Glasgow Life announces 2025 Summer of Events programme
The summer festivities will kick off with the Glasgow Mela on Sunday, June 22, in Kelvingrove Park.
READ MORE: Ally McCoist dubbed 'Scotland's James Bond' after Easter posts
The city's signature multicultural festival, the Mela, will showcase an eclectic mix of music, dance, and arts, featuring performers from Glasgow, across Scotland, and around the world.
Acts already confirmed include Gtown Desi, Saloni, and Maya Lakhani.
Alongside the main stage performances, visitors can sample a range of international cuisine and take part in sporting activities such as kabaddi, volleyball, tennis, and pickleball.
Kelvingrove Bandstand will host panel discussions and workshops exploring themes like health and wellbeing through the arts, music and memory, and the role of South Asian artists in experimental practices.
(Image: Kris Kesiak) A special collaboration with Glasgow Life Museums' Intercultural Youth Group will also be featured during the event.
Following the Mela, the spotlight will shift to the Merchant City Festival, which returns from Friday, July 18, to Sunday, July 20.
Transforming the heart of the city into a hub of live music, performance, circus, and dance, this year's theme, Fair: Play, celebrates Glasgow's traditional Fair Fortnight.
The festival will include programming from Scotland's children's theatre agency Imaginate, outdoor arts collective Surge Festival, and Bridgeman Arts.
Newly commissioned street performances from Scotland, England, Ireland, and Wales will debut as part of the Four Nations bursary programme.
In celebration of Glasgow's 850th anniversary as a Burgh, this year's festival will launch with a mass participation ceilidh, blending tradition and celebration in true Glaswegian style.
READ MORE: Glaswegians warned of holiday chaos as mass protests planned at hotspot
The summer will come to a rousing close with the World Pipe Band Championships, taking place at Glasgow Green on Friday, August 15, and Saturday, August 16.
The event will see the best pipers and drummers from around the globe compete for the prestigious world title.
Running alongside the championships will be Piping Live!, Scotland's largest piping festival, which will take place from August 11 to 17, featuring performances, competitions, and cultural events throughout the city.
(Image: Alan Harvey - SNS Group) Billy Garrett, director of culture, tourism, and events at Glasgow Life, said the summer programme is a cornerstone of the city's cultural calendar.
He said: 'There is a lot to get excited about in Glasgow this summer, with the Mela, Merchant City Festival and World Pipe Band Championships promising fantastic days out and a chance to make unforgettable memories with family and friends.
"Our Summer of Events programme is central to the city's cultural events calendar and helps to improve people's mental, physical and economic wellbeing by offering something fun for everyone to enjoy.'
READ MORE: Cult-favourite Glasgow sandwich spot to join city's new food hub
The Glasgow Mela and Merchant City Festival were among seven successful applications by Glasgow Life for Creative Scotland's Multi-Year Funding for 2025 to 2028.
On January 30, Creative Scotland confirmed that the Mela will receive £50,000 in 2025–26, with total funding of £169,100 across three years.
This year's Merchant City Festival will benefit from £62,834 in funding, with a total award of £227,167 over the same period.
Glasgow's 2025 Summer of Events is shaping up to be a season to remember. To keep up with the latest announcements and full event details, residents and visitors alike are encouraged to subscribe to the Glasgow Life newsletter.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Western Telegraph
an hour ago
- Western Telegraph
Rylan Clark calls for more stories about transgender people amid ‘wave of hate'
In an appearance at the Edinburgh TV Festival, Clark, 36, who has presented on This Morning and Big Brother's Bit On The Side, spoke about the adversity LGBT+ people can face, as well as his own experience growing up gay. He said: 'I feel that there is a mass wave of hate just sweeping the community, especially trans people at the moment. Rylan Clark was speaking at the Edinburgh TV Festival (Ian West/PA) 'There's a lot of people that are talking about bathrooms and spaces and things like this and people are just being tarnished with the same brush.' The presenter explained there is a mindset that because one transgender person does something bad 'that means all trans people are awful people'. He said: 'Trans people … they're going through a wave of hate at the minute, and I think there is space to show real stories, real trans people. 'A lot of people out there think trans people are the enemy, f*** me. 'I'd like you to walk a mile in their shoes and see who the real enemy is out there to people, because the stories that I know of friends of mine and people that I've grown up with, transitions are awful, absolutely awful.' Over the Easter period, the Supreme Court declared that the words 'woman' and 'sex' in the Equality Act refer to a biological woman and biological sex. The Equality And Human Rights Commission's interim update on the implications of the judgment said transgender people should not use toilets and other services of the gender they identify as. Trans rights protests took place across the country following the ruling and celebrities showed their support by signing an open letter in solidarity with transgender people. At the end of July, the London Trans Pride saw a record-breaking turnout of about 100,000 people, making it 'the largest Trans Pride event in history', according to organisers. Clark said he does not want or need Pride but added that the annual celebratory event is needed because of the way LGBT+ people are treated. Rylan Clark spoke to actor Russell Tovey (Ian West/PA) At the Scottish TV event, the BBC Radio 2 presenter spoke to actor Russell Tovey and the two reflected on their respective experiences growing up gay in Essex. Speaking about a nightclub he would go to as a young man, Tovey said: 'It was a really important safe space, which I didn't realise at the time how important that was. 'And now you hear about so many safe spaces disappearing for so many queer people, and the importance of that, of somewhere where you can relax and be amongst the people who understand you. 'The disappearances of those is dangerous.'
Glasgow Times
2 hours ago
- Glasgow Times
Band to host Glasgow gigs to celebrate two iconic albums
Belle and Sebastian will celebrate three decades of Tigermilk and If You're Feeling Sinister by performing the beloved albums in full during a series of two-night stands at classic venues across the UK, Europe, the US, Canada, and Mexico. As part of the shows, the band, founded in Glasgow in 1994, will perform at the Kelvingrove Bandstand on June 26 and 27, 2026. READ MORE: Legendary British 90s band announced Glasgow concert READ MORE: Rock band added extra Glasgow gig date due to 'demand' Both of the records, Tigermilk and If You're Feeling Sinister, were released in 1996. (Image: Anna Isola Crolla) Since then, they have attained 'mythic status' - 'greatest of all time' - with songs from them spending decades 'populating mixtapes and playlists. Currently, the Scottish indie pop group consists of Stuart Murdoch, Stevie Jackson, Sarah Martin, Chris Geddes, Richard Colbrum, Bobby Kildea, and Dave McGowan. They are known for their tunes, including The Boy With the Arab Strap, Get Me Away from Here, I'm Dying, Piazza, New York Catcher, Sleep the Clock Around, and Another Sunny Day. READ MORE: Popular rock band announced exciting Glasgow concert Tickets for the band's Glasgow concert will go on sale from Friday, August 22, at 10am.
Scotsman
3 hours ago
- Scotsman
Belle and Sebastian Kelvingrove Bandstand Presales: How to bag tickets for the band's two 2026 Glasgow gigs
Belle and Sebastian have two homecoming dates with Glasgow. | Getty Images The much-loved Scottish indie band are marking two big birthdays. Sign up to our Arts and Culture newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Next year wilk mark the 30th anniversary of Belle & Sebastian's first two albums - Tigermilk and If You're Feeling Sinister. To mark the occasion they are heading out on a tour playing each venue on two consecutive nights - playing Tigermilk in full and other favourites on the first, and If You're Feeling Sinister and other songs on the second. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad They'll be playing shows across Europe and North American before returning home to Glasgow for two final gigs that should be pretty special. Here's what you need to know. When are Belle & Sebastian playing Glasgow? The band will be playing Glasgow's Kelvingrove Bandstand on Friday, June 26, and Saturday, June 27, 2026. Doors will be at 6.30pm. Where else are Belle & Sebastian playing? Belle & Sebastian will be playing the following other shows on their UK and Ireland tour: April 4 and 5: 3Olympia Theatre, Dublin Apr 8 and 9: Royal Albert Hall, London April 11 and 12: Albert Hall, Manchester When can I buy tickets for Belle & Sebastian's Glasgow shows? Tickets go on sale to the general public at 10am on Friday, August 22, here. Are there any presales for Bad Omens in Glasgow? As has become standard, there are a few presales available. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad There will be a fan presale starting at 10am on Wednesday, August 20, from 10am. To get a code, just sign up to the band's mailing list here. There will also be a Spotify presale - so if you follow and regularly listen to the band on the streaming service you should be sent a code to access tickets from 10am on Thursday, August 21, from 10am. How much are tickets to see Belle & Sebastian in Glasgow? The price of tickets has not yet been announced, but tickets for gigs at the Kelvingrove Bandstand tend to cost between £40 and £50 - so expect it to be around that. We'll update this article as soon as prices become available on Wednesday. Who is supporting Belle & Sebastian at the Kelvingrove Bandstand? No support has been announced for the Belle & Sebastian gigs - watch this space. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Are there any age restrictions for Belle & Sebastian at the Kelvingrove Bandstand? It's over 14s only for the gig and everybody under the age of 16 must be accompanied by an adult over the age of 18. What will Belle & Sebastian be playing at their Glasgow Hydro gig? Belle and Sebastian will be playing their first two albums in full at the gigs so these songs are all guaranteed to make the setlist on the two nights - with a second set of other songs being played after. Night one The State I Am In Expectations She's Losing It You're Just a Baby Electronic Renaissance I Could Be Dreaming We Rule the School My Wandering Days Are Over I Don't Love Anyone Mary Jo Night two The Stars of Track and Field Seeing Other People Me and the Major Like Dylan in the Movies The Fox in the Snow Get Me Away from Here, I'm Dying If You're Feeling Sinister Mayfly The Boy Done Wrong Again Judy and the Dream of Horse --- --
