Scotland music festivals present us with a cultural treat, from traditional Celtic music to classical and pop music, in widespread venues the length and breadth of the country.
SCOTLAND MUSIC FESTIVALS 2018….
This year’s calendar is as diverse and exciting as always, and all the old favourites are there, including some good folk and jazz festivals. If you appreciate good music, you’re guaranteed to find something to your liking here, whatever your taste in music may be.
FEATURED EVENT
TRNSMT (IF TICKETS ARE SOLD OUT, TRY GET ME IN)
6th – 8th July 2018, Glasgow Green.
From the T in the Park organisers. (NOTE: We are not yet sure if TRNSMT is replacing T in the Park permanently)
JANUARY 2018
Celtic Connections
18th Jan – 4th February, 2018
Celtic music, Glasgow.
FEBRUARY 2018
Celtic Connections
18th Jan – 4th February, 2018
Celtic music, Glasgow.
Inverness Fiddlers Rally
17th February, 2018
Empire Theatre, Eden Court, Inverness.
Inverness Music Festival
27th February – 7th March, 2018
Festival in instrumental, speech and vocal in Gaelic disciplines, Inverness.
MARCH 2018
Inverness Music Festival
27th February – 7th March, 2018
Festival in instrumental, speech and vocal in Gaelic disciplines, Inverness.
March Into Pitlochry Festival
23rd – 24th March, 2018
Charity event over two days, with twenty bands and a mixture of genres of music.
APRIL 2018
Glenfarg Folk Feast
6th – 8th April, 2018
Traditional Folk music, Kinross.
Neil Gow Festival
16th – 18th April, 2018
Fiddle festival, Dunkeld & Birnam, Perthshire.
MAY 2018
Shetland Folk Festival
3rd – 6th May, 2018
Traditional Folk music, Shetland.
Girvan Traditional Folk festival
4th – 6th May, 2018
Traditional Folk music, Girvan.
Bonfest
4th – 6th May, 2018
International Bon Scott Rock Festival, Kirriemuir, Angus.
Orkney Folk Festival
24th – 27th May, 2018
Traditional Folk music, Orkney and Caithness.
Strathyre Music Festival
25th – 27th May, 218, Strathyre Stirlingshire
Family friendly atmosphere in a beautiful setting.
Islay Festival of Music and Malt
25th May – 2nd June 2018, Islay
Traditional music, ceilidhs, Gaelic lessons, golf, bowling and whisky tasting.
Glasgow Riverside Festival
26th – 27th May 2018, Glasgow
Bank holiday weekender, Glasgow.
JUNE 2018
Islay Festival of Music and Malt
25th May – 2nd June 2018, Islay
Traditional music, ceilidhs, Gaelic lessons, golf, bowling and whisky tasting.
Enjoy Music Festival
1st – 2nd June, 2018
Family friendly festival, Aberdeen.
Aberdeen Music Festival
4th – 8th June, 2018
Music, speech and drama festival, Aberdeen.
Oban Live Festival
8th – 9th June, 2018
Biggest live music festival in the Argyll & Bute region.
Arran Folk Festival
8th – 10th June, 2018
On the beautiful Isle of Arran.
Kirkcudbright Jazz Festival
8th – 11th June, 2018
Kircudbright, Dumfries & Galloway.
Let’s Rock Scotland
23rd June, 2018
Retro Festival, Dalkeith Country Park.
Glasgow International Jazz Festival
20th – 24th June, 2018
Venues around the city, Glasgow.
Arisaig Americana Festival
23rd – 24th June, 2018
All kinds of music, Arisaig, West Highlands.
TRNSMT Festival
29th June – 1st July 2018
From the T in the Park organisers, Glasgow Green.
Mendelssohn on Mull
30th June – 7th July, 2018
Classical & Opera festival, Isle of Mull.
JULY 2018
TRNSMT Festival
29th June – 1st July 2018
From the T in the Park organisers, Glasgow Green.
Mendelssohn on Mull
30th June – 7th July, 2018
Classical & Opera festival, Isle of Mull.
Fèis an Eilein Skye Festival
3rd July – 21st August, 2018
Scottish traditional music spiced up with Jazz, Theatre & more.
Stonehaven Folk Festival
5th – 8th July, 2018
Traditional Scottish folk music festival, Stonehaven.
T in the Park
Cancelled for this year
Probably our most famous festival, Strathallan Castle, Auchterarder.
SCOTFEST
6th – 7th July, 2018
SCOTFEST – the family friendly music festival, makes its debut at the Royal Highland Centre, Edinburgh.
TRNSMT
6th – 8th July, 2018
From the T in the Park organisers, (“possibly” replacing T in the Park), Glasgow Green.
Newton Stewart & Minnigaff Traditional & Acoustic Music Festival
6th – 8th July, 2018
3 days of music and dance, Newton Stewart.
Cantilena Music Festival
8th – 13th July, 2018
A week of chamber music on the island of Islay.
Tiree Music Festival
13th – 15th July, 2018
Isle of Tiree.
Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival
13th – 22nd July, 2018
Edinburgh.
Hebridean Celtic Festival
18th – 21st July, 2018
Traditional Folk & Celtic music, Stornoway, Isle of Lewis.
Rewind Festival: Scotland
20th – 22nd July, 2018
Expect iconic performances from musical legends, Scone Palace, Perth.
ButeFest
27th – 29th July, 2018
3 days of live music on the Isle of Bute.
Mugstock Music festival
27th – 30th July, 2018
Music, merriment and camping in Mugdock Country Park, near Glasgow.
AUGUST 2018
Fèis an Eilein Skye Festival
3rd July – 21st August, 2018
Scottish traditional music spiced up with jazz, theatre & more on the Isle of Skye.
Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival
2nd – 4th August, 2018
Rock & Pop, Belladrum Estate, Beauly, Inverness-shire.
Party At The Palace
11th – 12th August, 2018
Rock & pop, Linlithgow.
Groove Loch Ness Festival
18th August, 2018
Billed as a “nightclub under the stars”, Clune Farm, Dores, Inverness.
Piping Live
13th – 19th August, 2018
International Piping Festival, Glasgow.
Innerleithen Music Festival
17th – 19th August, 2018
Music for everyone, Innerleithen.
Midstock Music Festival
31st August – 1st September, 2018
Local music, food and fun, Dalkeith Country Park, Dalkeith (near Edinburgh).
Electric Fields Music Festival
31st August – 1st September, 2018
Good music, campervan & caravan park, disabled access, Drumlanrig Castle, Dumfries & Galloway.
Heavy Scotland Festival
31st August – 2nd September, 2018
For heavy metal lovers, Corn exchange, Edinburgh.
SEPTEMBER 2018
Midstock Music Festival
31st August – 1st September, 2018
Local music, food and fun, Dalkeith Country Park, Dalkeith (near Edinburgh).
Electric Fields Music Festival
31st August – 1st September, 2018
Good music, campervan & caravan park, disabled access, Drumlanrig Castle, Dumfries & Galloway.
Heavy Scotland Festival
31st August – 2nd September, 2018
For heavy metal lovers, Corn exchange, Edinburgh.
Live at Troon
7th – 9th September, 2018
3 days of live music, Troon, Ayrshire.
BOWfest
7th – 9th September, 2018
3 days of live music, Inveraray Castle Argyll.
Douglasdale Folk Festival
14th – 16th September, 2018
Let your hair down at the hoolie, Douglas.
Skye Live Festival
21st – 22nd September, 2018
2 days of live music (small campsite), Portree, Isle of Skye.
OCTOBER 2018
Skye Swing Jazz Festival
TBC
3 days of spectacular music, Isle of Skye.
NOVEMBER 2018
EH6 Festival
23rd – 25th November, 2018
A lot of bands in different venues, Leith, Edinburgh.
(IF YOUR EVENT TICKETS ARE SOLD OUT, TRY GET ME IN)
PLEASE NOTE: Many of the festivals take place on our Islands, so if travelling from the mainland and you need some help on how to get to any of these locations, check out the Travelling in Scotland page where you’ll find links to ferry services in Scotland.
MORE EVENT LISTINGS….
If you know of any ANNUAL music events (with a website) that you believe are worth listing here, please feel free to contact me and I will be only too happy to add them.