18-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
Road closures to know as Merchant City festival celebrates 850 years of Glasgow
Glasgow's Merchant City Festival is set to take over the city centre this weekend, as more than two dozen events bring a vibrant mix of music, art, dance and circus to the streets.
Running from today, Friday 18 July to Sunday 20 July, the festival is part of Glasgow's ongoing 850th anniversary celebrations and will feature live performances, street theatre, market stalls and family activities across the Merchant City.
Several roads will be closed to traffic throughout the weekend to accommodate the festivities, Glasgow Live reports.
The event kicks off at midday on Friday with live music and storytelling at the Social Hub stage on Trongate, followed by ceilidh dancing lessons and a mass outdoor ceilidh on Brunswick Street from 4.45pm to 5.30pm.
Folk acts and traditional sessions will continue on the Social Hub stage until 8pm, with additional performances taking place in the atmospheric Ramshorn Graveyard.
To support the event, a number of road closures are in place from 6am on Friday to 11.59pm on Sunday.
Affected streets include Brunswick Street, Bell Street (between Candleriggs and Walls Street), Candleriggs, Garth Street (with local access for resident parking), Wilson Street (between Glassford Street and Candleriggs) and Hutcheson Street.
One of Friday's standout events is the return of the Hip Replacement Disco, which will be held at The Old Fruitmarket from 7pm until midnight. The Tron Theatre will also host the St. Teneu Poetry Competition Awards from 7.30pm.
On Saturday and Sunday, the popular Surge Festival Street Theatre programme takes centre stage, with quirky and interactive performances popping up across the area.
Highlights include 'Charlotte Brontë: Senseless Trash', which reimagines the author as a modern pop culture icon backed by Beyoncé hits; 'Baby Gareth and the Norbert Nannies', starring a towering giant baby; and 'Alien Aquatic', a roaming act that asks what would happen if ocean plastic came to life.
Free live music returns to the Social Hub stage on both weekend days, featuring artists such as Sacred Paws, Lezzer Quest, and a joint performance by Vixen Sound, Wends and Dougie No Pain.
Families can enjoy a variety of free children's activities, including arts and crafts sessions, a unicorn dance party and a family ceilidh.
Meanwhile, shoppers can browse 29 market stalls scattered across the district, open from midday to 6pm on Saturday and Sunday, offering everything from handmade jewellery to street food and art.
The Dockyard Social will also be on site throughout the festival providing a wide selection of food and drink.
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Guided walking tours will provide a deeper look into the city's history, including 'The Listener', which explores Merchant City's links to the Transatlantic slave trade.
Other tours include 'Glasgow Through the Ages' and the 'East End Women's Heritage Walk'.
