Pavilion Festival

Pavilion Festival
The Low Green, Ayr, with the Ayr Pavilion in the background
GenreElectronic dance music
FrequencyAnnually
LocationsAyr, Scotland
Years active2023–present
Inaugurated29 April 2023 (2023-04-29)
FounderEwan McVicar
Most recent
2 May 2026 (2026-05-02)
Attendance15,000 (2026)[1]

Pavilion Festival is an annual electronic dance music festival held in Ayr, Scotland. It was co-founded by Ayr-born DJ Ewan McVicar and dance music promoter STREETrave.[2][3][4] It has been held at the Low Green, on the Ayr beach esplanade, since 2023.

History

Pavilion Festival was first announced by McVicar in November 2022.[5] The festival is named after the Ayr Pavilion, a former entertainment venue which housed the nightclub Hangar 13.[5] STREETrave is a dance music promoter founded by Ricky Magowan in 1989. It staged its first club night at the Ayr Pavilion in 1989 and later went on to hold Hogmanay raves at Prestwick Airport in the early 1990s, including one featuring The Prodigy.[6]

The festival was first held in April 2023, with around 7,500 attendees on the Saturday.[7] The Sunday event was branded separately as the STREETrave Festival.[8][9] By 2024, the Saturday and Sunday events were billed together as "Pavilion Festival," with the Sunday specifically billed as "Pavilion Festival presents STREETrave".[10] The 2023 festival was featured in the BBC Scotland documentary Back Tae Ayr, which followed McVicar's journey organising the festival.[7] In May 2023, it was announced that a contract had been signed to hold the festival for another five years.[11]

The festival has featured multiple stages and has included attractions such as a "rave cave" and a 33 m (108 ft) Ferris wheel.[3]

In 2025, the festival expanded to three days for the first time, running from 2–4 May.[12][2] The main stage, named "Electric Brae" after the nearby gravity hill, was housed in a 5,000-capacity marquee.[6] The 2026 festival returned to a two-day format, held on 2–3 May.[13][14][15]

Notable performers

References

  1. ↑ "In pictures - 15,000 revellers party at Ewan McVicar's Pavilion Festival in Ayr". Ayr Advertiser. 2026-05-04. Retrieved 2026-05-04.
  2. 1 2 Gallagher, Cammy (2025-04-08). "Ewan McVicar on Ayr's Pavilion Festival". The Skinny. Retrieved 2026-07-16.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "Ewan McVicar brings Pavilion Festival back to Ayr". BBC News. 2024-05-03. Retrieved 2026-05-04.
  4. 1 2 Oliver, Beth (2026-04-24). "Carl Cox returning to Ayr to headline Pavilion Festival 2026". Glasgow Times. Retrieved 2026-07-16.
  5. 1 2 Thom, Ryan (2022-11-23). "Scots DJ Ewan McVicar announces huge homecoming gig 'Pavilion Festival'". Daily Record. Retrieved 2026-05-04.
  6. 1 2 3 4 Pringle, Michael (2025-04-30). "Back to where it all began as Lanarkshire promoter's STREETrave returns to Pavilion Festival". Daily Record. Retrieved 2026-07-16.
  7. 1 2 3 4 "Tell Me Something Good: The rise of Ewan McVicar". BBC News. 2023-06-13. Retrieved 2026-05-04.
  8. ↑ Thom, Ryan (2023-05-01). "StreetRave boss 'proud of making history' after delivering weekend festival". Daily Record. Retrieved 2026-07-16.
  9. ↑ Thom, Ryan (2023-04-28). "All the set list times for Pavilion and STREETrave festivals at Ayr beach as Karen Dunbar added to the bill". Daily Record. Retrieved 2026-07-16.
  10. 1 2 "Pavilion Festival presents STREETrave - Celebrating 35 Years at Ayr Lowgreen, Scotland (2024)". Resident Advisor. Retrieved 2026-07-16.
  11. ↑ "Five-year contract secured for Ayr's brand new Pavilion Festival". Ayr Advertiser. 2023-05-02. Retrieved 2026-07-16.
  12. 1 2 "Ewan McVicar: Working classes are being 'priced out' of culture". BBC News. 2025-04-25. Retrieved 2026-05-04.
  13. ↑ "The Arches was my home - it's still a loss to Glasgow, says DJ Carl Cox". BBC News. 2026-04-24. Retrieved 2026-07-16.
  14. 1 2 3 "Pavilion Festival at Ayr Lowgreen, Scotland (2026)". Resident Advisor. Retrieved 2026-07-16.
  15. 1 2 3 "Pavilion Festival 2026". Pavilion Festival. Retrieved 2026-07-16.
  16. ↑ "Pavilion Festival at Ayr Lowgreen, Scotland (2023)". Resident Advisor. Retrieved 2026-07-16.
  17. ↑ "STREETrave Festival on Ayr Beach at Ayr Lowgreen, Scotland (2023)". Resident Advisor. Retrieved 2026-07-16.
  18. ↑ "Ewan McVicar presents Pavilion Festival at Ayr Lowgreen, Scotland (2024)". Resident Advisor. Retrieved 2026-07-16.
  19. ↑ "Pavilion Festival presents Ewan McVicar & Pals at Ayr Lowgreen, Scotland (2025)". Resident Advisor. Retrieved 2026-07-17.
  20. ↑ "Happy Mondays set to headline STREETrave in Ayr next year". Ayr Advertiser. 2024-12-05. Retrieved 2026-05-04.
  21. 1 2 "Carl Cox and MK to headline seaside Ayrshire festival". BBC News. 2025-10-02. Retrieved 2026-05-04.
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