Upcoming Holidays and Festivals in Scotland
- Before planning a trip around a festival, verify the festival dates on the festival's website or with a local tourist information office. For more information about these and other events, see the sites for Visit Scotland and Visit Britain.
- This list includes major festivals in Edinburgh, plus national holidays observed throughout Scotland. Many sights and banks close down on national holidays — keep it in mind when planning your itinerary. Note that this isn't a complete list; holidays can strike without warning.
- See upcoming holidays and festivals in England, Wales, and across Europe
2024
December 25: Christmas Day (closures)
December 31–January 2, 2025: Hogmanay (Scottish New Year's, with music, street theater, carnival — most notably in Edinburgh)
2025
January 1–2: New Year's Day and New Year's Holiday (continued Hogmanay celebrations; closures)
January 25: Burns' Night (poetry readings, haggis…whisky)
January 28: Up Helly Aa, Shetland Islands (Viking-inspired festival with torch processions and a burning galley)
April 5–20: Edinburgh Science Festival
April 18–20: Easter weekend (Good Friday through Easter Sunday; closures)
April 5–20: Edinburgh Science Festival
April 30: Beltane Fire Festival, Edinburgh (dancing, bonfire)
May 5: Early May Bank Holiday
May 26: Spring Bank Holiday
June 19–22: Royal Highland Show, Edinburgh (Scottish-flavored county fair)
June 27–29: Scottish Traditional Boat Festival, Portsoy (east of Inverness)
July 11–20: Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival
August 1–23: Edinburgh Military Tattoo, Edinburgh (massing of military bands)
August 1–24: Edinburgh International Festival (music, dance, shows)
August 1–25: Edinburgh Fringe Festival (offbeat theater and comedy)
August 4: Summer Bank Holiday
August 9–24: Edinburgh International Book Festival
August 14–20 (likely): Edinburgh International Film Festival
August 28–30: Cowal Highland Gathering, west of Glasgow in Dunoon
August 30–September 7: Largs Viking Festival (west of Glasgow)
September 6: Braemar Gathering, north of Pitlochry
October 10–18: Royal National Mòd, Lochaber (Gaelic cultural festival)
October 17–30 (likely): Scottish International Storytelling Festival, Edinburgh
November 5: Bonfire Night (a.k.a. Guy Fawkes Night; fireworks, bonfires, effigy-burning of 1605 traitor Guy Fawkes)
November 9: Remembrance Sunday (two minutes of silence at 11:00 to remember WWI dead, people wear poppies on lapels)
November 30: St. Andrew's Day (national day; ceilidh dancing and other cultural events)
December 2: St. Andrew's Day observance (bank-holiday closures)
December 25: Christmas Day (closures)
December 31–January 2, 2026: Hogmanay (Scottish New Year's, with music, street theater, carnival — most notably in Edinburgh)