Everything to see and do in Scotland in September 2026
Braemar Literary Festival at The Fife Arms
When: Friday 25th to Sunday 27th September
Where: St Margaret’s Church, Glenshee Rd AB35 5YQ | The Fife Arms, Mar Rd AB35 5YN | Braemar Village Hall, 33 Mar Road AB35 5YX | The Duke of Rothesay Highland Games Pavilion, Broombank Terrace AB35 5YX | Braemar Kirk AB35 5YY
Cost: Priced per event
The Braemar Literary Festival returns for its fifth year in 2026 and will feature a programme of talks by leading authors, thinkers, storytellers and cultural voices. Drawing inspiration from the works of Aberdeenshire modernist writer and poet, Nan Shepherd, the multi-venue festival is proud to celebrate women’s writing and next-generation literary talent across the spheres of nature, art, food and fiction.
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‘Colour & Cocktails’, an interior design experience by eat sleep colour in Edinburgh
When: Thursday 1st October, from 6pm (£85 per ticket)
Where: Bonnie & Wild – Private Dining Room, Edinburgh
Join interior designer Ruth Heath for an inspiring evening where colour psychology, creativity and beautiful interiors come together in a relaxed, social setting. Enjoy handcrafted cocktails or mocktails inspired by Calm and Confidence, before creating your own personalised room concept through a guided moodboarding experience. You’ll leave with fresh ideas, practical inspiration and the confidence to create a home that truly feels like you. COAT Paints and Timorous Beasties are providing colour and pattern inspiration for the evening, too.
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The ‘Sail and Explore Mull & Iona’ sea voyage by Venturesail in the Hebrides
When: Saturday 19th to Friday 25th September
Where: Leaves from Oban
Sail and explore the islands of Mull, Staffa and Iona in the Hebrides aboard modern yacht Stravaigin. The weeklong experience includes puffin watching, wild swimming and of course skippered sailing and guided island hopping.
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RUSKIN x CUSTOM LANE open studio and fashion showcase in Edinburgh
When: Friday 11th September (by appointment) and 12th September (open studio, from 8am to 5pm)
Where: Custom Lane Gallery, 1 Customs Wharf, Leith, Edinburgh EH6 6AL
See the full RUSKIN bag collection, explore the materials and craftsmanship behind each piece, and discover the stories that inform the designs. Meet founder and designer Alli Abdelal, try the bags in person and take the time to consider the collection at close hand. Designs will be available to order on the day.
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Montrose LANDxSEA Film Festival in Montrose
When: Friday 11th to Sunday 13th September
Where: The Mall, Montrose DD10 8NN
LandxSea is Scotland’s environmental film festival. Based in the coastal town of Montrose, the event brings together inspiring new environmental films, filmmakers, special guests and audiences from Scotland and around the world. The annual festival takes place each September at Montrose Playhouse, a community-owned cinema and arts venue. Guests can expect present screenings, workshops and community events throughout the year exploring the human connection with land, sea and the living world.
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‘A 30 Year Balkan Journey’ by Chris Leslie at Stirling Photography Festival
When: Wednesday 9th September, from 7pm
Where: The Tolbooth, Jail Wynd, Stirling FK8 1DE
Chris will present A Balkan Journey, in an illustrated talk on his 30-year photographic exploration of the post-conflict recovery and reconstruction in the former Yugoslavia. A Balkan Journey explores the psychological and physical legacies of war while examining the role of memory, resilience, and collective identity in processes of reconciliation and rebuilding.
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Textile screen printing class with Scottish Craft School in Dunblane
When: Thursday 17th September
Where: Scottish Craft School, Craft Central, Riverview Building, High Street, Dunblane FK15 0EE
The experts from Printclan are hitting the road and transforming our workshop into a pop-up print studio, for a fun and creative introduction to textile screen printing. Attend to design and print a colourful tote bag. You will begin with a series of simple drawing and design exercises to help generate ideas, then prepare your artwork for print before learning to execute the traditional screen-printing process using paper stencils, blank screens and your choice of ink colour from a vibrant palette.
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‘COAST’ featuring work by post-war American abstract expressionist Jon Schueler in Gullane
When: until Sunday 11th October
Where: Fidra Fine Art, 7-8 Stanley Road, Main Street, Gullane EH31 2AD
Work by one of the giants of the second generation of postwar American Abstract Expressionists, Jon Schueler, is currently on show in East Lothian at Fidra Fine Art, alongside four prominent artists currently working in Scotland.
Two of the artists exhibiting alongside Schueler include acclaimed artists Will Maclean and his wife Marian Leven, whose long careers have been focused around Scotland’s coastline.
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‘Taste of Silents’ at HippFest in Bo’ness
When: Saturday 26th September to Saturday 7th November
Where: Hippodrome Cinema, 10 Hope Street, Bo’ness EH51 0AA
The ‘Taste of Silents’ season at HippFest in Bo’ness begins with Queen Kelly (1929), a silent film starring the legendary Gloria Swanson (directed by Erich von Stroheim), a lavish masterpiece of the silent era. Recently restored and reconstructed using Swanson’s own prints and outtakes, the film will be accompanied by Neil Brand on piano and introduced by film historian and author Pamela Hutchison. Visit the website for more.
Visit the HippFest website
West End Beer Fest in Glasgow
When: Saturday 12th September
Where: SWG3 Warehouse, 100 Eastvale Place Glasgow G3 8QG
Cost: From £15
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Glasgow’s West End Beer Festival returns for 2026 to the Warehouse at SWG3. Glasgow’s original and best craft beer festival will be showcasing the best independent breweries from Scotland.
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Glasgow Doors Open Days Festival
When: From Thursday 17th September
Where: Across Glasgow
Cost: Free
The Glasgow Doors Open Days Festival gives you a backstage pass to the theatres, dancehalls, cinemas and pubs that helped earn its reputation as the best place in Scotland for a night on the tiles. Hosted by the Glasgow Building Preservation Trust from 17th September, the annual event features more than 150 venues, from proud historic landmarks to tucked‑away local gems.
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‘This 26: Contemporary Scottish Art and the Academy’ at The Royal Scottish Academy in Edinburgh
When: Saturday 12th September to Sunday 11th October
Where: RSA Lower Galleries, The Royal Scottish Academy of Art and Architecture, The Mound, Edinburgh EH2 2EL
The ‘This 26’ exhibition brings together the work of 26 artists, with one artist representing each year of the twenty-first century. It will explore the ways in which sustained support can shape a career. For example, Scottish-Pakistani artist Aqsa Arif first exhibited at the academy in RSA New Contemporaries before receiving an RSA Residency for Scotland and later the RSA Morton Award for Lens-based Media. She’s since gone on to receive recognition at film festivals, exhibitions and through acquisitions into public collections.
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Eat Spain Drink Spain by SpainFoodWine
When: Friday 11th to Sunday 27th September
Where: As part of a global initiative, across Scottish restaurants and shops
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This year’s Eat Spain Drink Spain campaign has a dedicated on-trade theme of ‘Tapas y Vinos’, which celebrates the quintessential Spanish experience of sharing small plates paired with exceptional wines.
Organisers are collaborating with an expanded selection of the UK’s top restaurants and bars — featuring exciting new venues alongside returning favourites — to offer exclusive events and dining experiences throughout the campaign period. Venues include: Cask & Vine, Cafe Andaluz, PIGGS, The Spanish Butcher (in both Edinburgh and Glasgow) and The Spanish Nook. Shops include: The Port of Leith Distillery, Elie Deli, The Cottage Edinburgh and Nigh Owl Books.
Visit the Eat Spain Drink Spain website
Open Studios by Sarah Kudirka for Doors Open Days in Glasgow
When: Thursday 17th to Sunday 20th September, from 10am to 5pm
Where: The Briggait, 141 Bridgegate G1 5HZ (Studio 215)
Come and have a chat with many of the artists and jewellers who work in The Briggait, find unique treasures you can purchase or commission direct from the maker. “Perhaps the best reason all year to clean up my studio and share what lies behind my practice as an artist,” says Sarah. “There’ll be a main hall exhibition and a library of artists’ sketchbooks to see too.”
Visit the Sarah Kudirka website | Follow Sarah Kudirka on Instagram
Hedonistic Brunch at The Hoxton
When: Sunday 27th September, from 11:30am to 2pm (£45 per person)
Where: 5-21 Grosvenor Street, Edinburgh EH12 5EF
The latest edition in the Hedonistic Brunch series at The Hoxton Edinbrugh will spotlight sake from DREAMSAKE, with guests treated to two sake cocktails alongside a generous Japanese-inspired brunch. The menu will feature an assortment of nigiri, a salmon torotaku handroll made live in front of each guest, and a green dragon roll, alongside a selection of vegetarian options. Guests will be seated on beautifully set long tables for convivial dining, while a live set by DJ Alex Hogan will provide the perfect soundtrack throughout the afternoon.
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Looking for a quintessentially Scottish escape? Try Loch Lomond Arms, a reimagined inn designed by Russell Sage in Luss.
Audacious design meets artful storytelling at Loch Lomond Arms
