Events in Edinburgh on 16 December 2025
Scroll down to view the events taking place in Edinburgh on the 16 December 2025, or use the filters to narrow down the results.
Events in Edinburgh
A Trail of Burke & Hare
Follow a tale from Edinburgh's fascinating history as you journey through the very sites and locations where it all took place on outdoor escape room, A Trail of Burke & Hare!
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Alfred Buckham: Daredevil Photographer
Take to the skies and discover the world from above the clouds through the remarkable work of Alfred Buckham: Daredevil Photographer at the National Galleries of Scotland: Portrait.
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Almost Impossible 2.0: Martin Brock
Martin Brock is back at the Fringe with an electrifying, one-of-a-kind spectacle of slick, mind-bending magic, laugh-out-loud comedy, cutting-edge video production and astonishing illusions!
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Arthur’s Secrets
Come along on a guided walk to learn more about Arthur's Seat's turbulent past, created by fire and ice!
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Back To The Future The Musical
Strap in for the smash hit Back to the Future The Musical, landing at the Edinburgh Playhouse for 4 weeks as part of its first ever UK tour!
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Beyond Monet & Beyond Van Gogh
Step into a world of light, colour, and imagination with Beyond Van Gogh and Beyond Monet: The Immersive Experience at the Royal Highland Centre this Christmas!
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Blast 5km Series @ The Meadows 2025
Join Blast Running in the heart of Edinburgh for the Monthly Blast 5K Series at The Meadows – a lively lunchtime race that’s become a firm favourite on the city’s running calendar.
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Castle Of Light
Make Castle of Light: Fire and Ice part of your festive plans and enjoy the largest annual projection show in the UK when it returns for its sixth year!
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Christmas at the Botanics
Explore the sights and sounds of Christmas in this magical after dark experience when it returns to the Royal Botanic Gardens in Edinburgh!
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Cinderella: A Fairytale
Coming to the Royal Lyceum Edinburgh Christmas 2025, the story we all love that has captivated audiences around the UK: Cinderella!
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Cold War Scotland
Exploring Scotland’s critical position on the frontline of the Cold War, a new exhibition will tell the stories of the Scots at the centre of this global conflict.
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Conifox Christmas Experience
Conifox Christmas Experience is back for it’s 8th year, with so much more than just Santa's Grotto!
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Conservation Hangar Talks
See behind the scenes of the work carried out in the museum’s Conservation hangar with these free talks.
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Cuddly Corgi Treasure Hunt
Looking to entertain the kids? Come and spot our cuddly corgis hiding around Britannia’s tour route.
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Curious About Edinburgh - Quirky Heritage Walks for the Curious!
Have fun discovering Edinburgh on this award-winning, quirky, self-guided, heritage walk with a treasure hunt theme from Curious About!
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Dear Library
To mark our 100th birthday, the National Library of Scotland presents a special exhibition, 'Dear Library'.
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Discover the Joy of Reading in Japanese – Join Our Book Club!
Are you passionate about Japanese but find it difficult to enjoy the learning process? Then join our Japanese Book Club, led by Edinburgh-based native tutor Hitomi Kobayashi-Prior!
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Dog Training in Edinburgh
Dogs Trust Dog School Edinburgh offer training classes for dogs at all stages of their lives, in a relaxed and enjoyable environment.
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Drawing the Italian Renaissance
This exhibition at The Palace of Holyroodhouse, brings together a wide range of drawings from this revolutionary artistic period, including 45 drawings never exhibited in Scotland before.
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Eat, Drink, Be Merry - Private Festive Party Night
Celebrate the season in style with an unforgettable night of festive fun at Delta Hotels by Marriott Edinburgh!
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Edinburgh ‘Open House’ Ceilidhs
Join Edinburgh ‘Open House’ Ceilidhs with Live Band & Caller, held in the Royal British Legion Hall! If you love to dance or want to learn this event is for you.
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Edinburgh Zoo Giant Lanterns
Edinburgh Zoo's award-winning Giant Lanterns event is back this winter, for the first time in six years, with a never-before-seen theme, featuring all things aquatic!
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Edinburgh’s Christmas: Around the World Starflyer
Try it if you dare! The Starflyer is back at Edinburgh's Christmas giving the finest, and most thrilling, views of the stunning city centre skyline!
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Edinburgh’s Christmas: Christmas Market
One of the most iconic Christmas Markets in Europe, Edinburgh's Christmas Market returns to East Princes Street Gardens showcasing the best in artisan festive products and goods from local makers!
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Edinburgh’s Christmas: Ice Skating
Get your skates on and glide all the way up and down Edinburgh’s famous George Street on the magnificent alpine ice rink!
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Edinburgh’s Christmas: LNER Big Wheel
The LNER Big Wheel returns to East Princes Street Gardens to give passengers a unique perspective of our spectacular city!
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Edinburgh’s Christmas: Santa’s Stories
Santa is back at Edinburgh's Christmas this year! Make your little one's day and bring them along to our Santa Experience in St Andrew's Square!
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Escape the Past: The Anatomist
Descend into a world of grave robbery, mystery and malpractice as you embark on a thrilling adventure into Edinburgh’s dark past.
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Escape the Past: The Deacon’s Cabinet
From Escape The Past comes a new escape room 'The Deacon’s Cabinet', a historical heist escape room which challenges you to outsmart the infamous Deacon Brodie!
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Five Sisters Zoo Christmas Illuminations
By popular demand, Five Sisters Zoo's Christmas Illuminations are back this winter with a mesmerizing display of colour and light!
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Hooked: 500 Years of Addiction
From heroin to gambling, from alcohol to love, explore the history of addiction at Hooked, an exhibition at the Physicians' Gallery.
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IKEA: Magical Patterns
IKEA Museum's Magical Patterns exhibition comes to Dovecot Studios, celebrating 60 years of innovative textile design.
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Kids Japanese After School Club Ages 7-12: Language, Crafts & Culture
Led by Hitomi Kobayashi-Prior, this Kids Japanese After School Club transforms screen-based self-study into real-world interactive learning with crafts, games, and cultural fun.
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Lanterns Grotto
Make your little one's evening at Edinburgh Zoo’s Giant Lanterns extra special this festive season and meet Santa Claus at our Christmas Grotto, which will be inside our Budongo Trail building!
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Live Music at The Botanist
The Botanist hosts live music from Thursday to Sunday every week! From acoustic singles, duos, trios and full band, we have it all.
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MAMMA MIA!
Don't miss MAMMA MIA! at the Edinburgh Playhouse from December 2025! Enjoy the ultimate feel-good factor at the world’s sunniest and most exhilarating smash-hit musical.
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Maps: Memories from the Second World War
Through personal stories, photography and memorabilia, this exhibition at the National War Museum charts the creation and use of maps during the Second World War.
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Michael Fullerton
A major exhibition by Glasgow-born artist Michael Fullerton comes to the City Arts Centre!
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Panorama: New Views of a City
Collective Edinburgh's Panorama programme takes inspiration from the origins of the panorama to explore how we see, move through and understand the city today.
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Panto 2025: Jack and the Beanstalk
Join Allan Stewart, Grant Stott and Jordan Young for the GIANT of a pantomime we've all BEAN waiting for!
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Party Nights
Enjoy a night to remember at Novotel Edinburgh Park's Party Nights with a festive three course dinner and music to get you up and dancing!
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Reconfigure Life Drawing at Summerhall
Reconfigure welcomes all ages and all abilities, in an atmosphere of warmth and creativity, at these Life Drawing classes in Summerhall's iconic Anatomy Lecture Theatre.
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Resistance
Resistance explores how acts of resistance have shaped life in the UK, and the powerful role of photography in documenting and driving change.
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Rugby for Beginners
Corstorphine Cougars are running free beginners classes every Tuesday for Females of all ages who would like to try Rugby!
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Santa Paws at Dobbies Edinburgh
Give your canine companion their own festive experience with a trip to visit Santa Paws at Dobbies Edinburgh!
READ MORESanta Paws at Dobbies Livingston
Give your canine companion their own festive experience with a trip to visit Santa Paws at Dobbies Livingston!
READ MORESanta’s Grotto at Dobbies Edinburgh
Santa's Grotto is always one of our most popular experiences at Dobbies Edinburgh, and this year it's even more magical!
READ MORESanta’s Grotto at Dobbies Livingston
Santa's Grotto is always one of our most popular experiences at Dobbies Livingston, and this year it's even more magical!
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Scotland’s Gardens Scheme Open Garden: Kevock Garden
This wonderful hillside garden has magnificent views over the North Esk Valley with a wide diversity of plants and has featured in many magazine articles and gardening programmes.
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Showtime @ The Comedy Attic
Join us for Showtime at The Comedy Attic every Friday and Saturday for the best comedy this glorious city of Edinburgh has to offer!
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Snow White
Mirror Mirror on the wall, what is the greatest panto of all? Join us deep in the forest this Christmas as the Reconnect Regal Theatre presents ‘Snow White’!
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Spandex Comedy
Don't miss out on Spandex Comedy! Join us every Tuesday night for a top night of laughs featuring stand up comedians from across the country dropping in to liven up the start of your week!
READ MORESpeak Japanese with Confidence – Join Our Japanese Chat Club!
Looking to practise speaking Japanese in a relaxed and supportive environment? Then join our Japanese Chat Club, led by Edinburgh-based native tutor Hitomi Kobayashi-Prior!
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Tang Soo Do
Come and try out the traditional Korean martial art of Tang Soo Do at Gracemount Leisure Centre on Wednesdays & Saturdays!
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The Spirit of Christmas - A New Beginning
The Usher Hall will once again glow with festive spirit as the creative powerhouse behind "A Christmas Wish" proudly presents "The Spirit of Christmas - A New Beginning!
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The Wizard of Oz - Panto 2025
Join us over the rainbow this Christmas as Reconnect Reconnect Howden Park presents ‘The Wizard of Oz’!
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Unmasked: Exploring Scottish Portraiture
Featuring examples of painting, drawing, sculpture, printmaking and photography, the exhibition at City Art Centre spans almost 400 years of artistic production.
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We Are The Witches. We Are, Hear
This is an exhibition of textile artwork by 70 wise women artist using their craft to Challenge, Disturb and Disrupt. Catch it at The House of Smalls in August!
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You Mean the World Exhibition
This exhibition explores the history of air pollution and of recycling and re-use in nursing and shows how talented nursing teams are taking climate action today.
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Events in East Renfrewshire
Here's a selection of events you can find over on our sister site, What's On East Renfrewshire:
Hands On Heritage
Every month the team at East Renfrewshire Culture & Leisure's Heritage Collection will select some of their most interesting treasures and share the stories behind them at Hands On Heritage!
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Mearns Kirk Helping Hands: Blether and a Brew
Join Mearns Kirk Helping Hands every other Tuesday for 'Blether and a Brew' featuring plenty of tea, coffee, sweet treats and good company!
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Monteiths Bar Quiz Night
Join Monteiths Bar for their weekly Tuesday quiz night hosted by the fun and charismatic Chris Wainwright!
READ MOREEvents in Fife
Here's a selection of events you can find over on our sister site, What's On Fife:
Scotland’s Gardens Scheme Open Garden: Dawson’s Garden
Dawson’s Garden is a small cottage garden, full of surprises and designed to please the senses all year round with colour, form and scent.
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Aladdin: Panto 2025
Step into a world of festive wishes, wits, and a whole lot of whoops at this brand-new version of Aladdin at the Adam Smith Theatre!
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Dreel Crafters
Dreel Crafters is a chance to grab a cuppa with some friendly faces and have a 'craft and a natter' with a bunch of beginners and more-experienced makers!
READ MOREEvents in Glasgow
Here's a selection of events you can find over on our sister site, What's On Glasgow:
Nu Gen: Art Group
Platform Glasgow's weekly arts group challenges 11 - 16 year olds to make artwork that represents their interests, exploring identity and what it’s like to be a teenager today!
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Uncle Baji’s Pub Quiz
Bring your pals and have a go at one of the hardest pub quizzes the fine city of Glasgow has to offer... Uncle Baji's Pub Quiz at Taphouse Bar & Kitchen!
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Purple: International Photography Exhibition
This December, The Glasgow Gallery of Photography will be displaying an international photography exhibition with the theme Purple running for 3 weeks.
READ MOREEvents in Lanarkshire
Here's a selection of events you can find over on our sister site, What's On Lanarkshire:
Disco Buddies ASN Disco
Disco Buddies host their ASN Disco every Tuesday at Westwood Parish Church in East Kilbride, it's a fun and safe environment to socialise with peers while enjoying a dance, bingo and raffles!
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Valley View Winter Wonderland
Join Gouldings at Valley View for Winter Wonderland, their annual and award-winning magical Christmas experience for all the family!
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Snow White and the Seven Muppets
From the producers that brought you last years smash hit 'A Crackin' Christmas Carol' Insideout Theatre Productions Ltd proudly present Snow White and the Seven Muppets!
READ MOREEvents in Renfrewshire and Inverclyde
Here's a selection of events you can find over on our sister site, What's On Renfrewshire:
Renfrewshire Walking Network Community Walks
Enjoy some fresh air and activity on one of Renfrewshire Walking Network's free weekly health walks, held in locations across Renfrewshire!
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Santa’s Grotto at Dobbies Braehead
Santa's Grotto is always one of our most popular experiences at Dobbies Braehead, and this year it's even more magical!
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Physio Led Antenatal Pilates
Grace Ferguson Pilates will launch an antenatal (pregnancy) Pilates class on Thursday evenings in Paisley at the lovely SANA Yoga & Massage from January 9th.
READ MOREEvents in Stirling
Here's a selection of events you can find over on our sister site, What's On Stirling:
Aerial Yoga
Feeling inspired to try something new or expand your existing practice? Then join Andriani's Ahimsa Yoga at 3 Wellgreen Lane, Stirling for these Aerial Yoga classes on Mondays & Tuesdays!
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The Man Who Could Paint Anything – The Legacy of Thomas Stuart Smith
This exhibition showcases some of The Stirling Smith Art Gallery and Museum’s remarkable art collection.
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Weans in the Wood
Grab your magic wands, dancing shoes and full-on-sing-along voices for this year’s panto extravaganza… Weans in the Wood at Macrobert Arts Centre!
READ MOREEvents in Other Areas
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