Plenty? A Festival For All
7 – 8 October 2023
Plenty? – a festival of climate, arts and possibility…
Plenty? festival returns for its second iteration. Taking place across the Barn’s site, this year’s gathering brings together a diverse mix of performances, talks, screenings, live music, installations, creative activities, workshops, foraging, apple pressing and more. Join us as we take a leap of imagination through conversations, play, action and reflection to explore new ways of living together.
Plenty? is an intergenerational festival that reimagines a traditional harvest celebration and foregrounds ideas of ‘degrowth’ in a world that demands more and more. It asks; when we have an abundance like an apple harvest what we do with it? Because sharing will be an important practice in our futures.
During the festival weekend, creative encounters for all ages will be choreographed across the Barn’s indoor and outdoor spaces. This is where the energy for change, the satisfying crunch of apple pressing and visions of just futures come to life.
There really is something for everyone!
The festival is FREE to attend, booking is recommended.
We have a limited number of access funds available, further information below and available on booking.
FEATURED ARTISTS AND EVENTS
Platform London & guest speakers | Our Power: A Just Energy Transition in the North East | Public screening and discussion
Milla Wood | Leaf Infusion Making Workshop
Dan Serridge | Land of Plenty | Promenade storytelling in the wild garden
Luke Devlin and Svenja Meyerricks (EnoughScot)| Energetic Worlds: Action and Creation for Workers and Dreamers | Workshop
Caitlin Dick (The Far Orchard Artist) | Hands-on drop-in session on pollinators and care
Musician | Scott J Brice | Performance
Christian Stolte | The wee Scottish cider company | Apple pressing
Oor Monsters (Gabrielle Reith & Philip Thompson) | Oor Future exhibition and workshop
Musician Robin Thornton | Performance
Deeside Willow | Meet the Maker at FOLD
Parts of our Plenty? festival programme are scheduled and have limited capacity; these activities are FREE, you can book on arrival at Plenty? at our Box Office.
Barn site map
Download Plenty? Schedule here:
DownloadACCESS
We want to remove as many barriers as possible for participating in Plenty?
Tickets to the festival are free. We have a limited number of access funds for those that find it difficult to meet everyday costs. You will not be asked for proof or ID all we ask is that you be honest with yourself and your financial situation.
If you find it difficult to meet everyday costs and travel to the festival is a barrier, we have a limited pot of money available to reimburse these costs.
We also have available a limited number of discount vouchers for use at the food vendors during the festival.
Check through the guidelines below to decide whether this option is right for you:
- You frequently stress about basic needs (food, housing, clothing and transportation) and don’t always achieve them.
- You have little or no disposable income.
- You require assistance from government and/or voluntary assistance including food banks and benefits.
Please select at time of booking.
Book Plenty? tickets
The Barn has extensive free parking on site. Accessible parking spaces can be found at the Barn entrance and in the lower carpark opposite the entrance to Buchanan Bistro. The top carpark at the Barn’s entrance may be closed to traffic for large events so please check the situation with the Box Office ahead of time.
We have a fully accessible bathroom.
Assistance dogs are welcome in all areas of our venue.
If you require a carer to attend an event with you, please book your places by telephone to ensure you are not charged for their ticket.
Click here for more information about accessibility.
Travel by bus
Buses run regularly to Banchory from Aberdeen and Braemar. You can catch the 201, 202, or 203 buses and alight at the stop by Tesco.
ABOUT PLENTY? FESTIVAL
The Barn has rehearsed versions of nature-based festivals previously. Plenty? festival was conceived in 2022 as an intergenerational festival that explores the systems that we are enmeshed in. Plenty? emerged out of The Far Orchard project and was developed between artists Jo Hodges, Robbie Coleman and the Barn. You can find out more about these projects below.
PLENTY? EVENING EVENTS
As part of Plenty? A festival for all we are also delighted to welcome Hamish Napier and Merryn Glover and Reel of Fortune to the Barn.
MUSIC
IN A NEW LIGHT
Friday 6 October @ 7.30pm
Cairngorms words, music & images with Hamish Napier & Merryn Glover.
Writer Merryn Glover and musician Hamish Napier take us into new revelations of the Cairngorm mountains with Nan Shepherd as muse and guide. In this original performance, readings from Glover’s The Hidden Fires: A Cairngorms Journey with Nan Shepherd are woven together with Napier’s locally-inspired music on piano, whistles and flutes to a backdrop of Cairngorms photographs, old and new. In a New Light is the opening event for the Barn’s Plenty? festival 2023.
FAMILY CEILIDH
REEL OF FORTUNE
Saturday 7 October @ 6pm
Celebrate Plenty? festival with a family ceilidh led by Reel of Fortune. They will provide an evening of lively traditional Scottish music with a contemporary twist to set your feet tapping and to get you onto the dance floor. So gather your clan and come together for our family ceilidh!
