Fife Finds a Way: Events in Fife this Winter

In the words of Dr Ian Malcolm, "Fife finds a way."

Okay, so Jeff Goldblum’s character in Jurassic Park didn’t say that, but what he did say wasn’t far off, and we reckon if he knew what Fife had on offer in the coming months, that’s exactly what the fictitious character would say, as the Kingdom has found a way to get us excited for winter, with a whole host of Christmas markets, panto, art, music, poetry and whisky events taking us right through until the first whispers of spring.

And what better way to kick off the festive season than by heading for a bit of family fun at the theatre? There are takes on two classic fairytales coming to Fife this winter, one with a glass slipper, the other a poisoned apple. Can you guess what they are yet? Oh yes you can! First up, Cinderella: The Magical Family Pantomime! will be lighting up the stage of the Rothes Halls in Glenrothes’ Kingdom Shopping Centre from 3 to 24 December, with a special BSL performance on the 15th and a relaxed performance on the 22nd.

Meanwhile, at The Kings Theatre in Kirkcaldy, Ya Wee Sleeping Beauty runs from 8 December right through to 15 January, giving you plenty of time to take the kids before they head back to school. Ya Wee Sleeping Beauty also has adult only performances available, so if you fancy a night out without kids being in the mix, this could be just the ticket. Oh yes it could!

As well as a night out at the theatre, what would the lead up to Christmas be without visiting a local makers market or two, ambling from stall to stall and excitedly chatting to vendors about their wares, slowly but surely ticking relatives off your Christmas shopping list. At the start of the month, Largo Arts Week is hosting Largo Arts Winter Weekend (3-4 Dec), giving you the opportunity to visit local artist studios where you’ll be able to buy works directly from their creators. As soon as the full studio lineup has been announced, Largo Arts will detail all those taking part with a handy studio map making planning your visit even easier.

The following weekend (10-11 Dec) will see two more markets take place in the area, with the Bowhouse Christmas Market, unsurprisingly, taking place at the Bowhouse in St Monans. Found in Anstruther’s quaint East Neuk, the market will play host to several local food, drinks and craft vendors, while a short 20-minute car ride away, in St Andrews you’ll find Exclusively Highlands Kinkell Byre Christmas Market at, well, Kinkell Byre. A beautifully converted farm building, classy Christmas decor and fairy lights aplenty will get you in the mood for the season as you shop all manner of local goods, from glassware and wire creations, to tweed, jewellery, ceramics, soaps, cheese, seafood, preserves and more.

Moving into 2023, the Royal Scottish National Orchestra have an event that is sure to help blow away the cobwebs of 2022 (a year that will surely go down in history for too many reasons not worth lowering the tone with here.) Catch the RSNO making things right on 7 January at Dunfermline’s Carnegie Hall for Vienna. Led by conductor David Niemann, on the night the RSNO will celebrate and play the music of Johann Strauss as they perform pieces like Die Fledermaus, On the Beautiful Blue Danube and the Thunder and Lightning Polka.

Also in January and throughout much of February, the Cambo Estate in Kingsbarns, St Andrews, will be hosting their Snowdrops Festival with events, plant sales and daily tours around the estate welcoming the first signs of spring. Moving further into a new season, something that's sure to warm the cockles is the Fife Whisky Festival, taking place across various locations from 3-5 March. The festival will include an opening meal at the Lindores Abbey Distillery on the 3rd, 35 distilleries and independent bottlers will exhibit in The Corn Exchange in Cupar on the 4th, with exclusive events at the InchDairnie Distillery in Glenrothes on the 5th. Whether you’re a fan of Scotland's most prized nectar or not, you’re sure to discover something to tantalise the taste buds.

Finally, a few days later, be sure to head to Scotland’s International Poetry Festival StAnza in St Andrews from 8 to 12 March where this year’s theme is WILD! Forms of Resistance. The full lineup is due to be announced at the end of November, but until then keep an eye on their website and socials as they’ll be announcing one act every week beforehand. Names so far include Hollie McNish, Linton Kwesi Johnson, Elizabeth-Jane Burnett and Craig Santos Perez.

So whether you live in the Kingdom of Fife or not, there’s plenty going on that would warrant a day trip or overnight stay in the coming months. As Dr Malcolm said, “Fife finds a way”, so why don’t you?