival experience (Bo Airigh, Fraoch Tent, Longhouse, Giddy Up), a podcast series, compilation albums, and an online merchandise shop; ancillary services comprise on-site yurt and bell-tent accommodation, the Knock Bus shuttle from Edinburgh and Glasgow, and off-season venue hire.

The business model is event-driven and consumer-facing: primary revenue comes from one-time ticket sales (one-day and weekend passes, with youth and under-11 free tiers), supplemented by merchandise, on-site accommodation, venue hire, and grant funding from Creative Scotland, Event Scotland, and Arts Council of Wales. Distribution is direct through a WordPress e-commerce site with PayPal processing, supported by organic social channels (Facebook, Instagram), an email mailing list, and a podcast. Customer segments are adult music and culture enthusiasts and families seeking Celtic and world music experiences in a natural setting, served through a horizontal segmentation approach. Technology is limited to standard web commerce tooling with no proprietary platform or AI components. Following founder Simon Holmes's death in December 2025 and a difficult 2025, the 2026 edition was announced in condensed form, while the 2027 festival is being planned, indicating active but cautious continued operations.

Name

KNOCKENGORROCH COMMUNITY INTEREST COMPANY

Legal name

Knockengorroch CIC

Website

https://knockengorroch.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Knockengorroch Community Interest Company is a Scottish social enterprise that runs an annual 4-day independent Celtic and world music festival in Galloway, SW Scotland, serving music enthusiasts and families with tickets, on-site accommodation, merchandise, and a podcast.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Music Festival Events

NAICS

Performing Arts, Spectator Sports, and Related Industries (711), Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events (7113), Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation (71)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Cultural Heritage & Traditional Festivals (Folk, Ethnic, Indigenous) (MPAGAEAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Concerts & Music Festivals (THAJAFAA), Cultural & Community Festivals (Ticketed) (THAJAFAI)

Keywords

• Music festival events
• Celtic world music
• Live event ticketing
• Festival merchandise sales
• Community cultural events

Headquarters

HQ city

Carsphairn

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Festival Tickets: Primary revenue stream from ticket sales for the annual festival event. Tickets are sold through the website with various options including one-day tickets, weekend passes, and group offers. Children under 11 go free; youth tickets available for ages 11-15.
2. Merchandise Sales: Online shop selling branded merchandise including embroidered hoodies, CDs (Sounds Like Knockengorroch 2020, From the Ceilidh to the Hairth, 20th Year Commemorative CD, Oran Bagraidh), 25th Year T-shirts, tote bags, water bottles, recycled plastic mugs, and backstage cotton patches.
3. Accommodation Add-ons: Yurts and bell tents available for rental as additional accommodation options at the festival site.
4. Venue Hire: The festival site and venues are available for hire when not hosting the main festival event.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Knockengorroch Community Interest Company organizes and operates an annual four-day music and cultural festival held in Galloway, Southwest Scotland, featuring traditional, world, dub, electronic, and folk music from the Celtic diaspora. The company sells festival tickets, branded merchandise, on-site accommodation (yurts and bell tents), venue hire, and operates a shuttle bus service from Edinburgh and Glasgow.

Product overview

Knockengorroch Community Interest Company operates primarily as an annual music and cultural festival held in Galloway, Southwest Scotland. The company organizes the Knockengorroch Festival (its core product since 1998), complemented by a podcast series, compilation albums, and merchandise. The festival features multiple themed venues including the Fraoch Tent, traditional Longhouse, open-air Bo Airigh stage, and Giddy Up venue. Additional services include on-site accommodation (yurts and bell tents), transportation via the Knock Bus from Edinburgh and Glasgow, and workshops for families and children. The company also produces special event compilations and operates an online merchandise shop.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Knockengorroch Festival An annual four-day music and cultural festival held in Galloway, SW Scotland, celebrating traditional and world music from the Celtic diaspora and beyond. Features multiple venues, workshops, and family-friendly activities for festival-goers.
• Knockengorroch Podcast A podcast series featuring interviews with artists, festival founders, and regular characters discussing the festival's history, musical traditions, and cultural heritage, targeted at festival community members and culture enthusiasts.
• Knockengorroch Merchandise

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• DG UnlimitedcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional cultural organization supporting arts and events in Dumfries and Galloway. DG Unlimited is listed as a supporter of Knockengorroch Festival.
• Galloway Association of GlasgowminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganization supporting Galloway region and its communities, listed as a supporter of the festival.
• KeychangeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational initiative promoting gender balance in music festivals, indicating commitment to equality and diversity.
• Galloway and Southern Ayrshire BiospherecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUNESCO Biosphere designation recognizing the exceptional landscapes, wildlife, cultural heritage and learning opportunities of SW Scotland. The festival operates within this sustainable tourism and conservation framework.
• Green GatheringminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganization associated with sustainable and ethical events, listed as a supporter indicating shared values around environmental responsibility.
• ReComposeminorOthersPhotography/video services documenting the festival. Credits appear throughout the website and social media for event coverage.
• Douglas Robertson PhotographyminorOthersOfficial festival photographer credited in gallery sections documenting festival events.
• Spring FlingminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDumfries and Galloway's premier visual art and craft open studios event, cross-promotional partner.
• The CatstrandminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerArts centre in Kirkcudbrightshire, cross-promotional partner for cultural events in the region.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Green Man Festival: Independent Welsh music festival known for eclectic programming and a strong sense of place. Comparable on independent ownership, sustainability ethos, and broad multi-genre lineups anchored in a rural natural setting.
• Cambridge Folk Festival: Long-running UK folk and roots music festival with strong traditional and acoustic programming. Comparable to Knockengorroch on heritage/longevity, folk-music focus, and family-friendly ticketed format, though it operates in a different region.
• Towersey Festival: Long-running independent UK folk and traditional music festival. Comparable on traditional/folk programming, family-friendly multi-generational audience, and independent festival operations.
• Celtic Connections: Glasgow-based annual festival celebrating Celtic music and connections. Direct peer on cultural positioning (Celtic-traditional focus), ticketed live music programming, and Scottish geography, though operating at a much larger scale and indoor winter format.
• Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival: Inverness-shire independent Scottish music festival with a strong community, family-friendly identity and eclectic multi-genre programming. Highly comparable in ethos, regional Scottish focus, independent ownership, and boutique scale.
• Larmer Tree Festival: Boutique independent UK music festival held in a rural heritage garden setting. Comparable on intimate community scale, family-friendly programming, and curated multi-genre lineups.
• Shambala Festival: Independent UK festival with explicit values-driven, sustainability-first positioning. Directly comparable on ethical/environmental ethos, community-led culture, and independent non-corporate ownership model.

Broad incumbents

• Glastonbury Festival: The UK's flagship independent music festival. Comparable as a broad incumbent in the same independent-festival category and on multi-genre programming, but operates at a vastly larger scale and is not a direct competitor.
• BoomTown Fair: Large independent UK music festival with a strong community identity and themed storytelling programming. Comparable on independent non-corporate ownership, but operates at a materially larger scale.

Emerging players

• Wilderness Festival: UK independent festival combining music, food, and wellness in a rural setting. Comparable on boutique scale, nature-anchored positioning, and curated programming, though with a more contemporary arts and wellness tilt.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/249804068394594
• Instagraminstagram.com/knockengorrochfestival
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/knockengorroch-community-interest-company

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about KNOCKENGORROCH COMMUNITY INTEREST COMPANY