Edinburgh Events and Festivals

(Edinburgh, Scotland, UK)

The festival scene of the Scottish capital is well developed, with Edinburgh enjoying many well-supported annual events most months. Starting off by seeing in the New Year with traditional Hogmanay celebrations, visitors will then be able to enjoy Burns Night towards the end of January, followed by the Edinburgh International Science Festival each April, the Orkney Folk Fest in May and then Pride Scotland in June.

Of course, it is the summer season that Edinburgh is most famous for, when crowds of thousands descend on the city for the August Military Tattoo, Fringe and International Festival, where live music, literally hundreds of comedy gigs and parties take place all over the city. Visitors coming to the Fringe can expect more than 2,500 performances at roughly 250 different venues around the city, often attracting big-name comedians. Even many of the small villages surrounding the city have weekly markets, traditional customs and themed seasonal events, some dating back literally hundreds of years.

National Public Holidays

• 1st January - New Year's Day / Hogmanay
• Good Friday / Easter Monday - late March or early April
• Spring holiday - Monday mid-April
• First Monday in May - May Day
• Last Monday in May - Victoria Day (Edinburgh only)
• Last Monday in August
• Autumn holiday - Monday in mid-September
• 25th December - Christmas Day
• 26th December - Boxing Day

(If Christmas Day, Boxing Day or New Year's Day falls on a Saturday or Sunday, the next weekday becomes a public holiday in Edinburgh).

Edinburgh Calendar of Festivals and Events 2014 / 2015

January

• Hogmanay - December 31st / January 1st - celebrations throughout Scotland to celebrate the arrival of the new year, including a large street party in central Edinburgh
• Tha Ba' - January 1st, two teams chase each others and a ball until one team reaches its goal, in Kirkwall, Orkney
• Up Hellu Aa - last Tuesday in January, this popular festival takes place in Shetland
• Burns Night - late January, suppers are held to remember Robbie Burns, Scotland's best-loved bard and poet. This historic event dates back more than 200 years

April

• Edinburgh International Science Festival - early April, this two-week science fest is held in around 20 venues and features many interactive events
• Rugby Sevens - a popular seven-a-side rugby tournament held close to Edinburgh area
• Beltane Fire Festival - late April, with a large fire, painted bodies, drumming and dancing, attracts around 15,000 spectators in the Calton Hill area of Edinburgh

May

• Edinburgh Independent Radical Book Fair - mid-May, this event is held over a weekend and usually takes place in the Assembly Rooms on George Street
• Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival - four days of distillery tours and whisky tasting are held in Speyside
• Scottish FA Cup Final - the deciding football match in Scotland's premier football tournament is held in Hampden Park in nearby Glasgow
• Scottish International Children's Theatre Festival - late-May, this week-long event features some of Scotland's best children's theatre companies performing in various venues
• Orkney Folk Festival - concerts, workshops and general festivities, held in Orkney, which is around 2.5 hours from Edinburgh

June

• Riding of the Marches - June to August, with horse riding, parades and brass bands, commemorating the historic conflict with England and the small towns in the Borders area of Scotland
• Meadows Festival - first weekend in June, this weekend-long event takes place in the Meadows area of the city
• Pride Scotia (formerly Pride Scotland) - mid-June, held over a weekend, this gay pride fest includes many celebrations and parties
• West End Festival - two weeks of music and arts events are held during June in and around nearby Glasgow
• Edinburgh Royal Highland Show - Scotland's national agricultural show, draws thousands of visitors

July

• Glasgow International Jazz and Blues Festival - jazz players from around the world celebrate 'The Blues' in nearby Glasgow
• T in the Park - mid-July, this is Scotland's largest music festival, featuring many world-famous bands and takes place in Perthshire

August

• Edinburgh Military Tattoo - with pageantry and military displays throughout August
• Fringe Festival - mid-August to early September, this international arts fest runs for around three weeks, first held in 1947
• Edinburgh International Festival - mid-August to early September, with many theatrical performances at venues around the city
• Edinburgh International Film Festival - late-August, the film fest attracts large crowds and is held in various locations in the city for two weeks
• Book Festival - late August, this two-week celebration of literature is not to be missed
• World Pipe Band Championships - a gathering of around 100 bagpipe bands in nearby Glasgow

September

• Edinburgh Mela - early September, this is Scotland's biggest multicultural event, when over 40,000 people gather in Pilrig Park
• Braemar Gathering - with kilts, cabers, bagpipes and many games, this event is held throughout Scotland
• Doors Open Day - late September, many of the city's finest private buildings open their doors to the public

October

• Royal National Mod - a largely competitive Gaelic music fest held in various locations in and around Edinburgh

November

• Bonfire Night - early November, with large bonfires and impressive fireworks displays, as well as numerous private parties

December

• Edinburgh Capital Christmas Festival - with live entertainment, family events and other attractions, to celebrate the arrival of the Christmas season
• Night Afore Fiesta - late December, a warm up to the city's famed Hogmanay New Year's Eve party