Kilted Yoga Brings Playful Queer Spirit to Out in the Hills

A tongue-in-cheek "kilted yoga" class injected a playful, participatory energy into Out in the Hills in Pitlochry, underlining the festival's aim to marry star power with grassroots community rituals. The session was one of several lighter, hands-on events that balanced a weekend of high-profile appearances with locally rooted activities.

Ian McKellen, Graham Norton and Alan Cumming were among the headline names on the bill, drawing national attention and large crowds. Alongside those appearances, festival organizers scheduled community-facing offerings including a queer ceilidh and the kilted yoga class, intentionally mixing performance, conversation and community rituals to make the programme both celebratory and inclusive. The festival's structure allowed headline draws to act as gateways for attendees to discover smaller, participatory sessions.

The kilted yoga class functioned as a low-pressure, accessible movement space inside the broader cultural programme. By framing the practice as tongue-in-cheek, organizers reduced barriers for newcomers who might be put off by more formal studio settings. The pairing of playful dress and shared movement created immediate social rapport among participants, turning a short class into an afternoon of conversation and connection rather than a solitary workout.

For the local and visiting queer community, that social element mattered as much as the movement itself. The festival format in Pitlochry foregrounded community engagement: those who came for celebrity talks or panels often drifted into smaller rooms for a ceilidh or a participatory session, and those who arrived for grassroots events got a chance to experience high-profile artists in the same itinerary. That cross-pollination reinforced visibility for rural queer life and demonstrated a model for accessible arts programming outside urban centres.

Kilted yoga and similar sessions also offered practical value for yoga teachers and event planners. Designing movement classes that prioritize play, low cost and minimal equipment can broaden participation, especially at mixed-audience festivals. Scheduling short, tongue-in-cheek classes in easily accessible venues encourages drop-in attendance and creates friendly pathways for people to try breathwork, simple movement and communal cool-downs.

Out in the Hills on January 19 provided a template for how festivals can combine headline names with grassroots offerings to deepen community ties. Expect future editions to repeat this blend, with more pop-up movement sessions and social rituals that make yoga and other practices feel welcoming, visible and distinctly queer-friendly.