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, contact the Visit Britain office.
- 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 across Europe
2015
December 31–January 2: Hogmanay (Scottish New Year’s, with music, street theater, carnival)
January 1: New Year’s Day (closures)
January 2: New Year’s Holiday (closures)
January 25: Burns’ Night (poetry readings, haggis...whisky)
April 3–5: Easter weekend (Good Friday through Easter Sunday; closures)
May 4: Early May Bank Holiday
May 25: Spring Bank Holiday
June 18–21: Royal Highland Show (Scottish-flavored county fair, Edinburgh)
August 3: Summer Bank Holiday
August: Edinburgh Military Tattoo (massing of military bands, Edinburgh)
August: Edinburgh International Festival (music, dance, shows)
August: Edinburgh Fringe Festival (offbeat theater and comedy)
August 27–29: Cowal Highland Gathering, west of Glasgow in Dunoon
September 5: Braemar Gathering, north of Pitlochry
November 5: Guy Fawkes Night (fireworks, bonfires, effigy-burning of 1605 traitor Guy Fawkes)
November 30: St. Andrew’s Day (national day; ceilidh dancing and other cultural events; bank-holiday closures)
December 24–26: Christmas holidays (closures)
December 31–January 2: Hogmanay (Scottish New Year’s, with music, street theater, carnival)