Ullapool’s boat-enthusiast festival weekend success inspires rumours of a Lugger Fest 2026
Ullapool’s new festival for boat enthusiasts proved to be a hit, with rumours of a Lugger Fest 26 already in the pipeline.
Last weekend (May 10 to 12), the first ever Lugger Fest took place at Ullapool Harbour, and brought in 17 lugger vessels to the village from all corners of the UK.
A boat that came from even further afield, was the Eos superyacht which travelled from Germany, and belongs to an American billionaire. Media baron Barry Diller and his fashion designer wife Diane von Furstenberg own the Eos yacht – which is thought to be the 5th largest privately owned sailing yacht in the world.
The Eos yacht was spotted sailing in to Ullapool’s Loch Broom a few days before festival kicked off.
Read more about the American billionaire’s yacht sailing into Ullapool here.
Lugger Fest saw many different events featured throughout the weekend, including a workshop from local art gallery, An Talla Solais. In a bid to create some “beautiful pieces of community artwork”, An Talla Solais held free printmaking workshops at the events space on Ullapool pier, following a £10m revamp completed last summer.
Read more on the £10m Ullapool harbour redevelopment here.
A portable smokehouse filled with kippers also appeared on the pier, to the joy of many seafood lovers, thanks to Cornwall’s Mike Smylie. Some locals even dubbed the kippers as “the best I’ve ever had!”
Local trad musicians Mairearad Green and Mike Vass played in the evening of the festival, and even managed to get a mosh pit going along to the folk music.
Child-led environmentalist group, the Ullapool Sea Savers, also had a stall at Lugger Fest which crossed over with another brand-new Ullapool festival taking place on the same weekend, Ulluminate.
Read more about Ulluminate Festival here.
With a focus on science, arts and culture, Ulluminate festival collaborated on some events with Lugger Fest. One of these included the Sea Saver’s stall, which explored everything there is to know about plankton.
With microscopes, and experts offering guidance, the Sea Savers were keen to try and find plankton in Ullapool’s harbour while also offering an opportunity for anyone to learn about the “amazing wee” organisms.
Ullapool Harbour master, Kevin Peach said: “It was amazing to christen the new quayside and pontoons with such a fantastic event – attracting seventeen lugger vessels from as far afield as St Ives and Stornoway.
“The event was backed by Ullapool Harbour Trust, with tremendous support from local businesses who offered a host of delicious food and refreshment stalls, plus music and dancing late into the night.”
Kevin continued: “The success of Lugger Fest 24 has energised the team of volunteers into planning a biannual event, with Lugger Fest 26 already being discussed.“
