Events & Festivals

Glasgow is quite simply buzzing with exciting events and festivals year round - find your perfect day exploring some of the fantastic culture on offer in this vibrant city.

The Kelvingrove Art Gallery & Museum will be the only place to view and marvel at what will undoubtedly be the largest Doctor Who display ever in Scotland. Visitors beware, its not just the famous Tardis that will be making an appearance but also a motley gang of Doctor Who's most terrifying adversaries, from Daleks and Autons to the feared Cybermen. Almost certainly Kelvingrove's top attraction this year, see it until January 2010.

As part of the Year of Homecoming 2009, Inspired (4 April - September 20) is an exciting contemporary art exhibition celebrating the life and works of Scottish poet and international icon Robert Burns. Bringing together the work of a distinguished group of artists from the UK and abroad, the exhibition will showcase 50 contemporary works of art and several relics, many of which are being unveiled to the public for the first time. Inspired will be on display in the Old Reading Hall at Glasgow's magnificent Mitchell Library, home of the largest collection of Burns items in the world.

Kick off your summer with Scotland's only Mardi Gras, as the streets of Glasgow come alive to open the 13th West End Festival (13 - 28 June); a week long carnival of music, film and performance spectaculars taking over Glasgow's West End venues. With the focus firmly on music and the visual arts, this is a full-on, fun and vibrant festival that all the family can go to, and it's right in the heart of Glasgow; a city renowned world-wide for its culture and arts.

One of the largest jazz festivals in Europe, the popular Glasgow International Jazz Festival (19-30 June) attracts artists of all jazz disciplines, from solo singers to full blown swing bands. The festival has become a breeding ground for home-grown talent too, showcasing the huge diversity found in Scottish jazz music today; from blues and reggae to R&B and jazz-fusion.

This summer find out what makes music so exciting by immersing yourself in jazz for 12 whole days. For the full programme of events including a line up with such names as the 2008 MOBO Best Jazz Act Winner Yolanda Brown, Chick Corea, Lionel Louek, BBS Big Band and the Scottish National Jazz Orchestra, visit the website.

An event  for all the family is the Glasgow Festival - on the Clyde (25-26 July). This free 2-day festival will have a packed programme of water and land based fun along the River Clyde to celebrate the past, present and future of Glasgow's historic waterfront. Take the opportunity to climb aboard Glasgow's Tall Ship 'The Glenlee'. For further ideas of family things to see and do click here.

Piping Live! (10 - 16 August) is a week long festival of piping bands, family events and evening concerts with the World Pipe Band Championships taking place on the 15th August.  Witness the titanic battle of pipe bands from 16 different nations, each striving to win the coveted world championships.

For more events taking place in Glasgow  click here.

Family days out in the city

Glasgow is a family-friendly city with so many attractions for all ages. Find your perfect family day out and have bucket loads of fun into the bargain.

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