Helensburgh Winter Festival Funding Update & Sponsorship Appeal 2026

Helensburgh Winter Festival Funding Update & Sponsorship Appeal 2026

Latest News

A Heartfelt Thank You — and an Important Update on Funding❤️

 

We are delighted to share that the Helensburgh Winter Festival has been awarded a grant from Helensburgh HEART – Events Funding & Reinvestment Trust.

This support means a great deal to us. Not only does it provide essential funding towards this year’s festival, but it also represents a strong vote of confidence in the value the Winter Festival brings to Helensburgh — from supporting local businesses and traders to creating a vibrant, family-friendly event for the whole community.

As one of Helensburgh’s most loved seasonal events, the Winter Festival plays an important role in bringing people together, increasing footfall in the town centre, and supporting the local economy during the festive period.
However, we want to be open with our community.
Unfortunately, we were unsuccessful in securing funding from Argyll and Bute Council this year, leaving us with a significant funding shortfall. While we are incredibly grateful for the support from Helensburgh HEART, additional funding is now essential to ensure the festival can go ahead as planned.

Why Your Support Matters

Without further sponsorship and community support, the future of the Helensburgh Winter Festival is at risk.
We are now actively seeking:

• Local business sponsorship
• Community donations
• Support from individuals who value the festival

This is more than just an event — it’s a celebration of community spirit, local talent, local businesses, and the unique character of Helensburgh.

Crowdfunder & Sponsorship Campaign Launching Soon

To help bridge the funding gap, we will soon be launching a dedicated Crowdfunder campaign with new sponsorship opportunities for local businesses.
This will give everyone — from individuals to organisations — the chance to help keep the festival alive.
Every contribution, no matter the size, will make a real and meaningful difference.

Help Us Keep the Festival Alive

The Helensburgh Winter Festival has always been built on community support, and this year is no exception.
If you’ve enjoyed the festival in the past, supported local traders, or simply want to see Helensburgh continue to thrive during the winter season, we would love your support.

Please keep an eye here on our website and social channels for updates on how you can get involved.
Together, we can ensure the Helensburgh Winter Festival returns for another magical year.

We would really appreciate any donations made via the link below, however small; every penny is much appreciated.

DONATE TO KEEP THE FESTIVAL ALIVE

Follow our Facebook, Instagram, X and TikTok for more updates and a full schedule of events.

Midsummer Festival 2026

VENDOR APPLICATIONS NOW OPEN!

APPLY FOR A STALL
Helensburgh’s Best Dressed Window Competition – Voting now Live!

Helensburgh’s Best Dressed Window Competition – Voting now Live!

Latest News

🎄Helensburgh is Ready to Sparkle! ✨

Voting is now OPEN for the Annual Best-Dressed Window Competition! 🪩

Christmas is fast approaching, and we are thrilled to have so many local Helensburgh shops and businesses enter our annual Best-Dressed Window Competition once again!

We’ve seen some absolutely wonderful, creative window displays over the last couple of years, and this year is no different, from even more businesses! You have made the whole town sparkle and glow! ✨

How to Enter

HOW TO VOTE
Just browse through all the entries in our Facebook Album below, and give your favourites a ‘like’, or a ‘love’ and let us know what you think!

Please take a walk around town and pop into the businesses participating, it’s not just shops, we have salons, charities and even one of our local vets is taking part this year!

Voting will close on Monday 15th December, so you have plenty of time to vote for your favourites!

The TOP 3 windows with the most votes will be announced on Tues 16th Dec and we will get your prizes to you before Saturday the 20th just in time for Christmas!

We will be doing a little feature on each business participating over the next couple of weeks, and all the windows are in the Gallery below – although you need to visit our Facebook page to vote for your favourites.

Thank you to everyone who has taken part this year. Your imagination knows no bounds!

SPONSORSHIP

Remember, the Helensburgh Winter Festival is a small charity, and we rely on fundraising to keep the festival alive each year. We don’t currently have enough volunteers to do a raffle or tombola this year, so if any businesses would like to provide us with sponsorship, we would be sure to promote you heavily on our website and socials.

We would really appreciate any donations made via our website, however small, every penny is much appreciated.

Best Dressed Windows 2025 Entries

VOTE FOR YOUR FAVOURITES ON FACEBOOK
Alzheimer Scotland

Alzheimer Scotland

Buttercup Moon

Buttercup Moon

Capercaillie Gifts

Capercaillie Gifts

Grasshopper Toys

Grasshopper Toys

Helensburgh Cycles

Helensburgh Cycles

Helensburgh Eyecare

Helensburgh Eyecare

Helensburgh Pet Shop

Helensburgh Pet Shop

Level10 Hair

Level10 Hair

LomondVeterinaryClinic

Natures Harvest

Natures Harvest

Oxfam Helensburgh

Oxfam Helensburgh

Paper Kisses

Paper Kisses

Pitter Patter Potter

Pitter Patter Potter

Sasco Art

Sasco Art

Shooftie

Shooftie

The Scandanavian Shop

The Scandanavian Shop

The Wedding Planner

The Wedding Planner

The White Heather Co

The White Heather Co

Top To Toe Salon

Top To Toe Salon

Tweedie of Helensburgh

Tweedie of Helensburgh

Wrights Home Hardware

Wrights Home Hardware

Follow our Facebook, Instagram, X and TikTok for more updates and a full schedule of events.

VENDOR APPLICATIONS
Apply via this Application form only!
APPLY FOR A STALL
The Penguin Painting Prize-Giving: A Splash of Young Talent at the Winter Festival!

The Penguin Painting Prize-Giving: A Splash of Young Talent at the Winter Festival!

Latest News

What a fantastic, heartwarming time we had on Sunday, November 30th, celebrating the incredible artistic talent of our local young people at the annual Penguin Painting Prize-giving! The atmosphere was buzzing with festive cheer and proud families.

A huge, heartfelt thank you goes out to all the local schools that participated this year. The creativity, imagination, and sheer number of beautiful entries we received made judging an incredibly delightful but difficult task!

It’s clear that Helensburgh has some truly talented students. You should all be so proud!

🏆 Congratulations to Our Brilliant Winners!

After much deliberation, we narrowed the hundreds of entries down to just 50 – no mean feat!

The public voted in their droves on Facebook, and we were thrilled to award our top three young artists for their stunning penguin masterpieces.

1st & 2nd Place WINNERS - Nova and Millie

1st & 2nd Place Winners: Nova from P3 at St. Joseph's Primary & Millie from P2/3 at Cardross Primary

3rd Place Winner: Sienna from P5 at St. Joseph's Primary

3rd Place Winner: Sienna from P5 at St. Joseph's Primary

A massive congratulations to:
• 🥇 1st Place Winner: Nova from P3 at St. Joseph’s Primary
• 🥈 2nd Place Winner: Millie from P2/3 at Cardross Primary
• 🥉 3rd Place Winner: Sienna from P5 at St. Joseph’s Primary

Sienna was unwell and couldn’t attend the presentation, but we ensured her prize was delivered to the school this week, and you can see from her smile how delighted she was.

Your penguin masterpieces were absolutely fantastic! 🎉

You can also watch the full presentation video from the day on our Instagram or Facebook pages.

View the Gallery of our TOP 50 Penguins!
1st Place Winner: Nova from P3 at St. Joseph's Primary

1st Place Winner: Nova from P3 at St. Joseph's Primary

2nd Place Winner: Millie from P2/3 at Cardross Primary

2nd Place Winner: Millie from P2/3 at Cardross Primary

2nd Place Winner: Millie from P2/3 at Cardross Primary

3rd Place Winner: Sienna from P5 at St. Joseph's Primary

Follow our Facebook, Instagram, X and TikTok for more updates and a full schedule of events.

Helensburgh’s Best Dressed Window Competition – Voting now Live!

Helensburgh’s Best Dressed Window 2025

Latest News

🎄Get Ready to Sparkle, Helensburgh! ✨

It’s Time for the Annual Best-Dressed Window Competition! 🪩

The Helensburgh Winter Festival is fast approaching, and we are thrilled to invite all local Helensburgh shops and businesses to enter our annual Best-Dressed Window Competition once again!

We’ve seen some absolutely wonderful, creative window displays over the last couple of years, and this year, we want to see even better displays from more businesses! This is your moment to shine and show off your talent to the whole town! ✨

How to Enter

📧 Email Anne at ‘media@helensburghwinterfestival.co.uk’ to officially register your business entry.

🪄Get Creative! Design and install your most festive, dazzling, and eye-catching window display.

📷 Picture Time: Once your window is ready, drop Anne another email, and we will come and photograph your fantastic display.

👍 Voting: All entries will be uploaded right here to our Facebook page for the public to vote for their favourites

Deadline

There is no official cut-off date to enter, but we would like to get all the photos up at the same time so everyone has an equal chance in the voting on our socials. We would also like to launch it well in advance of the festival, which is the 29th and 30th Nov.

I would hope to have all the photos taken by Thurs, 20th Nov, so that I can get them up on Facebook at least a week before the festival. The online voting will stay open until 15th December, so we have time to get the prizes out before Christmas.

If you can have your window ready by the week beginning 17th Nov, that would be great!

SPONSORSHIP

Remember, the Helensburgh Winter Festival is a small charity, and we rely on fundraising to keep the festival alive each year. We don’t currently have enough volunteers to do a raffle or tombola this year, so if any businesses would like to provide us with sponsorship, we would be sure to promote you heavily on our website and socials.

We would really appreciate any donations made via our website, however small, every penny is much appreciated.

We can’t wait to see all your fabulous festive window displays!

Follow our Facebook, Instagram, X and TikTok for more updates and a full schedule of events.

VENDOR APPLICATIONS
Apply via this Application form only!
APPLY FOR A STALL
Helensburgh Winter Festival Penguin Painting Competition NOW LIVE

Helensburgh Winter Festival Penguin Painting Competition NOW LIVE

Latest News

🐧🗳️ The 2025 Helensburgh Winter Festival Penguin Painting Competition is NOW LIVE! 🎨✨

Our Winter Festival Penguin Crew have been busy little selectors, tirelessly sifting through the hundreds of incredible entries from our talented local schools across Helensburgh and Lomond. We were absolutely blown away by the creativity, colour, and effort from every single child!

We have finally selected our favourite 50 penguins! And now, it’s your turn to choose the winners!

Vote for Your Favourite Penguin!

We’ve rounded up all 50 finalists into one official competition album! To cast your vote and help a penguin win, it’s as simple as:
• 👍 Giving a ‘Like’
• ❤️ Giving a ‘Love’
• 💬 Or simply leaving a Comment on the photo of your chosen penguin!
🚨 Important: Make sure you scroll through the entire album so you don’t miss a single masterpiece!

Prizes & Announcement Details

A huge thank you again to all the local Helensburgh and Lomond Primary schools that participated! We truly appreciate you inspiring such wonderful creativity from…

  • Arrochar Primary
  • Cardross Primary
  • Colgrain Primary
  • Hermitage Primary
  • John Logie Baird Primary
  • Kilcreggan Primary
  • Parklands Primary
  • Rosneath Primary
  • St. Joseph’s Primary

The Top 3 Penguins with the most votes will be announced live on our Festival Stage!

  • Date & Time: Sunday, November 30th, between 2:30 PM and 3:00 PM
  • Special Guest: The announcement and prize-giving will be presented by our sensational Celebrity Guest, the one and only Bev Lyons, The Showbiz Lion! Bev had so much fun last year, she simply had to come back for more!

Don’t miss the fabulous entertainment on the stage before and after the prize-giving—it’s set to be a fantastic, fun, family day out in the Square!
Prizes will once again be provided by Helensburgh Winter Festival from our very own beloved local shops, The Toy Shop and Grasshopper Toys.

Go check out the album now and start voting! Share this post and tag your friends and family so they can support our brilliant young artists too!

VOTE NOW on our Facebook page!

Follow our Facebook, Instagram, X and TikTok for more updates and a full schedule of events.

VENDOR APPLICATIONS
Apply via this Application form only!
APPLY FOR A STALL
Fun-Packed Family Weekend Planned this November!

Fun-Packed Family Weekend Planned this November!

Latest News

We have two days of festive cheer, live entertainment and local talent taking centre stage this November at our 13th Helensburgh Winter Festival!

We’re preparing for a huge festive market, funfair, and two days of top local entertainment hosted by speaker and presenter Greg Summers, who you may recognise as ‘The Kilt Walk Guy’!

Excitement is building across the town as final preparations are being made for the THIRTEENTH Annual Helensburgh Winter Festival. The much-loved event promises a fun-packed weekend of festive entertainment, local talent, and community celebration – the perfect way to launch the Christmas season!

Building on the success of our previous festivals, the town centre will once again be transformed into a magical winter market filled with artisan crafts, unique gifts and delicious festive food. Children will be thrilled by the funfair rides and enchanted by Santa’s Grotto in The Bridge, where Mrs Claus and her Elves will lend Santa a helping hand to greet every young visitor and make sure no one is left out.

Spotlight on Stage, Santa Dash & Penguins!

The Festival Stage will be buzzing all weekend, packed with talented local performers. Saturday, November 29th, kicks off the festivities with a performance from the local Clan Colquhoun Pipe Band, opening the event. The excitement continues at 12:15 pm with the highly anticipated Helensburgh Heart Santa Dash and warm-up, setting off a wave of red-suited festive runners through the town. Sunday, November 30th, begins with a flourish as the HMS Neptune Volunteer Band sets a lively tone for the day from 12pm.

Throughout the weekend, attendees can enjoy dazzling displays from beloved local performers, including Boogie Box Jive, Margaret Rose School of Dance, Studio 30, Argyll Dance Academy, and Singer Station, alongside a wealth of other great local talent.

Hosted by the Fabulous Greg Summers

Keeping the energy high and the audience entertained all weekend long is the phenomenal host, Greg Summers. Known affectionately to many as ‘The Kilt Walk Guy’ for his incredible work hosting Scotland’s largest mass participation events, including The Kilt Walk, Greg is guaranteed to bring his unique brand of enthusiasm, fun, and professionalism to the Helensburgh stage.

Our Festival Chair, Gail Broadhurst, said

“We’ve worked hard to bring together the very best of Helensburgh’s community, from the talented performers to the dedicated stallholders. With Greg at the helm and so much local talent on display, we know the atmosphere will be electric and the perfect way to welcome the Christmas season.“

Mark your calendars and join us for the Helensburgh Winter Festival—the ultimate start to Christmas!

EVENT DETAILS:

  • What: Helensburgh Winter Festival 2025
  • When: Saturday, November 29th and Sunday, November 30th, 2025
  • Where: Helensburgh Town Centre / Colquhoun Square
  • Cost: Free entry (charges apply for market purchases, Santa’s Grotto and fairground rides)

DONATE ONLINE – Remember, the Helensburgh Winter Festival is a small charity, and we rely on fundraising to keep the festival alive each year. We really appreciate any donations made via our website.

We can’t wait to see you all!

Follow our Facebook, Instagram, X and TikTok for more updates and a full schedule of events.

VENDOR APPLICATIONS
Apply via this Application form only!
APPLY FOR A STALL

Helensburgh Midsummer Festival 2025 was a Scorcher!

Helensburgh Midsummer Festival 2025 was a Scorcher!

Latest News

What a Weekend as Helensburgh’s Midsummer Festival Dazzles Again!

What a fantastic weekend it was! We are still buzzing from the incredible energy and community spirit at this year’s Helensburgh Midsummer Festival, held in Colquhoun Square in June. It was an absolute delight to see so many of you turn out to celebrate with us, making this year’s festival another truly unforgettable event.

Saturday was a scorcher, creating the perfect atmosphere for a celebration of local talent, delicious food, and family fun. The square was a hive of activity, with a wonderful array of market stalls showcasing the very best of local crafts and treats. From unique handmade gifts to mouth-watering bakes and street food, there was something to tantalise every taste bud. Even when we thought Sunday was going to be a wash-out due to the heavy rain all morning, everyone’s spirits were still high from the day before, and nobody minded too much – especially when the glorious 40-strong Rock Choir came along and sang their hearts out in the rain, and had everyone singing along. The sun eventually came out in the afternoon, and turned the day into another sell-out success!

The entertainment was second to none, with a packed programme of live music, performances from local dance schools, Margaret Rose School of Dance and Argyll Dance Academy.
Our Taylor Swift Tribute act was a massive hit with all the Swifties out there, young and old!
A variety of talented buskers filled the air both days with a great mix of popular tunes. It was a joy to see so many people singing along and dancing in the square. A special mention must go to the fabulous Boogie Box Jive, who had everyone from toddlers to a few in their 90s – all dancing in the sunshine.

A massive thank you must go to SHS Events for organising a superb selection of market stalls and street food vendors for everyone, to the market traders themselves who come to all our events and support us every year, to our incredible, but very small team of volunteers who work tirelessly behind the scenes to make this event happen. Everyone’s dedication and hard work are what make these festivals so special for our town. We also want to thank every single one of you who came along and supported the festival. The proceeds from this event are vital and go directly towards helping us make the upcoming Helensburgh Winter Festival and Christmas Town events the best they can be.

The Midsummer Festival is more than just a day out; it’s a true reflection of the vibrant, warm, and friendly community we have here in Helensburgh.

We can’t wait to see you all again this November 29th & 30th, for our next big event – The Helensburgh Winter Festival 2025 – don’t forget to register via our Eventbrite page and keep following our Socials for more exciting news and updates on our Stage Lineup, vendors and competitions coming soon!

Click on the photos below to enlarge…

 

Clan Colquhoun Pipe Band
Boogie Box Jive
Teacups in the Square
Four Legged Friends
Fun in the Square
A Little Swiftie Fan
Jack Brodie Busking
James Aitchieson Busking
John Christopher Busking
Argyll Dance Co.
Charlie Ferguson Busking
Inspirational Books Stall
Market Square
To Die For Desserts
Helensburgh Market Square
The Rock Choir - Singing in the rain!
The Rock Choir - Singing in the rain!
Wicked Entertainment's Taylor Swift Tribute
Wicked Entertainment's Taylor Swift Tribute
Clan Colquhoun Pipe Band
Margaret Rose School of Dance
Margaret Rose School of Dance
Boogie Box Jive getting everyone dancing!
Boogie Box Jive getting everyone dancing!
Helensburgh Winter Festival 2024 is Back For A Magical Celebration

Helensburgh Winter Festival 2024 is Back For A Magical Celebration

News Archive

Helensburgh Winter Festival 2024 is Back For A Magical Celebration!

Colquhoun Square, Helensburgh, – Saturday 30th Nov & Sunday 1st Dec, 2024

Get ready to warm up your winter with the Helensburgh Winter Festival 2024!

This FREE Festive Community Event will be held on Saturday 30th November and Sunday 1st December from 10am-5pm, bringing a burst of cheer and joy to the heart of Helensburgh.

What to Expect:

  • Festive Market: Explore a vibrant market filled with unique gifts, handmade crafts, and delicious local treats
  • Live Entertainment: Enjoy the sounds of talented choirs, musicians, singers, and performers as they fill the air with festive melodies
  • Children’s Activities: Keep the little ones entertained with fun-fair rides, activities, competitions, face painting and, of course – Santa & Mrs Claus will be back with their grotto and elves!
  • Delicious Food and Drink: Indulge in a variety of warming winter street food and festive drinks to keep you cosy
  • Saturday Santa Dash – Sat 30th Nov sees the return of the Helensburgh Heart (formerly Round Table) Santa Dash as part of the Festival
  • Community Spirit: Experience the true spirit of Christmas as the community comes together to celebrate.

Join us for a weekend of fun, festivities, and unforgettable memories. Mark your calendars and make plans to attend the Helensburgh Winter Festival 2024!

VOLUNTEER:

If you wish to help our very small committee by volunteering, or just give us a helping hand at the festival, please email us – media@helensburghwinterfestival.co.uk

VENDORS Application:

If you are a small business, stall holder or food vendor and wish to join us for the weekend, please use the Application Form below to apply via SHS Events:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd36X_CLYpAiAeF-ZJvDxByV9QNTKRsVQ4LluzcgUdJHNaT7g/viewform

DONATE to keep the festival alive:

We are a Scottish Registered Charity that relies on funding and donations, so we’ve started a Crowdfunder page to help make the festival as good as it can be for the whole community and raise funds to keep it going – any small amount you can give will be greatly appreciated!

Donate via this link – https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/helensburgh-winter-festival-sc046881

SPONSORSHIP –

If you are a local business, and wish to sponsor the Festival in some way, you can also help, and we will give you lots of promotion and advertising in return!

Please email us at – media@helensburghwinterfestival.co.uk

We look forward to celebrating the magic of the festive season with you in Helensburgh this year!

Helensburgh Dazzled with it’s Midsummer Magic Festival This Summer!

Helensburgh Dazzled with it’s Midsummer Magic Festival This Summer!

News Archive

Helensburgh Dazzles with it’s Midsummer Magic Festival This Summer!

Colquhoun Square, Helensburgh, – Saturday June 22nd, 2024

Prepare for a day filled with summer fun and family entertainment! This Saturday, June 22nd, Helensburgh will come alive with it’s Midsummer Magic Festival, a celebration of summer fun for the whole family.

The festival, taking place in the heart of Colquhoun Square from 10am to 5pm, promises a vibrant atmosphere brimming with delightful surprises. Browse a charming selection of market stalls, showcasing local crafts, treats, and treasures. Indulge in a global culinary adventure with a diverse range of street food vendors, tantalizing your taste buds with delicious offerings.

Keep the little ones entertained with a thrilling funfair, complete with exhilarating rides and captivating games. There’s facepainting from Young at Art to get your Festival Vibe on!

Special guests, Encanto’s Mirabel and The Dark Fairy from Wicked Entertainment will be joining us, for all the Disney Fans to meet and greet and singalong with!

The HMS Neptune Volunteer Band will officially open the festival on Saturday morning, then throughout the day, we have David Dennett of Lomond Radio hosting talented musicians, creating a lively soundtrack for the festivities. Plus, performances from local dance schools, The Dance Academy and Clair Burns School of Dance.

More than just a summer celebration, the Midsummer Magic Festival serves a special purpose. Organized by the small, dedicated team of volunteers behind the hugely popular Helensburgh Winter Festival and Christmas Town events, the proceeds from this event will go towards making the upcoming winter festivities happen. The Helensburgh Winter Festival is in it’s 12th year, but is under threat due to a drastic cut in funding, so if you want the festival to happen again later this year, please come along and give your support.

For full details of what’s happening and the full entertainment lineup, follow our Facebook, Instagram or TikTok – and check the website https://www.helensburghwinterfestival.co.uk/

Event Details:
• Date: Saturday, June 22nd, 2024
• Time: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
• Location: Colquhoun Square, Helensburgh
• Admission: Free
• Donate to keep the festival going online – https://donorbox.org/helensburgh-winter-festival 

For inquiries or help volunteering, please contact:
media@helensburghwinterfestival.co.uk

Join the merriment and create lasting memories at the Helensburgh Midsummer Magic Festival! Don’t miss this enchanting day filled with vibrant market, delicious food, thrilling rides, and toe-tapping music.

We look forward to celebrating the magic of summer with you in Helensburgh this weekend!

Get Ready for Midsummer Magic!

Get Ready for Midsummer Magic!

News Archive

Get Ready for Midsummer Magic!

Work has begun organising this year’s Christmas Town events and Winter Festival… and it all kicks off at Midsummer!

As part of a campaign to raise awareness and funding for the Winter Festival, the team are planning a one-day event, ‘Midsummer Magic’ which will feature a very special magical market and lots of other fun things to do with music to set the beat for the day. Vendor Bookings are now open, and you can apply with SHS Events via the link below.

Planning is in the early stages for this and this year’s Winter Festival, which will be held on Saturday, November 30th, and Sunday, December 1st. The Penguin Crew is open to new ideas and suggestions to ring in the changes.

We want to hear from anyone who would like to organise something throughout December as part of the Christmas Town Month, be it a concert, panto, festive workshop, Christmas Tree display or something completely different.
We are keen to add some new faces to our (very small) Penguin Crew, and we need lots more hands on deck to make this, the 12th Winter Festival, the very best ever!

You can sign up for it all or just organise something with your own groups. We also need plenty of people to help on the two days of the Winter Festival, helping with the setup and takedown, manning the road closures, and generally helping things run as smoothly as possible.

If you have some ideas for things that you could organise or help to organise, or if you would like to join the Crew to provide the background support that is needed for events like this or just want to help over the festival weekend, please contact HWF Chair, Gail Broadhurst by email at: chair@helensburghwinterfestival.co.uk

Vendor Applications