Festival Fever: Scottish Music Festivals Calendar

We’ve pulled together a non-exhaustive list of Scottish music festivals to stick in your calendar for the year ahead. From city all-dayers and small town gatherings to four-day camping festivals, here's the places to go and bands to look out for – if you're keen on a festival elsewhere in the UK, click here for our 2026 UK Music Festivals Guide...

Scottish Camping Festivals

The obvious place to begin is with Scottish camping festivals on the mainland. Scotland's longest running greenfield festival Knockengorroch (21-24 May) in Galloway gets things off to a flying start. It's family friendly, inclusive and environmentally conscientious with a lineup that includes BCUC, Dallahan and Samedia Shebeen. Holding similar values, Eden Festival (11-14 Jun) in Moffat follows with Jurassic Five’s Chali 2na, Vieux Farka Touré, Raz & Afla and Malin Lewis all on the bill. The following month, Kelburn Garden Party (2-6 Jul) returns to the idyllic grounds of Kelburn Castle near Largs. We’ve been programming their Pyramid Stage since 2018 and this year we’re bringing the likes of SOAPBOX, Indoor Foxes and Majesty Palm to the festival alongside their wider lineup that includes Joshua Idehen, Snapped Ankles, Emma-Jean Thackray, Leon Vynehall, with loads of specially curated stages by artists and DJs like Bemz and Buckfast Barbie.

At the Cardross Estate in Stirlingshire, Back Doune the Rabbit Hole (17-19 Jul) is back for round two of their recently (re)launched festival with Ash, Utah Saints and Rianne Downey just a fraction of what to expect, while rounding out Scottish camping season, up at the Belladrum Estate in Kiltarlity near Inverness you’ll find the Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival (30 Jul-1 Aug) with Callum Beattie, Mika, Rizzle Kicks, Brooke Combe and Getdown Services among their massive lineup.

Island Festivals

Island-hopping is also a lovely way to spend the summer months, so here are a few to consider visiting, spaced out just enough that you could in theory do them all if you felt so inclined and could afford it. Kicking off with the Mull Music Festival (23-26 Apr) on, you guessed it, the Isle of Mull, the Tobermory-based festival is a free, non-ticketed, multi-venue just-turn-up-and-join-the-party kind of affair, so a great way to get to know the town. While just about as far north as you can go, the Shetland Folk Festival (30 Apr-3 May) then returns for its 44th outing, with concerts organised throughout the isles from Ollaberry to Lerwick. Back in the Inner Hebrides, Skye Live (7-9 May) returns to Portree with its usual mix of live acts and DJs that beautifully brings together the worlds of electronica and trad, with An Dannsa Dub, Mànran, LUSA and Spencer Nmbrs all on this year’s lineup. Meanwhile, back up north, artists from the USA, Canada, Finland, Ireland, England and throughout Scotland join homegrown Orcadian talent for the 43rd outing of the Orkney Folk Festival (21-24 May).

On the most westerly island in the Inner Hebrides, the Tiree Music Festival (10-12 Jul) offers a cross-genre party running alongside a packed fringe programme that includes seaside saunas, beach yoga, surf lessons and more. Finally, head to the Outer Hebrides for the annual HebCelt (15-18 Jul) festival in Stornoway on the Isle of Lewis. With the main arena based in the stunning grounds of Lews Castle, you’ll also find a packed programme in the town’s year-round arts centre An Lanntair, family concerts at the Town Hall and a Wednesday night party at the Breasclete Community Hall, not far from the world famous Callanish Standing Stones. This year’s lineup already includes Fara, The Mary Wallopers, Sian, Dlù, Laura Wilkie, FÜLÜ and more.

Glasgow City Festivals

Things get under way in Glasgow with the second instalment of House Guest (4 Apr). This year taking over The Art School, Nice N Sleazy and new venue 1990, HotWax, Humour, Blood Wizard and Bikini Body are part of the 29-strong lineup. The following weekend, Scotland’s longest running festival of experimental and marginal music, Counterflows (9-12 Apr), returns with Los Thuthanaka, Rhodri Davies & Áine O'Dwyer and Rufus Isabel Elliot.

On the first May bank holiday weekend, two very different festivals come to the city. Tectonics (2 & 3 May), the BBC’s immersive festival of new and experimental music takes over City Halls and Old Fruitmarket, while Melting Pot and Optimo bring the Queen’s Park Spring Weekender to the Southside Queen’s Park Recreation Ground (2 & 3 May). The Glasgow Jazz Festival (10-14 Jun) returns the following month; with its lineup still TBA, we’re expecting a strong programme for their 40th year, and TRNSMT (19-21 Jun) squeezes itself into June for the first time. Focus your attention away from the topline and check out Wolf Alice, CMAT, The Last Dinner Party and Jacob Alon instead.

WOMAD Glasgow (3 & 4 Jul) then rolls into Kelvingrove Park for the first time, with the lineup still TBA at time of writing. The following month, indie-pop happening Glas-Goes Pop (14 & 15 Aug) takes over the GUU Debates Chamber with The Bats, The Clientele and Radhika all on the bill. At the end of the month, Forever Is a Long Time (28 & 29 Aug) celebrates 15 years of Night School Records with Free Love, Cucina Povera, Guttersnipe and more playing; rapper Bemz’s M4 FESTIVAL (29 Aug) returns for another instalment at SWG3, and on the same day in Queen’s Park, Mogwai’s Big City welcomes Super Furry Animals, Spiritualized and Brìghde Chaimbeul for round three. Also in the summer months, look out for massive gig series like The Hug & Pint’s Endless Summer, King Tut’s Summer Nights, Summer Nights at the Bandstand and Glasgow Summer Sessions.

In the autumn, festivities continue with PITCH (2-4 Sep), Scotland’s international conference of hip-hop and underground culture. Later in the month, Freakender (18-20 Sep) celebrates its 10th anniversary with a massive weekend currently in the works. Glasgow’s biennial festival of audiovisual arts Sonica (24 Sep-4 Oct) returns for an 11-day run and alt-indie/rock all-dayer Tenement Trail (10 Oct) is back in Glasgow’s east end, before things come to a head with core. (13-15 Nov). This year's celebration of noise will take place across The Art School, Nice N Sleazy and the Gartnethill Multicultural Centre with Incendiary, Pig Destroyer, Bratakus, Petrol Girls, Cwfen and Maud the Moth amongst the lineup.

Edinburgh City Festivals

In Edinburgh, the Cowgate Block Party (18 Apr) returns for its second outing of the year. Taking place at Sneaky Pete’s, The Bongo Club and The Mash House, expect live sets from Y, Gossip Queens, Saint Sappho and more. At the end of the month, Scotland’s music convention Wide Days (30 Apr-1 May) returns with a packed programme of panels and live showcases; this year’s lineup includes Talent Development artists Lacuna, Lo Raps, Roller Disco Death Party and San Jose. May also sees the return of Edinburgh Tradfest (1-11 May), celebrating all facets of folk and trad with Kim Carnie, Josie Duncan and Rura.

In June, Hidden Door (3-7 Jun) returns to The Paper Factory for another year, with Valtos and Jenny Hval early announcements for the pop-up arts festival, while trad festival The Reeling (20 Jun) arrives in the capital for the first time. Find Breabach, Kinnaris Q, Elephant Sessions and more at the Royal Highland Showgrounds. The following month sees the return of the Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival (17-26 Jul) whose SPARK strand this year celebrates jazz from the Netherlands.

As the August festivals threaten to take over the capital, music is still on the agenda. With a strong classical focus from the Edinburgh International Festival (7-30 Aug), you'll find some contemporary artists like corto.alto, Brìghde Chaimbeul and Floating Points deep in the programme. Jupiter Rising x EAF (22 Aug) returns to Jupiter Artland and Edinburgh Summer Sessions bring massive names like Lorde, The Cure, Deftones and Biffy to the Royal Highland Showgrounds. In the autumn, Edinburgh Psych Fest (6 Sep) brings a stunning multi-venue lineup to the city, with Stereolab, Ty Segall, Adult DVD, Gwenno and Angine de Poitrine set to play, the Edinburgh Indie Pop Collective All-Dayer (3 Oct) takes over The Mash House and the Soundhouse Winter Festival (26-30 Nov) returns.

Dundee City Festivals

When it comes to the City of Discovery, we sadly don’t have a whole lot of information right now. But what we do know is that the Dundee Dance Event (3 May) returns; taking over a whopping 33 venues, over 200 DJs and artists are set to bring the city to life. Hannah Laing’s massive Doof in the Park (4 Jul) is back for round two at Camperdown Park, with Laing set to be joined by Paul van Dyk, Eddie Halliwell, Lilly Palmer and more. At the end of the month, Discovery Festival (24 & 26 Jul) takes over Slessor Gardens with The Libertines, Sophie Ellis-Bextor and Róisín McCarney among this year’s lineup, and towards the end of the year, Dundee Jazz Festival (11-15 Nov) brings five days of world-class jazz to the city.

Outwith the Major Cities

The Scottish Alternative Music Awards bring their Paisley Takeover (24 Apr) back for its eighth edition, with Kai Reesu, Alice Faye, Conscious Route, Dara Dubh, GAÏA, Martha May and the Mondays and more set to play across three locations, while brand new multi-venue mini-fest Kodakfest (25 Apr) arrives at Bakers and Titch in Kilmarnock with San Jose leading the charge. In Portobello, the multi-venue, community-led Porty Festival (2 & 3 May) returns with lots of fringe events alongside live music from Mànran, Indoor Foxes, Alice Faye, Puppy Teeth and more. At the end of the month, Haddstock (29-31 May) welcomes Alice Faye, Man of Moon and Sarah/Shaun to Haddington in East Lothian. In the capital of the Highlands, Inverness is set to host The Gathering (30 May) at Northern Meeting Park, with Skerryvore, Beluga Lagoon, Talisk, Kim Carnie and more set to play, and in Fife, the East Neuk Festival (1-5 Jun) returns with a packed programme that includes Fergus McCreadie and The Ayoub Sisters.

On 4 July, self-proclaimed as Scotland’s first music and fitness festival, Paisley Alive arrives in Barshaw Park; work out with Mr Motivator during the day and dance the night away with Emeli Sandé, Sister Sledge, Kai Reesu and local talent Linzi Clark. Back up north, Speyfest (24-26 Jul) brings a glut of traditional Celtic music to Fochabers, while back in East Lothian, Fringe by the Sea (31 Jul-9 Aug) returns to North Berwick. The super cool Interesting Things festival (15 Aug) is back at Stirling Tolbooth this year too; with the lineup TBC at the time of writing, even later in the year check out their sister venue Albert Halls’ Winterlight Festival, set to return between Christmas and New Year. Please forgive us for saying the C word in April. We’re also hoping for autumnal returns from Dunfermline’s Outwith Festival and Trax in Dumfries.