Pavilion Festival has revealed the first names joining its 2027 line-up, with CamelPhat, Ewan McVicar, Armand Van Helden, Faithless and Groove Armada all heading to Ayr for the festival’s fifth edition. Returning to Ayr’s seafront across the May bank holiday weekend on 1 and 2 May 2027, Pavilion will once again bring thousands of electronic music fans to the town for two days of house, dance and club music across five stages.
CamelPhat and Ayr-born Ewan McVicar will headline Saturday, while Armand Van Helden tops Sunday’s STREETrave programme. Ultra Naté, DART and Kyle Starkey have also been confirmed in the first wave of artists, with more names and a number of special back-to-back sets still to be announced.
CamelPhat and Ewan McVicar lead Saturday
Liverpool duo CamelPhat will make their Pavilion Festival debut in 2027, bringing a catalogue that includes tracks such as ‘Cola’ and ‘Panic Room’, alongside music from their album Dark Matter.
They will be joined at the top of Saturday’s bill by Pavilion co-founder Ewan McVicar, returning for another huge hometown set following a busy 2026 that included his Club Knuckles residency at Hï Ibiza. The residency saw McVicar take over the venue’s Club Room every Friday from May through October, while releases including ‘Share The House’ added to another big year for the Ayr DJ and producer.
McVicar founded Pavilion alongside Scottish promoter Ricky Magowan, with the festival now preparing to celebrate five years in Ayr.
Speaking about the anniversary, McVicar said: “Five years of Pavilion – what a wild ride it has been to bring a major festival to my hometown. Ricky and I wanted to bring something special to Ayr, and seeing people come back with their pals every year is what makes it. We’ve got some incredible names joining us in May, with plenty more still to announce. Playing in your hometown is always special, but celebrating five years of your own festival there is something else.”
Armand Van Helden headlines Sunday’s STREETrave
Sunday will once again be handed over to STREETrave, with house music legend Armand Van Helden heading up the bill. The producer behind tracks including ‘You Don’t Know Me’ will be joined by DJ sets from Faithless and Groove Armada, bringing some serious dance music history to Ayr with names behind classics including ‘Insomnia’, ‘God Is a DJ’ and ‘Superstylin’.
Ultra Naté is also confirmed, connecting one of dance music’s defining anthems, ‘Free’, with her more recent collaboration ‘Movin’ to the Sun’ alongside HUGEL and Imael Angel. DART and Kyle Starkey complete the first phase of the line-up, with Pavilion promising plenty more announcements ahead of the festival next May.
More than 18,000 people are expected across the weekend, with four outdoor stages and a weatherproof Big Top main stage. With CamelPhat making their Pavilion debut, McVicar returning home and Armand Van Helden leading another STREETrave takeover, the fifth edition already has all the makings of a belter of a May bank holiday weekend in Ayr.
Pavilion Festival takes place in Ayr on 1 and 2 May 2027. Day and weekend tickets start from £65 and are available via Skiddle.
Nikki Murray is a UK-based writer, screenwriter and founder & editor of CultureCues, covering film, television, music and pop culture. Her work focuses on storytelling and the moments shaping modern entertainment.