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Daily Record
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
Scotland's top 10 unique summer 2025 events including music and food festivals
From the Borders Book Festival to Kelburn Garden Party, there's plenty to keep Scots busy in summer Now that June has begun, festival season in Scotland has officially started. From food fairs to music festivals, summertime is jam-packed in Scotland. Over the coming months, there will be one-of-a-kind festivals taking place in every corner of the country. Whether you are in the Scottish Borders or the Outer Hebrides, you won't be far from at least one—and they are all worth travelling for too. In honour of the beginning of summer, VisitScotland has rounded up 10 of the best unique events taking place across the country between June and September. Book festivals, live music by the sea, and dog shows with a twist are just a few of the highlights. Read on for 10 one-of-a-kind events in Scotland this summer. More information about each one can be found on the VisitScotland website. Outer Hebrides Wildlife Festival, 1-28 June All throughout June, the Outer Hebrides will be celebrating its one-of-a-kind wildlife and natural beauty through the community-led Outer Hebrides Wildlife Festival. It will feature everything from guided walks and boat tours to nature writing workshops and Gaelic sessions. According to VisitScotland, the Outer Hebrides Wildlife Festival presents an opportunity to immerse yourself in the region's jaw-dropping landscapes. During the festival, you will have the opportunity to spot animals such as sea eagles, puffins, dolphins, and whales. Borders Book Festival, 12-15 June 2025 Based at Harmony Garden in Melrose in the heart of the Scottish Borders, the Borders Book Festival is a four-day event dedicated to all things literary. The festival will be hosting more than 100 events, from author talks and comedy shows to a dedicated family book festival. Whether you are a book fanatic or not, it is an absolute must-visit. Alongside the literary lineup, there will be health and wellbeing sessions, as well as live performances from talented local artists and musicians. Leith Festival, 14-22 June 2025 Edinburgh's buzzy Leith district will be playing host to a week-long festival that dates all the way back to 1907. All about local pride and community, the Leith Festival is put on by and for the people of Leith. Beginning with a Gala Day, the festival will feature a number of stalls from local makers and artists—as well as live music and even a dog show. During the week, there will be no shortage of opportunities to get involved. East Neuk Festival, 25-29 June 2025 The East Neuk of Fife is widely regarded as one of Scotland's most picturesque regions. It features scenic villages and towns such as Crail, Anstruther, Kilrenny, St Monans, and Elie. The East Neuk Festival will bring an eclectic lineup of music to Fife's chapels, halls and harbours. Throughout the week, classical, jazz, folk and experimental artists will all take to the stage. Kelburn Garden Party, 3-7 July Based in the magical grounds of a painted 13th-century castle along Scotland's west coast, Kelburn Garden Party is an arts festival unlike any other. The festival is an amazing blend of music, visual art, performance, and nature. Easily accessed from Glasgow, the festival features hidden forest stages and fascinating installations. Each year, it brings together a loyal and diverse crowd from near and far. Dornoch Beer and Music Festival, 26 July Based in the scenic Sutherland town of Dornoch, the Dornoch Beer and Music Festival brings together music, family fun, and of course craft beer. There will be more than 100 beers and ciders on tap, as well as lineup of live performances including the Red Hot Chilli Pipers. There will also be plenty for younger festival-goers to get up to. From bouncy castles to face painting, there will be fun for everyone. Fringe by the Sea, 1-10 August 2025 Across 10 days at the start of August, Fringe by the Sea will bring approximately 250 events to the idyllic seaside town of North Berwick. Expect music, comedy, literature, film, family fun, and much more Meanwhile, visitors to Fringe by the Sea will be able to enjoy some world-class cuisine at its Street Food Village. There will also be a Makers' Market, filled with crafts, local produce, and one-of-a-kind finds. Galloway Country Fair, 9-10 August 2025 Based at the instantly recognisable pink Drumlanrig Castle, the Galloway Country Fair is ideal for those after something a bit different. The fair is also a great place to take part in some good old-fashioned outdoor fun. Visitors to Galloway Country Fair can expect a blend of country sports, bird of prey displays, family-friendly activities, and much more. Among the highlights will be an entertaining show starring skilled dogs and a team of determined Indian Runner ducks. Rising North Festival, 15-17 August Rising North Festival will return to Shetland this August with an even bigger programme all about homegrown talent and live music. The festivities will kick off in Lerwick on Thursday, before building up to two nights of action at Clickimin Leisure Centre. The 2025 lineup for Rising North Festival will include rising Scottish star Callum Beattie, as well as whole host of talented local artists. The festival will wrap up with a laid-back finale at the Mareel multi-purpose entertainment venue on the Sunday. Stranraer Oyster Festival, 12-14 September 2025 Finally, the Stranraer Oyster Festival will wrap up the summer with a jam-packed weekend. There will be tasty food, local culture, and lots for families to enjoy. Dedicated to seafood and coastal culture, the main highlight will be the Scottish Oyster Shucking Championships. However, there will also be live cooking demos from top chefs, music, markets, and more.
Scotsman
28-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Scotsman
Throwing the book (festival) at John Swinney
Nicola Sturgeon and Val McDermid at a book event in December First Minister John Swinney is fast following in Nicola Sturgeon's footsteps and becoming a mainstay at book festivals, but he has a long way to go before he matches Sturgeon's appearances. Sign up to our daily newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, 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... No book festival is safe from her, and she is happy to venture as far south as Sussex to promote herself. But the First Minister is catching up. Last year, he appeared at the Edinburgh International Book Festival with his Welsh counterpart Mark Drakeford to discuss 25 years of devolution, and this year he is heading to the Borders Book Festival, where he will talk about his life in books. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The blurb for the event breathlessly announced that the First Minister will share the books that 'shaped his thinking, politics and personal life in a rare, revealing conversation.' I cannot wait. Or maybe I can. John Swinney has never in his 25 years in frontline politics suggested that he has anything interesting to say beyond 'Scotland should be independent.' Unlike Nicola Sturgeon, whose memoir Frankly will be published in August, just in time for the Edinburgh Festival, Swinney doesn't even have a book to sell, which begs the question: what is he doing appearing at a book festival? I am not a purist and am quite happy for non-writers such as scientists, actors and even politicians to put in the occasional appearance at book festivals. After all, what John Swinney thinks and does and which books inform his thinking and approach should be of interest. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad He is a powerful man, determined to persuade Scots to leave the UK. I want to know what the man whose main ambition is to break up my country thinks, but I want him to tell me from his seat in the Scottish Parliament, not pay £16 (plus booking fee) to listen to him in a tent. But at least John Swinney is not charging people to meet him before he sits down with interviewer, Michael Moore, a former MP. Nicola Sturgeon is hosting an event in the Usher Hall in October to promote her book and is offering people the chance to meet her beforehand – if they are willing to stump up £75 a head for the privilege. Now that is what I call a brass neck.
Edinburgh Reporter
24-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Edinburgh Reporter
National treasures heading to Borders Book Festival in June
National Treasures will make their way to Harmony Garden in the Scottish Borders in June for one of the best parties in Britain. For four glorious days (12th to 15th June), all roads will lead to Melrose, where the Borders Book Festival will celebrate books and writers, interrogate politics and current affairs, and where festival-goers will have fun and be amazed. The Book Festival's sparkling programme was announced yesterday (Wednesday 23rd April) ahead of tickets going on sale. The diamonds and rubies in the Book Festival's National Treasure chest will include Gavin and Stacey stars Alison Steadman and Larry Lamb who both have new books. Michael Palin will cast his glow, talking about his latest volume of diaries. Stacey Dooley won Strictly! and has also written a superb, moving book on motherhood. Hairy Biker, Si King, needed no second invitation to put on his helmet and roar up the A68 to Melrose. Gifted natural history cameraman, Gordon Buchanan, has written a memoir. Scottish National Treasures Kirsty Wark and Sally Magnusson will recall the good – and bad – bits of 20 years on Newsnight and 27 years on Reporting Scotland. Tanni (Grey Thomson) will meet Sammi (Kinghorn) and talk about gold (medals) and much else with Louise Minchin. And the doyen of crime fiction, Ian Rankin, returns in triumph to Melrose after another number one bestseller. The world is changing at breakneck speed – every day it seems – and this summer, politics and political discourse will be major themes. Now freed from the constraints of government, former cabinet ministers Jeremy Hunt and Michael Gove will tell us what they really think. Journalist, television presenter and author Gavin Esler will talk about how Britain can be better. First Minister, John Swinney, will talk to another former cabinet minister, festival chairman Michael Moore, not about politics but about the books that shaped his thinking. Andrew Marr, Sally Magnusson and Alistair Moffat will discuss the seismic changes in journalism and why they matter. And unique to the festival, available on no other format, Jim Naughtie will unravel what is truly happening in Washington – that day. To mark the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War: Andrew Marr and James Holland will celebrate the Great Generation who sacrificed so much for victory; Tim Bouverie will discuss his superb book on the politics of the allies who defeated Hitler; and, in To See Ourselves, Alistair Moffat charts how the boomer generation radically changed post-war Britain. Inspiring stories from more recent years come from champion British-Kenyan swimmer Rebecca Achieng Ajulu-Bushell, who will share her memoir, These Heavy Black Bones; and unlikely athlete-turned-record-breaker Jessica Hepburn, who describes how she exercised her way out of the heartbreak of eleven failed rounds of IVF and the realisation that she would not be a mother. Also joining the line-up: husband-and-wife duo Chris Brookmyre and Marisa Haetzman as crime sensation Ambrose Parry; and for fans of literary fiction, celebrated novelist Andrew O'Hagan, plus Dacre Stoker and Ellie Zeegen on the legacy of Bram Stoker's 1897 gothic horror novel Dracula; Mairi Kidd joins us with her acclaimed historical novel The Specimens; and Scottish poet, writer and musician Don Paterson and young rising Scottish music star archie add to the eclectic arts line-up. The announcement of the prestigious Walter Scott Prize for Historical Fiction will also be made on the opening evening of the Festival, with six shortlisted international literary talents in contention for the £25,000 prize, previously won by the likes of Dame Hilary Mantel, Sebastian Barry and Robert Harris. Festival Director, Alistair Moffat, said: 'As spring finally wakes us all from the long, dark winter, it gives us such joy to be able to bring to Melrose's idyllic Harmony Garden such a treat for the June diaries. 'This year we will look back at world events eighty years ago, with the end of World War Two, and will also hear direct from some of Britain's brightest minds their reflections on our current world: how it's changed; where it's headed; and what we can do about it. 'But it's not all heavy politics. As ever, our programme is as varied as it is packed, with top-notch storytelling, inspiring sport, well-known faces from the screen, and tales of travel and adventure to suit all tastes. 'This sparkling programme would not have been possible without the generosity of those who helped fund the Book Festival – both public and private – and we are beyond grateful for their support and enthusiasm, this year more than ever.' The Family Book Festival, sponsored by Blackport Investments, takes place throughout the day on the Saturday and Sunday (14th & 15th June), teeming with fantastic author events for young book festival-goers, including: for teenagers, the inimitable Elle McNicoll, and former Waterstones Children's Laureate and Carnegie Medal winner Joseph Coelho; and for younger audiences , the wonderful Vivian French and Alan Windram returning to Harmony Garden, with Jill Calder, Mike Nicholson and My Kind of Book founder and sensory storyteller Ailie Finlay this year set to join the fun in sparking young imaginations; plus award-winning author-illustrator Catherine Rayner with a special event celebrating 20 years of her beloved picture book, Augustus and His Smile. In addition, the four-day festivities will also play host to live music, the Orchard Food Village, a bookshop to browse thanks to new sponsor David Young, as well as free, fun activities for all the family throughout the weekend. Naturally, the biggest party in the Borders will be blessed with glorious sunshine throughout! But if there are occasional episodes of 'refreshing' weather, those in the Orchard Food Village will be spared, for it will be covered by a vast transparent canopy, new to the Book Festival this year. The Borders Book Festival is committed to reducing its carbon footprint and environmental impact by implementing a number of net zero goals including: zero waste to landfill; e-ticketing and a donation to planting trees for every ticket purchased. Tickets now available at or by calling 0131 290 2112. Like this: Like Related
Scotsman
24-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Scotsman
Why book festivals and politicians both do and don't go together
Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox 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... Amid noise of social media, book festivals have become havens for discussions about the human condition. Their popularity is such that politicians have taken to making regular appearances – and the more thoughtful political discussions the better, we say. However, it's just possible that we might perhaps be getting close to the point at which audiences start to grumble about this plethora of politicos. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Borders Book Festival, held in Melrose in June, will feature several interesting authors, including Michael Palin, Sally Magnusson, Andrew Marr, Tim Bouverie, Stacey Dooley and more. John Swinney and former Conservative Cabinet ministers Jeremy Hunt and Michael Gove will also be there. John Swinney reads a book called 'How to Make a Story' during a visit to Edinburgh's Wardie Primary School (Picture: Jane Barlow) | PA The First Minister has at least had a book written about him – 'John Swinney: The Life and Amazing Journey of The First Minister of Scotland' – but as far as we know is not a published author himself.
Scotsman
23-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Scotsman
Analysis: Are politicians' book festival appearances just a disguised party political broadcast?
Sign up to our Arts and Culture newsletter, get the latest news and reviews from our specialist arts writers 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... Last August, First Minister John Swinney was speaking at an event at the Edinburgh International Book Festival, when a protester cut short his appearance. The pro-Palestinian woman attacked the Scottish Government for its engagement with Israel, after a Scottish Government minister had been forced to apologise for his meeting with the country's deputy ambassador amid its war in Gaza. The event, a discussion about 25 years of devolution, was cut short five minutes early with no more questions. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Undeterred, Mr Swinney has jumped back on the horse with the announcement of an appearance at the Borders Book Festival in June, when he will be crossing his fingers that his government has not done anything controversial in the preceding weeks. He will not be alone. Also taking to the stage in Melrose are two former UK Government cabinet ministers, Conservatives Michael Gove and Jeremy Hunt. Mr Swinney's appearance is the latest event in an indisputable trend on the rise in book - and other - festivals in recent years: the tenuous cultural links of politicians. Arguably, in Scotland, the trend for MSPs' appearances at book festivals was led by one of Mr Swinney's predecessors, Nicola Sturgeon. Ms Sturgeon's name began creeping into the book festival calendar during her leadership, partly due to her public perception as a bookworm: the reading person's First Minister, who published an annual list of her favourite books. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Separately, former SNP MP Mhairi Black is doing a circuit of her own, presenting her politics-themed stand up routine at comedy festivals across the country. This is of course, not new. Politicians have spoken at book festivals for years, but in a trawl of older festival programmes, they have more often appeared as part of wider panel discussions on a specific issue, or in a politically balanced debate. Mhairi Black on stage at her comedy show. | GICF Meanwhile, Mr Swinney's experience last year is where the problem with politicians speaking at cultural events arguably lies: entertainment and politics are not easy bedfellows. And increasingly, the line between the two is becoming blurred. It emerged last month that US Government funding for the Edinburgh International Book Festival was to be axed by President Donald Trump amid concerns that the event was promoting discussion on 'gender identity and racial equality'. While Mr Trump's reasoning for making the cuts is typically abhorrent, it did raise questions over why a foreign government was funding any discussion events at all in Scotland. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad In the Borders, Mr Swinney will be interviewed by a former Liberal Democrat cabinet minister, which is undoubtedly a nod towards attempts at mitigating the issue of party politics. The pair will also stick to the neutral topic of the books which have shaped the First Minister's thinking - but it is hard to imagine how he can talk about his thinking about his political thinking. In September, however, an appearance at Wigtown Book Festival by deputy first minister Kate Forbes did not try to disguise itself as anything other than a live Party Political Broadcast. Instead, in a lengthy speech, Ms Forbes discussed issues including her party's need to rebuild trust and the likelihood of getting her Budget through parliament.
