Events in Edinburgh in May 2025
Scroll down to view the events taking place in Edinburgh during May 2025, or use the filters to narrow down the results.
Events in Edinburgh
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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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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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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Flamenco Dance Class Programme
Alba Flamenca's Flamenco dance classes with amazing flamenco dance teachers ready to welcome everyone from beginners to advanced!
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TuFlamenco is Back with More Flamenco Magic! Course 2024/25
Ignite your passion with TuFlamenco dance classes for adults and children, now returning bigger and better!
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Edinburgh Steiner Teacher Development
Edinburgh Steiner School is offering this Teacher Development course starting on 13th September.
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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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Whisky Tasting and Tales
Taste 4 deliciously different whiskies while taking a journey into the history of whisky in Scotland and its profound importance within Scottish culture.
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Longarm Quilting Workshops
Experience the joy of longarm quilting with a bespoke workshop with professional quilter Claire Sowton at Cloud Quilting!
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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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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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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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The Comedy Cellar at Canon’s Gait
Get ready for a rib-tickling night of laughter with "The Good, The Bad and The Irish," as we have the craic every night, hosted by the hilarious Michael Porter!
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Scottish Dance Classes for Children
Let your child explore music, rhythm, and movement in a fun and welcoming environment at the RSCDS Edinburgh's Saturday morning Scottish Dance Classes in Greenbank Church Hall!
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Monumental Treasure Hunt: West Princes Street Gardens
Welcome to the Monument-al Treasure Hunt in West Princes Street Gardens Edinburgh, a cultural & historical exploration for children & adults of all ages to enjoy.
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Scotland’s Gardens Scheme Open Garden: Shepherd House
Visit Shepherd House, a constantly evolving artist’s garden that never stands still, with lots of surprises!
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The Scottish Colourists: Radical Perspectives
Discover this groundbreaking exhibition in partnership with the Fleming Collection, which for the first time showcases the Scottish Colourists in the context of their European contemporaries.
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Royal Portraits: A Century of Photography
This exhibition at The Palace of Holyroodhouse, charts the evolution of royal portrait photography from the 1920s to the present day!
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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!
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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Scotland’s Gardens Scheme Open Garden: Stobshiel House
The garden at Stobshiel House is effectively split into four main parts and the extensive collection of shrubs and mature trees offer a fantastic backdrop during all seasons.
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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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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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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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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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Scotland’s Gardens Scheme Open Garden: Hunter’s Tryst
Hunter’s Tryst is a well-stocked and beautifully designed, mature, medium-sized, wildlife-friendly town garden.
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Camila Ospina Gaitán: Unconquered Natures - Tropicalism
Camilla Ospina Gaitán’s new commission, at Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop, examines the logic of colonialism through the lens of orchid collection - an 18th and 19th-century practice.
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Confluence by Graeme Swanson
Graeme Swanson is an abstract visual artist and an art tutor based in Edinburgh and his exhibition 'Confluence' is showing at Wasps Patriothall.
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A Colourful Palette
The Snug at Hotel du Vin Edinburgh will be showcasing Gillian Henshaw’s delightfully colourful and joyful paintings until 31st August. All paintings are available to purchase.
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Work on Paper - Andrew Mackenzie
Leith School of Art is delighted to showcase work by Andrew Mackenzie in the exhibition 'Work on Paper', showing until 20th June.
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Friday Friends
Our Friday Friends programme offers a welcoming space for visually impaired and D/deaf children and their families.
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Moulin Rouge! The Musical!
Pop the champagne and prepare for the spectacular spectacular as Moulin Rouge! The Musical begins its World Tour at Edinburgh Playhouse from April 2025!
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The World of King James VI and I
Marking the 400-year anniversary of King James’s death, this exhibition will chart his remarkable reign through stories of friendship, family, feuds and ambition.
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Some Kind of Tours: 5 million years of Edinburgh history in 90 minutes
Unearth the twisted tales of Greyfriars Kirkyard and uncover Scotland's sinister past on this unique, 90 minute walking tour of Edinburgh’s atmospheric Old Town.
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Edinburgh Street Historians LGBTQ Free Walking Tour
This walking tour of Edinburgh focuses on LGBTQ history from the battle of legalisation to the modern issues faced by the community in the current day!
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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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Nurture Through Nature with Children’s Books
Delve into the Museum of Childhood’s book collection and explore the links between wellbeing and nature introduced to us through books from an early age.
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Scotland’s Gardens Scheme Open Garden: 101 Greenbank Crescent
101 Greenbank Crescent hides a fascinating garden on a steeply sloped site, with views over Braidburn Valley Park to the Pentland hills.
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Summer Course Drop - Edinburgh Open Workshop
Unlock your potential as Edinburgh Open Workshop announces a range of new summer courses suitable for first-time makers and those looking to improve their skills.
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The Neighbourgood Market
The Neighbourgood Market is an open air food and drink market in Stockbridge, Edinburgh, taking place between 7th May and 27th July.
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Your Art World
Your Art World is a colourful exhibition, showcasing the artwork of creative 3–18-year-olds from across Scotland, at the National Galleries of Scotland: National.
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THE SMALL PRINT Exhibition
THE SMALL PRINT is a new exhibition by artist Kerry Simms featuring a series of work developed during her two-month residency in the Out of the Blueprint studio in Spring 2025.
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Last Chance to Join - Edinburgh Open Workshop
We've got just a few spots left in our upcoming May/June workshops at Edinburgh Open Workshop - don't miss your chance to create, build, and learn!
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The Ascent of Man
This exhibition at The House of Smalls, showcases the artwork of 75 female artists, made in response to their feelings at the ever-increasing oppression, repression and suppression of women.
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Doug Cocker: Threads
Doug Cocker, one of Scotland’s leading sculptors, unveils a dynamic new body of work at Dovecot Studios in collaboration with The Scottish Gallery.
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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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A PhD Research Project: Non-linear interactive picturebook reading workshop
Huiling Chen, a PhD researcher at Edinburgh College of Art, is seeking participants for a research study on Nonlinear Interactive Picturebooks.
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Architecture Reassembled: Ros Lawless & Charles Young
This exhibition at Upright Gallery brings together Ros Lawless & Charles Young, two artists whose interest lies in the built environment - both real and imagined.
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John Bellany: A Life in Self-Portraiture
John Bellany: A Life in Self-Portraiture captures the span of an extraordinary life and career, told through the lens of the artist’s own eyes and the words of the people who knew him best.
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Laleh Sherkat: Photographing Iran, 1984–1993
Craigmillar Now is hosting a Photography Exhibition on Iran, 1984–1993 by Iranian photographer Laleh Sherkat, focusing on the lives of women in Iran following the Islamic Revolution in 1979.
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The Mountaintop
It’s Dr. Martin Luther King Jnr’s last night on Earth. This funny, compelling drama imagines the man behind the legend on the eve of his assassination.
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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:
East Renfrewshire Bookbug Sessions
Free, fun and fantastic! East Renfrewshire Libraries run several interactive song, rhyme and story Bookbug sessions!
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Whitelee Walkers Health Walk
Join the Whitelee Rangers for a short health walk on the windfarm on Tuesday mornings - stretch your legs, have a natter and maybe even spot some local wildlife!
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: South Flisk
The spectacular views over Fife to Perthshire and Angus and the large flooded quarry full of fish, planted with impressive marginals, make the garden at South Flisk very special in the area.
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Scotland’s Gardens Scheme Open Garden: Glassmount House
Glassmount House has a densely planted walled garden with new areas of naturalistic planting blending the boundary between the surrounding fields and the woodland.
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Scotland’s Gardens Scheme Open Garden: 46 South Street
This garden is an historic and unique feature in St Andrews, but also a wonderfully planted space where different styles of planting complement the range of plants used.
READ MOREEvents in Glasgow
Here's a selection of events you can find over on our sister site, What's On Glasgow:
Unearthed: The Power of Gardening
Unearthed: The Power of Gardening, a free display at The Mitchell Library, explores the transformative, enriching and sometimes radical power of gardening.
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Glasgow Requiem: The Walk
Discover the hidden lives and stories of the city on an immersive audio journey through Glasgow with The Walk, FREE to experience for everyone.
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Glasgow City Centre Walking Tour
This is a 1.5 hour tour that will take you around all the main sites of the city, giving you an excellent opportunity to find out about Glasgow's rich history and culture!
READ MOREEvents in Lanarkshire
Here's a selection of events you can find over on our sister site, What's On Lanarkshire:
Get Walking Lanarkshire Health Walks
Join Get Walking Lanarkshire on one of their regular health walks! Enjoy the fresh air, meet new people and have a good blether!
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Lamington Heritage Exhibition
This exhibition explores the history surrounding Lamington from early times through the regeneration of the village until the death of the 3rd Lord Lamington in 1951 and up to the present day.
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Cool Britannia: Britain in the 1990s
Cool Britannia: Britain in the 1990s explores the major events throughout Britain and the world focussing on the changing technology, shifting political landscape and pop culture that defined an era!
READ MOREEvents in Renfrewshire and Inverclyde
Here's a selection of events you can find over on our sister site, What's On Renfrewshire:
Kilmacolm Farm Tours
Experience a fantastic farm animal safari from a purpose built 14 seater all weather trailer where you can enjoy the panoramic 360 degree views of this working farm in Kilmacolm!
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Micro Layouts Model Railway Show
Join Renfrewshire Model Railway Club, Cupar Model Railway Club and Leven Valley Trains for the Micro Layouts Model Railway Show on Saturday 22nd March!
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Scotland’s Gardens Scheme Open Garden: The Croft
Explore the special one acre garden of The Croft, on a steep rocky site facing north overlooking the Clyde just opposite Dumbarton Rock, as part of Scotland's Gardens!
READ MOREEvents in Stirling
Here's a selection of events you can find over on our sister site, What's On Stirling:
Stirling Ghostwalk
Take a tour of the strange tales and stranger characters of Stirling's Old Town on the Stirling Ghostwalk... comedy, drama, fact and fable - fun for boys & ghouls of all ages!
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Scotlands Gardens Scheme Open Garden: Thorntree
Thorntree is an inspiring garden to visit at any time of the year. From the garden you can see panoramic views from Aberfoyle and the hills beyond to Doune.
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Scotland’s National Hero
Who was William Wallace? Listen as a costumed actor gives you an insight into the life of Scotland’s National Hero.
READ MOREEvents in Other Areas
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