Events in Edinburgh on 20 December 2025
Scroll down to view the events taking place in Edinburgh on the 20 December 2025, or use the filters to narrow down the results.
Events in Edinburgh
3D2D Winter in the West End Christmas Market
Meet the artists, support local businesses and find extraordinary and unique items this Christmas at the 3D2D Winter in the West End Christmas Market in St Johns Episcopal Church!
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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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Badly Drawn Boy
Cult icon singer-songwriter, Badly Drawn Boy, brings his special 25th anniversary tour celebrating his groundbreaking album 'The Hour Of Bewilderbeast' to The Queens Hall Edinburgh on 20th December!
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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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Big Country
Big Country return to the Liquid Room on Saturday 20th December for their only Edinburgh show of 2025 as part of their Eastworld UK tour!
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Boogies BIG Christmas Bash
Whether you’re planning your office holiday party, or fancying a festive night out with friends, Scottish Gas Murrayfield has Christmas covered!
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Brunch with Santa
On the 20th and 21st of December join us at Scottish Gas Murrayfield for Sunday brunch with Santa himself!
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Candlelight: Christmas Movie Soundtracks
discover the music of Christmas Movie Soundtracks at St Mary's Episcopal Cathedral under the gentle glow of candlelight.
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Carols by Candlelight
Join Opera Caledonia at Stockbridge Parish Church on 19th & 20th December for 'Carols by Candlelight', for a festive evening of entertainment complete with mince pies and mulled wine!
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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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Christmas Party Night
Join us at Reconnect Howden Park on 20th December for an evening of pure Christmas fun!
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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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Cocktail Craft Masterclass
Join Summerhall Distillery for an immersive cocktail masterclass at their historic venue, where the art of mixology meets the science of spirits!
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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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Corn Exchange Christmas Cracker
Edinburgh Corn Exchange is thrilled to be bringing back the ‘best party in town’ this December and this year’s celebrations are going to be unmissable!
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Crafternoons
Looking for something fun to do with the kids during the winter? Then come along to these FREE arts and crafts sessions every Saturday at the Scottish Parliament!
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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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Dancing Shoes
After a raucous run in the Spring, Dancing Shoes returns to the Traverse in December with even more heart, humour and high-energy moves.
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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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Disco Days Xmas Party Edinburgh
Celebrate your Christmas party the Disco Days way - party all day and get home at a reasonable hour!
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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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Doctor Bonk’s Macarbaret
Dr Bonk, Scotland's silliest surgeon, presents the Macarbaret: a madcap hour of drag, burlesque, music, comedy, and medical mayhem!
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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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Dr Arnott’s Sampling Sensation
Uncover the secrets of 17th-century medicine with a hands-on workshop led by an expert from his time: Dr Arnott, who examined his patients’ health by analysing urine’s colour, smell & TASTE!
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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 Corn Exchange Car Boot Sale Market
The Corn Exchange Car Boot Sale Market is the longest running car boot in Edinburgh... sell your unwanted goods to 1000s of bargain hunters and make extra cash!
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Edinburgh Farmers Market
If you're looking for a great place to find fresh, local produce and delicious food, Edinburgh's Farmers Market, held every Saturday, is a must-visit!
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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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Edinburgh’s Christmas: The Polar Ice Bar
Take some time to ‘chill’ at the Polar Ice Bar, the coolest bar in the city, where your table, chairs and glasses are sculpted entirely from ice.
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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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Fire and Light, A Candlelight Christmas at 7 Charlotte Square
Step back in time and experience the magic of Christmas in 18th century Edinburgh at The Georgian House!
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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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Grassmarket Market
Every Saturday the centre of the Grassmarket becomes a flurry of excitement with the arrival of the weekly market... home to art, crafts, jewellery, gifts, not to mention amazing locally made food!
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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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Jubilate Children’s Choir
Jubilate is St Mary's Episcopal Cathedral's new junior choir, held every Friday during term time in the Song School on the Cathedral grounds.
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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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Leith Market
The weekly Leith Market has it all - fresh meats, fish, bread, veggies, fruits, cheeses, home bakes, olives, jams, chutneys, oils, smokehouse products and lots more!
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Little Big Horns @ Music on The Mezzanine
Join us on the mezzanine at Central Library as we welcome the return of Edinburgh based Little Big Horns on Saturday 20th December!
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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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Moonlight Sonata at Christmas
Treat yourself and your loved ones to a special pre-Christmas evening in the stunning surroundings of St Giles' Cathedral!
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Newhailes Market
Come along to Newhailes monthly market where you'll find a fine selection of handmade goods; from jams and chutneys to pies and candles!
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Ocean Terminal Christmas Market
Ocean Terminal Christmas Market is the place to be for a magical indoor shopping experience.
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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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Phil Cunningham’s Christmas Songbook
Phil Cunningham returns to The Queen's Hall with his extremely popular annual Christmas Songbook in December 2025!
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Picking up the Thread: The Past, Present and Future of Tapestry
Dovecot is delighted to welcome a wonderful variety of artists to show their work in The British Tapestry Group’s celebration of its 20th anniversary.
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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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Royal Mile International Piano Series
Set against the magnificent backdrop of St Giles’ Cathedral — illuminated by candlelight - these concerts promise an unforgettable musical experience!
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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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Shen Xin: Highland Embassy
Highland Embassy brings together three projects by artist and filmmaker Shen Xin and is showing at Collective Edinburgh from October to December 2025.
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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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Sinbad the Sailor
Edinburgh People's Theatre presents Sinbad the Sailor, a Traditional Pantomime by Alan P Frayn, at Church Hill Theatre this December!
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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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Speak 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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Stand Up Horror
Improvised, macabre tales featuring (voluntary!) members of the audience as actor, writer and tour guide Alex Staniforth invents a horror story every night at Stand Up Horror!
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Sundown Adventures
For the very first time Go Ape's popular Sundown Adventures will be available at Dalkeith Country Park between 28th November and 30th December.
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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 Big Show
Enjoy a night of top stand-up comedy at The Big Show every weekend at Monkey Barrel Comedy, come see a line-up featuring outstanding local, national, and international comedians!
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The Elf that wasn’t Elfing
Come along and join the festive fun and help Trixiebelle the Elf. She's just been promoted to Santa’s Workshop! The only problem is, she can’t quite get the hang of what she is supposed to do…
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The Holiday - Film with Live Orchestra
The beloved Christmas film, The Holiday, will return to the Usher Hall this festive season, featuring its musical score performed live to the film by a full concert orchestra!
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The Scottish Explorer: A selection of the Finest Local Produce
Indulge in an unforgettable culinary journey that celebrates the essence of Scotland at Summerhall Distillery's Scottish Explorer events!
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The Stand Christmas Special
Forget wearing paper hats and eating over-priced turkey – instead come and get some Christmas cheer from the very best comics from the UK and beyond at The Stand Edinburgh!
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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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The Wizard of Oz - Pantomime - Musselburgh
Follow the yellow brick road to the Musselburgh for a magical, musical panto adventure for all ages.
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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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Vivaldi’s Four Seasons at Christmas
Enjoy an exceptional classical concert by candlelight this Christmas in the beautiful setting of St Giles' Cathedral
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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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WinterFest
Step into the magic of WinterFest and soak up the Christmas spirit at Dalkeith Country Park!
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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:
Festive Party Nights
Whether you're celebrating with friends, booking your work party, or fancy a night out with the other half - the Redhurst Hotel have got an events calendar packed full of ultimate party nights!
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Giffnock Litter Pickers
Join the Giffnock Litter Pickers on Saturday mornings through the year and help remove litter from the streets of Giffnock!
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Cinderella
Eastwood Park Theatre has announced its panto production for 2025 will be the magical fairy tale, Cinderella!
READ MOREEvents in Fife
Here's a selection of events you can find over on our sister site, What's On Fife:
Aladdin
Join Aladdin and his wonderfully daft family, the McSwankeys, as they set off on a bonkers Highland adventure in this Scottish take on the classic tale at The Byre Theatre St Andrews!
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Breakfast with Santa at Fife Zoo
Make this Christmas extra special - share a magical morning of good food, festive fun and a sprinkle of zoo adventure with the whole family.
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From These Parts: Scotland, Art and Identity
Join us at Wardlaw Museum for this exhibition and uncover Scotland’s identity through the creativity of its artists!
READ MOREEvents in Glasgow
Here's a selection of events you can find over on our sister site, What's On Glasgow:
Play Cafe
Bring your wee ones along and enjoy some theatre, dance, music and arts activities at Platform Glasgow's Play Cafe on Saturdays!
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Victoria Parkrun
Victoria Parkrun is a weekly, free 5km timed run held on Saturday mornings at Victoria Park in the West End of Glasgow!
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Glasgow Central Station Tours
Glasgow Central Tours offer you the chance to explore behind the scenes of Glasgow's most iconic and busiest landmarks, Central Station!
READ MOREEvents in Lanarkshire
Here's a selection of events you can find over on our sister site, What's On Lanarkshire:
The Snowman
Lanark Memorial Hall will host a special screening of the classic animated film The Snowman with live musical accompaniment from Kirkintilloch Brass Band on Saturday 20th December!
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Festive Magical Circus
Back by popular demand, with a whole new Christmas performance... Festive Magical Circus returns to M&Ds Scotland's Theme Park this November!
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Christmas Party Comedy Show
Join Breakneck Comedy for the funniest Christmas party in town, featuring Chris Forbes, Jack Traynor and Scott Forbes at Cumbernauld New Town Hall on Saturday 20th December!
READ MOREEvents in Renfrewshire and Inverclyde
Here's a selection of events you can find over on our sister site, What's On Renfrewshire:
Deco
The Art Department is delighted to announce a new exhibition Deco 2025, exploring the Art Deco movement, stemming back to the early twentieth century when Art Deco first burst onto the world stage.
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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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PACE presents Snow White
With a whole host of hilarious characters, fantastic original music, and the liveliest, most energetic chorus of young people – PACE's panto, Snow White, is one not to miss!
READ MOREEvents in Stirling
Here's a selection of events you can find over on our sister site, What's On Stirling:
A Blair Drummond Christmas
From the 29th of November to the 23rd of December, enjoy a full safari day out with all the animals you love – plus a sprinkle of festive magic at Blair Drummond Safari and Adventure Park!
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Sparkling Christmas Party Nights
Join us at Inglewood House & Spa in Alloa for our Christmas party nights this festive season!
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Christmas Party Brunch at Stirling Court Hotel
Join us at Stirling Court Hotel for a festive fun filled afternoon of live entertainment, day-time dancing, delicious brunch and fizz!
READ MOREEvents in Other Areas
Kilmarnock Farmers Market
Ayrshire Farmers Markets hold a market in Kilmarnock town centre on the third Saturday of each month!
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Largs Market
You'll find fresh produce and sweet treats, handmade crafts, jewellery, artwork, gifts, pet supplies and more at Largs Market every Saturday in Gallowgate Square!
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