Rampant Scotland Directory! Special events from Highland Games to concerts are listed on this page. Regular events, such as Festivals and Theatres have their own separate pages.
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This is a large section within the "Arts" page of Rampant Scotland detailing the Web sites of all the major and many of the minor festivals which take place across Scotland.
Part of the much larger Tourist Board site, this is the area where they list forthcoming events, month by month. This is the extensive events guide section of a large site designed to help you organise your visit to Scotland.
These pages give a very good list of live music events in pubs and clubs around Scotland for the current month. Highlands and Islands Arts Ltd (HI Arts) is an independent company limited by guarantee with charitable status, established in 1990 to promote and develop the arts in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland. The site has an active map and site search for art and entertainment events across the Highlands - including the Screen Machine, the mobile cinema for the Highlands and Islands of Scotland, delivering new movies on the move in some of the most rural and remote communities of Scotland. Traditional Music Sessions is a collection point for sessions (pub-based gathering of musicians) around Scotland. Lists the events and locations and links where available. Skyelive is a listing of live music events on the Isle of Skye (though extension to the other Western Isles is planned so that the site can become the definitive guide to live music on the Islands). Whatshappeningon.com brings together a wide range of Scottish events and attractions into a one place, where you can search by date, place and type of activity. Whether it’s watching or playing sport, visual or performing arts, wildlife and nature or some other activity - whatshappeningon.com should be able to find something to suit you. Whatshappeningon is run by professional people living in Scotland who are passionate about what the country has to offer its visitors and residents. And if you are involved in organising events, whatshappeningon.com is a great promotional channel, allowing you to post events quickly and easily and publish them to a global audience. Features contributions from Scots around the world bringing you news of every Scottish band or artist when they go on tour outside the UK. Also regular articles about Scottish sport and the Scottish life, including: This Week’s Gigs; all the latest news on the Scottish entertainment scene, actor news; a random look at the history of Scottish music; articles on Scottish Football and photographs of Scotland taken in the gloaming (as the sun goes down). The section of the Timeout site covers a range of clubs and theatres and concerts in the Capital. Designed to give you a quick guide to some of the best nights out in Glasgow. It covers pubs and clubs in particular but also cinema and live music.
SECC in Glasgow is Scotland's national venue for public events. It's also the UK's largest integrated exhibition and conference centre. The site provides a comprehensive review of forthcoming events at the SECC and an online Booking Service for all events not just at the SECC but also a selection of events elsewhere in Glasgow. This is guide to the underground and music scene in Glasgow Scotland, offering an online community for DJs, electronic music artists, and sound designers, promoting the work of Scottish music artists to the world wide web. There's a rundown on the various DJs about town as well as samples of the latest house, jungle, hip hop, dance, garage, funk, ambient and trance vinyl and records. There is also a 'whats on' section for a rundown on all of Glasgows clubs and pubs. The site requires the Flash 5 plugin. Throughout September members of the public get a unique once a year chance to visit some of Scotland's most interesting buildings completely free of charge. This site lists the participating venues across the country. In September Transclyde Music and “The Big F” brings some of the guitar’s finest exponents to the beautiful Isle Of Bute. Part of the Scotland’s Islands initiative which is a year long programme of events designed to raise awareness of island culture, heritage and the environment. The Royal Highland Show site gives details of the multipurpose venue. The annualAgricultural Show at the end of June is Scotland's largest outdoor event with a wide variety of entertainment, over 4,000 livestock entries and a full countryside programme including a large food hall. And throughout the year there are other events, exhibitions and indoor shows. This is regarded as the premier event in the Highland Games calendar in Scotland - perhaps in part because the Monarch attends for at least part of the time as Chieftain of the Braemar Gathering. It is claimed that there have been Gatherings at Braemar since the days of King Malcolm Canmore, nine hundred years ago. But the Gathering as we know it has been organised by the Braemar Royal Highland Society since 1810. It is always held on the first Saturday in September. There are international athletes, pipers and dancers, a Hill Race up Morrone and massed pipe bands.
The National Museum of Scotland has a packed programme of events throughout the year. Some such as introductory tours of the galleries are available more or less on a daily basis and others are special events which run for a given period or annual events which come round on a regular basis. See the link above for a calendar of showing the details of all that is available every day. Organised by the Turriff District Agricultural Association, this is a two day event, held on the Sunday, Monday before the first Tuesday in August. It has been running since 1864 and is probably the largest two-day agricultural show in Scotland. Top livestock producers and horse and pony exhibitors are much in evidence and there are over 250 trade stands, including a renowned food fayre.
50 years after the Cuban Missile Crisis, the National Museum of Flight will take you back in time to experience what life was like in the middle of the Cold War. The museum at Esast Fortune is on an airfield that played an important role during the Cold War, with the aircraft hangars you can still see today being used as storage for emergency supplies. Its runways were also extended with the intention of transforming the site into a US military base. With guided tours around the site, featuring the Vulcan and Britain’s own attempt at creating a nuclear warhead delivery system, Blue Streak. Photographs and newsreels from the era, reconstructed nuclear air raid shelters and 1960s memorabilia. Runs from Saturday 11th February to Sunday 19th February 2012. A traditional music festival in Grantown-on-Spey with not only performers presenting a mixture of up-and-coming young musicians together with seasoned and renowned artists, but also a range of tuition workshops with the addition of clarsach, bazouki, step dance, songwriting and accompaniment. Culross Festival, Fife, has built up an enviable reputation and now attracts the highest standard of artists to come and perform blues, opera, drama, folk, dance, comedy, jazz, theatre. It takes place in early June each year at The Stables Festival Hub. This is one of Scotlands newest Independent film festivals and in 2011 is back for its 2nd year and will be screening shorts to feature films such as Dog Soldiers, Toy Story 3, One Day Removals and the Cowboy Court. All tickets can be purchased via the site via debit/credit card or simply pay on the door.
Kirkcudbright Summer Festivities website contains details of the events held in Kirkcudbright during the summer. Individual events include a Music Festival, Jazz Festival, Medieval Fayre, Children's Festival, Pipe Band Night, Scottish Nights, Wicker Man Festival, Vikings, Vintage Cars and Tattoo.
In the 18th century Crieff was a major crossing point for the Highland drovers taking their cattle to market in central Scotland. This walking festival in October commemorates those days with activities which range from a brisk hike up a hill or a ramble in the valley to climbing the local Munros - or a creepy crawly walk for children. There is also live street theatre, live music, a ceilidh, pipe bands and a farmer's market. You can even take part in abseiling, weaving, spinning and glassblowing or savor Strathearn's colourful whisky history. Sounds like fun! This music festival is held each October in this village on the North West Coast of Scotland. Venue is the Royal Hotel and the event is spread over three days.
House Folk Music Festival brings you three nights of Scottish music performed by top artists in highly unusual and intimate venues. The concerts take place every year in autumn in the village of Kinlochard situated in the Trossachs. The concerts offer an expo of bagpipe, accordion, strings, fiddle, vocals and flute music fusing traditional and contemporary Scottish styles that have influenced the music scene around the globe. Each night differs from the other but all include a blend of great music for everyone with a mix of folk and traditional styles! Hogmanay is a highlight of the Scottish calendar and this site has a round-up of Hogmanay celebrations in Edinburgh and Glasgow as well as elsewhere in Scotland. Other Hogmanay sites include Biggar with its Hogmanay bonfire. Stonehaven goes one better with the swinging of the fireballs, a tradition which has been followed for around 100 years. Festive Family Fun at the Seamill Hydro Hotel and Family Resort from 1st December into early January with With Christmas attractions and events to suit children of all ages. The event is free to enter, simply buy tokens and use them for whatever attractions you want to. Some of the events and attractions could be very busy so it is recommend booking on-line in advance. For small children, Santa is on hand in his magical ice palace grotto and there is a giant bouncy castle in Rudolph’s play room. For the slightly older youngsters there is a giant Helter Skelter or the gentle classic carousel in the Victorian Fair. For the bigger kids there is Rockin’ Rudolph ride and an outdoor ice skating rink. Plus a pantomimes every weekend throughout December. St Andrew's Day (30 Novenber) is probably celebrated more by Scots abroad than in Scotland itself but that situation is changing as interest grows in all things Scottish. The St Andrews Day Rally in Edinburgh began in 2003 with a march led by a pipe band along Princes Street. The Web site has a history of both St Andrew and the Saltire flag, possibly the oldest national flag in the world. Thomas Hiscoe and Sons provide waltzers, dodgems, twists, skydivers, speedway, dive bombers, big wheels, coasters, ghost trains for funfairs around the country. The site has a timetable of where they will be around Scotland, and when. This is the site of the 'World Porridge Making Championship' which has been running since 1994. In addition to providing details of the event, the 'Porridge' page has recipes including the current champion's tips and the Porridge & Oatmeal Thesaurus. ("Spurtle" is the Scots word for the wooden spoon traditionally used to stir the porridge).
The fair takes place in the grounds of Scone Palace, Perthshire towards the end of September. The event attracts people who come to enjoy and learn from the displays and demonstrations, try their hand in the many competitions and events and shop at more than 250 trade stands.
North of Scotland's best known Exhibition and Conference Centre for music, events, conferences, exhibitions. Part of the Scottish Tourist Board site, the Convention Bureau assist organisers of conferences to plan for their event in Scotland. The site provides a point of contact, information on 240 venues of various sizes and locations and further brochures are obtainable, on request. A family run business, specialising in marquees combined and personal service. All types and styles of marquees are catered for from small parties to large corporate affairs. A full range of ancillary services is also offered from tables/chairs to full Event Support.
Alba Games is an unofficial guide for anyone interested in the throwing events (Heavy Events) at Highland Games held in Scotland. There is information on future events and results from previous years and a growing library of pictures. Beach Celtic Festival, Toronto, Canada take place in mid-September at Kew Gardens, The Beaches, Toronto. Entry is free and there's Highland Dancers, a celebration of Scottish and Irish Music, the Old Comrades of the 48th Highlanders and pipes and drums - of course! Bundadoon Highland Gathering in the village of Bundadoon (sometimes referred to as "Brigadoon" for obvious reasons) in New South Wales, Australia has earned an enviable reputation over nearly 30 years as the premier site for hosting in April each year a traditional Highland Games. The street parade features 20 Pipe Bands from all over the State as well as decorated floats and marching Clan Societies. There are over 150 specialist stalls with Scottish food ands memorabilia, a full programme of Highland and Scottish Country dancing, heavy events - and a Ceilidh in the evening for those with energy left. Caledonian Club of San Francisco Scottish Highland Gathering and Games has been running for over 130 years. The event takes place at the Labor Day weekend in Pleasanton, California. It incorporates the Scottish Athletics World Championships. Central Florida Highland Games have a number of interesting activities including handfasting, the Battle of Bannockburn re-enacted, and all the traditional events which we all love and enjoy. They also have a new-look "Royal Mile"!! Grandfather Mountain Highland Games are famous the world over. Highlands of Durham is a 4 day Highland Games and Celtic Celebration in Port Perry and Uxbridge, Ontario, Canada. There is a Military Tattoo and Massed Band Ceremony and Ceilidh and the heavy games include the caber toss, stone and hammer throws and a tug-o-war competition. The burning of the Viking Ship is the grand finale to these games. Jacksonville Highland Games take place in Florida which must make it warm work tossing that caber! Events in the Kalamazoo Scottish Festival in Michigan include a Ceilidh, athletics, Scottish dancing and, of course, pipe bands. There are also demonstrations of spinning and weaving. Kincardine Scottish Festival and Highland Games is held at the end of July in Victoria Park, Kincardine, Ontario, Canada on the shores of Lake Huron. It starts with a golf tournament and there is a clan parade, piping and highland dancing. To promote the event, they have declared Fridays as "Tartan Fridays" and a Tartan Patrol checks business and people on their use of tartan. Mallaig & Morar Highland Games take place at Traigh Farm, Arisaig. Also included in this site is information on anything you would need to know about the local area if you wished to travel to see the beautiful scenic landscape associated with the villages of Mallaig and Morar, such as the Silver Sands of Morar, and the journey from Fort William to Mallaig, also known as The Road To The Isles. Northeast Florida Scottish Games and Festival have been bringing a "wee bit o’ Scotland" to the Northeast Florida area for over 15 years, featuring athletics, music, food and fun of the games (Pub crawls, Kirkin of the Tartan, Kilted Golf Tournamant, etc..). The games are always on the last Saturday of February at the Clay County Fair grounds, in beautiful Green Cove Springs, Florida @ 2497 State Road 16 West. The Pacific Northwest Scottish Highland Games and Clan Gathering is held at King County Fairgrounds, Enumclaw, Washington. The Scottish Tourist Board provides a search engine for Highland games and Gathering Events in Scotland. Select the month, year and category of event in an area and the technology does the rest. Williamsburg Scottish Festival and Celtic Celebration takes place at the Williamsburg Winery in September. There are clan tents, dance competitions, Celtic folk bands, pipe bands, sheepdogs in action, and a ceilidh towards sunset.
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Where else would you like to go in Scotland?
