The fringe festival provides activities for young people and their families across our region, with the events themselves being designed by young people with a focus on providing opportunities that are entirely free and accessible geographically to communities across our region.
From football to inflatables, community fun nights to free swim and cinema sessions, there is something for everyone being delivered in local communities across Dumfries and Galloway. All fringe events are free for people to attend, and as well as events aimed at young people aged 12 to 25, there are also sessions that are open to children and families.
The Fringe is being kicked off in Castle Douglas at The Crannog in Lochside Park for The Crannog Challenge on Friday 20 June from 5.30-8.00pm featuring the MyPod mobile youth centre, BBQ, and bubble football and axe Throwing provided by Galloway Activity Centre. The event will be delivered in partnership with Castle Douglas Development Forum.
On Saturday 21 June, we have the Youth Beatz Takeover at the Ryan Centre in Stranraer from 12 to 3pm where young people can take part in free gym and swim sessions as well as interactive storytelling for younger children with Renita Boyle, this event will be delivered in partnership with the Ryan Leisure Centre. We will also have our Survival Lock In Disco at Lockerbie Town Hall from 5 to 8pm where you can test out a survival themed escape room, as well as join in a silent disco. The event will be delivered in partnership with RH Youth Organisation.
Sunday 22 June sees movie screenings and free swim sessions. From 11.30am to 12.30pm you can pop along to DG1 for a free family swim session, and after this we are hosting a free movie screening of Moana at the Robert Burns Film Centre Theatre in Dumfries from 1 to 3pm. Over in Annan, we will also have a free movie screening of Wicked at the Lonsdale Cinema from 5.45 to 8.15pm. Please note for our free swim sessions and free movie screenings, spaces are limited and sign up in advance is required. You can do this on the Youth Beatz website which is detailed at the end of this article. As well as swimming and movies, we also have a Sunday Funday at Hillview Leisure Centre in Kelloholm featuring football, roller discos and fun festival activities in partnership with Kirkconnel and Kelloholm Development Trust.
After an action-packed weekend, we start the week of the Youth Beatz Main Event in Dumfries and Langholm. From 6 to 9pm on Monday 23 June, we have the Summerhill Fringe Fest at Summerhill Community Centre. Activities will include My Pod mobile youth centre complete with DJ and festival hair and makeup, street hockey tournament, community picnic, inflatables, Doctor Bike bicycle maintenance and much more. The event is being delivered in partnership with Summerhill Community Centre, Dumfries and Galloway Council’s Lifelong Learning Service and Oasis Events Team.
Over in Langholm from 5.30 to 8.30pm also on Monday 23 June is the bouncing battle zone at Langholm Academy. The event will have exciting and daring activities including a laser quest show down, fun inflatables, competitions and festival face paint, and will be delivered in partnership with Xcel Youth Project.
Tuesday 24 June sees an action-packed day in Newton Stewart, with one fringe event held in the Douglas Ewart High School during the day and one in the community in the evening. From 1.50 to 3.20pm the DEHS Fringe Fling will see school pupils take part in a “Shorts n’ Shades” themed non-uniform day to raise money for the DH9 Foundation, as well as teachers and S6 pupils braving a leg wax to raise money for the charity. Pupils will be invited down to join in the Festival atmosphere with activities including mocktail bar, photo challenge, music, Festival glitter and paint, fun challenges for meet and greet competitions and sporting challenges. The event has been organised by S6 volunteers who will also volunteer at the event alongside young leaders. The event will be delivered in partnership with the Douglas Ewart High School, Newton Stewart Initiative and Active Schools.
In the evening from 6 to 8pm, we’re heading to Blairmount Park for Pitch Perfect: Youth Beatz X NSFC. Delivered in partnership with Newton Stewart Football Club, young people aged 10 to 14 can come along and take part in training drills, bounce games and fun challenges such as beat the goalie and crossbar challenge alongside the coaching team and first team players from both the men’s and ladies teams. All participants will get a free season ticket card for the 2025/26 season. Sign up is required due to limited spaces and sign up can be found on our website.
Andrew Middleton, Chair of Newton Stewart Football Club Committee said of the event:
“The Youth Beatz Fringe Festival is a great opportunity to engage with children and young people and to provide new experiences, fun activities, and bring everyone together. Our event in Newton Stewart will give young people the opportunity to train alongside our first team players and take part in fun training drills and challenges, as well as working alongside the Fringe Festival team as part of this fantastic event.”
Continuing on Tuesday 24 June in Kirkcudbright we have an after school fair from 4.30 to 7.30pm delivered in partnership with Kirkcudbright Youth Project complete with inflatables, DJs, capture the flag lase tag style and traditional fair games.
The penultimate day of the Youth Beatz Fringe takes place on Wednesday 25 June with Sunset Beatz at Heathhall Community Centre from 6 to 8pm. Sunset Beatz will get people set up for the event weekend, with bubble zone, inflatables, mocktail bar, family photo shoot, BBQ, festival themed activities complete with DJ and much more. The event will be delivered in partnership with Heathhall Community Centre, Oasis Events Team and Dumfries and Galloway Council’s Lifelong Learning Service. From 5.30 to 8.30pm we have Festival Fashion Fun at Dalbeattie Town Hall, come along and get your creative juices flowing to get in the festival spirit. Upcycle your wardrobe and make your own festival outfit, then strut your stuff on the runway.
The Fringe Finale will take place Thursday 27 June at Park Farm Showfield in Dumfries, where the Youth Beatz Site will host the 5th annual gathering for care experienced young people from across the region, #WeCare 12 to 8pm. The programme has been designed by young people and is a chance for young people to enjoy themselves, try new experiences and have their say! This event requires registration in advance. If you would like to know more, please e-mail [email protected] or call 01387 260243 for more information.
Chair of Dumfries and Galloway Council’s Education Skills and Community Wellbeing Committee, Councillor Maureen Johnstone said:
“Our council is committed to ensuring that young people across the region are able to attend events in their local area, and at no cost to them and their families. We would like to thank all of the volunteers who have been involved in the co-design and the upcoming delivery of the Youth Beatz Fringe Festival and would encourage you to pop along to what is on in your local area.”
Throughout the Youth Beatz Fringe Festival there will be competitions and challenges for young people attending to win tickets for this year’s Youth Beatz – for which all tickets have been allocated – and competitions to win ‘meet and greet’ tickets with performers.
Vice Chair of Dumfries and Galloway Council’s Education Skills and Community Wellbeing Committee Councillor Lynne Davis:
“We are delighted to see this action-packed programme that covers every Ward of Dumfries and Galloway for the Youth Beatz Fringe Festival. The range of activities that are available during the fringe support our young people to try new things, have fun with their friends and to broaden their horizons, enabling them to build their confidence.”
All events are free to attend, and other than the Robert Burns Film Centre Free Movie Screening, Lonsdale Cinema Free Movie Screening, DG1 Free Family Swim Session, Pitch Perfect: Youth Beatz X NSFC and the #WeCare event, there is no sign up required.
Chairperson of Dumfries and Galloway Youth Council, Ailsa McDairmant said:
“Youth Beatz Festival is so much more than the main event weekend, and the fringe is delivering a great programme across the region. It is great to see such a broad range of events happening across Dumfries and Galloway to suit all interests.”
Youth Beatz Festival is grateful to be funded by a number of funders for this year’s event, including Dumfries and Galloway Council, Young Start, and Alcohol and Drug Partnership.
For full information on this year’s Fringe Festival, visit our website www.youthbeatz.co.uk/fringe