Scottish Cities Alliance

As the longer days and brighter weather arrive, it’s time to look forward to a selection of festivals in our cities that will celebrate the very best of Scotland’s culture. Festivals, beyond their intrinsic cultural value, serve as to draw investment, revenue, and footfall, while also nurturing community engagement and fostering local pride.

When you talk about summer festivals in Scotland, most people will naturally think about Edinburgh, and the city’s annual Fringe Festival, which will see world-class comedians, actors, artists and authors share the city stage with thousands of international visitors, providing a major boost to the nation’s economy.

But although our capital city may be host to the best-known festivals, there are lots of other exciting events happening across the country.

In Aberdeen, from June 6th to 9th, Aberdeen Inspired presents the NuArt Festival. The award-winning and internationally renowned street art festival has secured some of the most acclaimed and upcoming street artists, who will transform parts of the city centre, with street art and murals celebrating this year’s theme ‘Living Heritage’.

Meanwhile in Stirling, there will be plenty to think about at the Festival of Research, 20th-21st May. The event, which takes place in May, will feature leading academics sharing their knowledge about the world of research in a series of talks and seminars at the University of Stirling.

In Inverness, The Gathering Festival, June 1st, will celebrate the best of Highland culture, and food and drink at the city’s Bught Park. It will feature popular Scottish band Skerryvore as the headline act on June 1, with many more musical acts taking centre stage.

Meanwhile, in Dunfermline, June 1st-2nd, the return of the Bruce Festival for the first time since the pandemic will attract thousands of visitors to Pittencrieff Park. The two-day event at the start of June will mark the 750th anniversary of the birth of Robert the Bruce and it will feature staged battles and historical reenactments that will bring an important part of Scotland’s history to life.

And in Perth, the Perth Festival of the Arts, 22nd May-1st June, this summer will feature a wide range of comedy, music and theatre events, and will include acts as varied as comedian Rory Bremner and the Czech National Symphony Orchestra.

Meanwhile, the Glasgow International Festival of Contemporary Art June 7th-23rd will feature a selection of art exhibitions, performances and social gatherings that will bring high-quality cultural experiences to the people of Scotland’s biggest city.

In Dundee, the Dundee Design Festival, 23rd – 29th September, will celebrate the work of more than 100 designers and showcase the work they do on a local, national and international level.The event in September will pay tribute to 10 years of Dundee’s status as the UK’s only UNESCO City of Design. It takes place at the Michelin Scotland Innovation Parc and will feature free exhibitions and activities, with the festival being powered by clean and renewable energy. Its ambition is to be one of the world’s most sustainable design events.

As these festivals unfold across our cities, they not only showcase Scotland’s cultural prowess but also economic vitality and sense of community.