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The Herald Scotland
11-08-2025
- Entertainment
- The Herald Scotland
My 10 favourite arts events that are not the Edinburgh Festival
Tolbooth, Stirling, until September 27 Returning for its eighth year, the Stirling Photography Festival is home to four exhibitions and a series of talks, as well as the launch of the Stirling 900 commemorative photobook. The highlight this year is undoubtedly an exhibition by Ron O'Donnell whose exhibition will be the first in the city of his birth (he's a Raploch boy). It takes in everything from his street photography of the 1970s to the constructed imagery with which he made his name. The festival will also display the work of Simon Murphy (once of this parish), whose documentary work in Govanhill over the last 16 years will be on show at the Macrobert Arts Centre until mid-September, and Jennifer Charlton, winner of the MPB Scottish Portrait Award last year. Her portrait work will be on display at the Barracks Conference Centre in Stirling until September 24. Images from the Stirling 900 photography book will also be on show at the Church of the Holy Rude. For more details of exhibitions and events visit Big City, 2025 Bandstand & Queen Margaret Union, Glasgow, August 16 Short notice, I know, but concluding this year's Summer Nights run of gigs at Kelvingrove Bandstand in Glasgow, the annual Big City festival brings together a line-up of indie acts for your delectation. Irish drone folksters Lankum are the headliners, with support from Gruff Rhys, Snapped Ankles and Prolapse amongst others. Mogwai will also be on hand with a DJ set at the QMU. Piping Live! Various venues, Glasgow, August 16 In fact, it's a busy weekend in Glasgow. The 22nd edition of Glasgow's international piping festival has been occupying Glasgow Green, the National Piping Centre in Otago Street, Kelvingrove Museum, Buchanan Street, the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, St Luke's over the last few days. You may have noticed. (There was even a cheeky trip along the M8 to the Scots Guards Club in Edinburgh for An Evening of International Piping with the Eagle Pipers Society). But it all culminates in the World Pipe Band Championships on Glasgow Green on Saturday, August 16. To make the most of it, an early start is required. Hope you have your sandwiches ready. For more details visit Piping Live! (Image: Gordon Terris) Proise Mhuile, Tobermory Beach, August 17, 3pm-8pm And further afield, Mull's annual Pride gathering takes place this weekend, with face painting and music on Tobermory Beach on Sunday, followed by a 'loud and proud' family disco at An Tobar between 6pm and 8pm. Wear your rainbow colours with pride. Paula Rego, Visions of English Literature Dick Institute, Kilmarnock, until September 27 Day trip to Ayrshire? Why not pop over to Kilmarnock to take in this touring exhibition from London's Hayward Gallery. A gather-up of the work of the great Portuguese painter and illustrator, it concentrates on her printmaking and in particular her work illustrating literary works Peter Pan and Jane Eyre, as well as nursery rhymes, all made across a decade of the artist's life. There will also be personal artefacts from Rego's life, many of which have never been seen before in public. Rego who died at the age of 87 in 2022 is one of the great storytellers of modern art, her work at times a bruising account of female lives under male subjection. She painted female rage with acute tenderness. One of the great 20th-century artists, male or female. Cinemasters, Glasgow Film Theatre, Glasgow, various dates Glasgow Film Theatre's regular Cinemasters retrospective slot sees a significant shift of gears in August as the cinema says farewell to body horror provocateur David Cronenberg and hello to comedy king Rob Reiner. Or so you might think. But you could say his adaptation of Stephen King's thriller Misery, which screens on August 16 and August 19, might be a case of anything Cronenberg can do … (hat bit with Kathy Bates and a sledgehammer! Urgh. Is it the best adaptation of a Stephen King novel? Feel free to discuss, (though I might opt for Dolores Claiborne myself. Kathy Bates is in that one too). Anyway, there will be laughs too. Reiner's masterpiece This Is Spinal Tap is scheduled for August 24 and August 27. Turn it up to 11. Mull of Kintyre Music Festival Various venues, Campbeltown, August 20-24 Going strong since 1993 (Capercaillie were the first headliners way back then), the MoK Festival returns, with Skerryvore and the Karen Matheson Band topping the bill. There will be live sessions in bars, family entertainment, musical workshops, historical walks, distillery tours and a fusion of Scots and Irish music. For more details, visit Karen Matheson (Image: Gordon Terris) Edge Festival Lillardsedge Park, Jedburgh, August 30 & 31 Listen, you can't please everyone, right? The fact that the Saturday night headliner at this year's Edge Festival is Olly Murs might not appeal to some of us (I'm sure he's a lovely bloke, but he's also the epitome of that dread phrase 'light entertainment'). Still, festivals are always a pick-and-mix. If you're not keen on Olly you can at least enjoy Sister Sledge, fronted by Kathy Sledge herself. The Saturday bill also includes Skipinnish and an afternoon appearance from Newton Faulkner. Sunday, meanwhile, sees Travis headline, with support from Nathan Carter, Vengaboys and the Bay City Rollers (pretty much all bases ticked there). The Great Gatsby (Image: Derby Theatre) The Great Gatsby Pitlochry Theatre, Pitlochry, until September 25 F Scott Fitzgerald's much lauded novel - we can all agree it's one of the great works of literature of the 20th century, can't we? - is now 100 years old and by all accounts Elizabeth Newman's adaptation for the stage does it justice. There's a grand set, actor-musicians performing a spot of jazz and Oraine Johnson playing Jay Gatsby. Our own Neil Cooper gave it a four-star review. International Garden Photographer of the Year 18 Verdant Works, Dundee, until September 8 The annual garden photography exhibition has returned to Dundee for a third year and can be seen at Verdant Works. A showcase of the best in contemporary garden photography, it would make a good double bill with the V&A's ongoing Garden Futures exhibition down at the river.
Daily Record
07-08-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
American TikTok star vists Stirling as he asks millions of followers for city's top tourist spots
Renowned American TikTokker Kalani Ghost Hunter visited the city to hit the region's top visitor spots. A renowned American TikTok star Kalani Ghost Hunter was blown away as he visited some of Stirling's top visitor attractions this week. The viral American food reviewer took a trip to the city and hit some of its top tourist sites. Kalani has become a noted influencer for his love of British meals, snacks and drinks – with more than four million followers across his social media platforms. He visited Stirling alongside his wife and fellow social media influencer Savannah Vlogs. On a visit to Stirling Castle on Thursday morning, Kalani posted: 'If you haven't made a trip to Stirling Castle it's a must! So much to see and the views from up here are incredible.' They followed that up with a trip to the Church of the Holy Rude – a medieval parish church founded in 1129, where the building dates back to the 15th century. They then made a visit for a spot of lunch at the city's Mamma Mia Italian restaurant. They then posted from atop the Wallace Monument, describing the view from the towering landmark as "incredible". He announced his visit to the city and threw open his comments to suggestions of locations to visit – with the city's iconic castle, the Old Town Cemetery, the Wallace Monument, the Old Town Jail, the Church of the Holy Rude, the Battle of Bannockburn Visitor Centre and Stirling Old Bridge among the suggestions. Kalani had been touring across England with his family before they flew back home to the US. He and Savannah continued their trip to Scotland to soak in the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, with a stop in Glasgow and a number of other locations, including Stirling.
Daily Mirror
09-07-2025
- Daily Mirror
'I visited tiny UK city overlooked by tourists but is more beautiful than most'
At the beginning of 2025, I ticked the 40th country off my bucket list. Like many other Brits, I was so enchanted by the sugar-like beaches of Thailand, the palm-tree studded streets of LA, and every 7/11 convenience store in Japan - that I never really spent much time exploring the UK. The idea of a staycation tasted like disappointment, but since returning home I've made it my mission to appreciate Britain a little more. In the last couple of months, I travelled down to the UK's 'worst' seaside town to see if it really was that bad, and found solace on one of the best beaches I've ever visited in Wales. I quickly realised the grey reputation the UK was not always deserved, and that you don't need to jet off to the other side of the world to find beauty. I had found myself up in Glasgow on a cold, crisp day in winter - with no itinerary for the day. It was only when I was browsing the stand of tourist leaflets in the hotel lobby when a receptionist approached me and advised: "Go to Stirling. It's equally as pretty as Edinburgh but not swarmed with tourists. Trust me." It was all I needed to hear. I jumped on a train and watched the city's skyscrapers fade away - replaced with rolling countryside, countless sheep, and rugged mountains that still had snow on their peak. It felt like I'd been transported back to New Zealand, or Iceland, or some other untouched, ethereal land I had failed to find on TikTok. After disembarking at Stirling, I headed straight up to HBW Coffee for a caffeine fix - stopping off at a few charity shops on the way. This tiny eatery - easily identifiable with its bright red door - focuses on specialty coffee and mouth-watering food. If it were located in Edinburgh, there'd be queues snaking down the street for a table, but it was pretty much empty when I visited. After downing a dirty chai latte, I meandered up to Stirling Castle, one of the largest and most historically important castles in the country. It sits atop a crag, and getting there on foot is a bit of a trek - but there's a huge on-site car park if you're driving. I must have spent at least three hours roaming through this grand structure, which was once the childhood home of Mary Queen of Scots. I opted for the audio guide, exploring the lavish palace interiors, the Chapel Royal, Queen Anne Gardens, and the Palace Vault. Last year, around 584,983 visitors visited the castle, meaning it's far from a hidden gem. However, if you compare it to the almost two million tourists that visited Edinburgh Castle in the same period - you realise just how overlooked the city is. I didn't have time to visit the Church of the Holy Rude, or the Stirling Smith Art Gallery, but headed back into the centre for food. Now, parts of Stirling's high street could do with a little makeover - there's the classic British collection of vape stores, charity shops, and fast-food outlets which don't exactly exude charm. However, Made In Stirling is a must-visit shop that has really brightened up the area. This cute arts hub hosts an array of workshops, including earring making and copperfoil courses - and is a great place to pick up a locally-sourced souvenir. SRTD Vintage, run by 24-year-old Sophie Corbett, is also a great option for thrifting - especially if you're into Y2K fashion. I left Stirling in a bit of a rush, but you could easily spend the night and extend your itinerary to the next day. Plus, with direct trains from London to Stirling slated to launch next year - getting to this overlooked city is about to get a whole lot easier.
