Galston, Newmilns and Darvel will come together this October for a four-day festival
Celebrating the remarkable lace-making heritage that helped shape the Irvine Valley.
The Irvine Valley Lace Festival will run from Wednesday 7 to Saturday 10 October 2026, bringing exhibitions, factory tours, guided walks, films, workshops and demonstrations to the three East Ayrshire towns.
The festival marks the 150th anniversary of the introduction of Nottingham lace machine production to the Irvine Valley, an industry which went on to have a major impact on the economic and social development of the area.
Lace-making in the valley can be traced back centuries, but 1876 proved to be a significant turning point when Alexander Morton of Darvel introduced mechanised production.
At the industry’s height, around 40 mills operated across the valley, with an estimated one in two adults employed in the trade.
Colin Allan of Discover Darvel said:
“In 1876, Alexander Morton of Darvel introduced the mechanised power loom to the Irvine Valley, helping to transform the three towns into a centre of textile excellence. A century and a half later, the industry’s human legacy still runs through the Irvine Valley.”
But organisers say the festival will tell a much wider story than lace production alone.
Visitors will be able to discover the role played by Irvine Valley weavers in the anti-slavery movement, including the remarkable story behind Abraham Lincoln’s gift to the weavers of Newmilns.
The programme will also explore claims and historical connections involving lace workers from Newmilns and the early histories of Gothenburg and Barcelona football clubs, as well as the development of the Scottish trade union movement.
Other exhibitions and events will examine the arrival of the railway, the lace “Queens” of Darvel, Galston’s connections with both mining and textiles, the role of lace factories during wartime and the industry that helped drive the valley’s economy through much of the 20th century.
The festival will also look at the lace industry today and the skills, innovation and specialist production which continue in the Irvine Valley.
Among the highlights will be factory tours of MYB Textiles and Haddow, Aird & Crerar, giving visitors an opportunity to see contemporary lace production and learn more about an industry with deep roots in the area.
A Lace Walk will take participants through the valley, while a special Lace and Football event will explore the unusual links between the textile industry and the game.
Creative workshops combining clay and lace will also form part of the programme.
The four-day celebration will culminate on Saturday 10 October with The Warp and Weft, hosted by Galston-born writer and broadcaster Billy Kay.
Galston’s contribution to the festival will highlight the relationship between lace-making and the town’s wider industrial heritage, including mining and engineering.
Meanwhile, Marie Johnson of Newmilns Regeneration Society said the festival would demonstrate how a relatively small Ayrshire community became connected to events and industries far beyond Scotland.
She said:
“Centuries of lace craftsmanship, union pride, and football roots come together in a wee town that once earned Abraham Lincoln’s gratitude for its anti-slavery stance.
“Powered by the world’s last giant Nottingham looms, this festival celebrates an extraordinary industrial legacy that wove itself into global history.”
The festival has been made possible through the support and involvement of organisations including Newmilns Regeneration Association, Darvel & Area Regeneration Team, Galston Community Development Trust, MYB Textiles, Haddow, Aird & Crerar, Ayrshire360 and the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.
For four days in October, the Irvine Valley will effectively become one large exhibition, telling the story of the machines, factories and, most importantly, the generations of people who made lace an integral part of life in Galston, Newmilns and Darvel.
IRVINE VALLEY LACE FESTIVAL
📅 7–10 October 2026
📍 Galston, Newmilns and Darvel, East Ayrshire
The full programme of events is available from the Love Newmilns website.
Irvine Valley Lace Festival – Full Programme