Scotland is magical during autumn and winter. We’d argue every season is magical, but there’s something about autumn/winter and the sound of Mariah Carey and Michael Bublé defrosting that gets us excited to spend the seasons in Scotland.
Summer has some great festivals, but most people will agree that autumn and winter are better.
Below, we’ve compiled an autumn/winter Scottish festivals calendar for you to make it easy to see what’s happening.
Autumn
Loch Ness Marathon – September 28
It’s not so much a festival, we know, but it’s one we wanted to include on the list. Entries are still open if you’d like to join with a charity entry, but the general entry is closed. Most people like to go simply to watch and cheer people on. The route starts near the stunning Suidhe Viewpoint and ends in Inverness. If you’re in either of these areas, we recommend watching some of it!
The Enchanted Forest: Luminara – October 2 to November 2
The Enchanted Forest returns to Pitlochry in the Faskally Forest. The incredible light show spectacle for us, and many others, is the true start of the winter vibes. Technically, it’s autumn vibes, with the light embracing the beauty of autumn in the Highlands of Scotland, but you’ll see what we mean when you get there. Luminara really does become an enchanted world that forms an immersive outdoor experience.
Royal National Mòd – October 10 to 18
Less enchanted, more traditional. The Royal National Mòd is an Eisteddfod-inspired international Celtic festival organised by An Comunn Gàidhealach and was founded in Oban in 1891. It’s an excellent event full of Gaelic linguistic and cultural heritage. Enjoy music, great food, and history.
Scottish International Storytelling Festival – October 22 to November 1
The Scottish International Storytelling Festival takes place in the Scottish Storytelling Centre in Edinburgh. It’s a unique festival that’s well worth visiting. Culture, tradition, and history are told using the art of storytelling. It’s unique but definitely should be on your list.
Winter
Oban Winter Festival – November 14 – December 21
Oban’s winter festival always ranks as one of the top winter festivals in Scotland. It’s your typical Christmas-style festival with lights, Christmas markets, and music – all of it with a classic Scottish Highland twist. One of our favourite events for the festival is definitely the annual haggis competition, named The Golden Haggis Awards. The awards always take place on November 30th at the historic Oban Distillery.
The Christmas Markets – Throughout Winter
We didn’t want to single one out – all the Christmas markets across Scotland are some of the most magical in the UK.
Some of the most popular Christmas markets include:
- Edinburgh (the most popular): November 24 to January 4
- Aberdeen: November 15 to December 31
- Glasgow: December 1 to January 7
Most areas will have some form of a Christmas market; some are just bigger and more popular than others.
Hogmanay – December 31
You haven’t lived unless you’ve spent Hogmanay (New Year’s Eve) in Scotland. No other country celebrates it with as much passion. The Scottish version, Hogmanay, dates back to the winter solstice and the wild parties of the Vikings. Most people will say that Edinburgh is the best location for Hogmanay, but other cities have just as good an atmosphere with potentially fewer crowds. Although we will say that wherever you go, there will be crowds. The Scots love Hogmanay!
Travelling Around Scotland
There are so many incredible festivals in Scotland year-round. It’s quite possible that one of the best locations in the UK is for them. As you’ll have noticed throughout the article, you’re wrong to think the main events are in Edinburgh or Glasgow. Every corner of Scotland has something going on.
In our opinion (not being biased), motorhome hire is the perfect option for seeing as much as possible. Think of it as a luxury hotel suite on wheels, taking you from festival to festival. Motorhome parks can also fill up well in advance in winter, so it’s always worth looking as early as possible.
We’d also recommend checking the weather before travelling around Scotland. When it snows, it snows, and storms can be common. Travelling around the Highlands in storms is not advised.
Hotels and rentals during the winter months can be expensive, especially in winter. Tourism increases because people love to come to Scotland to feel festive and magical. Always plan, especially if you want to travel around and stay in more than one place.