Events in Scotland

Major Events in Scotland for 2025

Rick Steve is a great resource of tourist information for Scotland

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 18–20: Easter weekend (Good Friday through Easter Sunday; closures)

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)

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 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)

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)