What’s on in Edinburgh this Winter 2026

What’s on this Winter?

As winter drapes Edinburgh in a cosy embrace, the city transforms into a sparkling wonderland of festive charm and unforgettable experiences. From family-friendly adventures to cultural celebrations, there’s something magical for everyone to enjoy amid the crisp winter air. Join us as we explore the best of Edinburgh’s winter attractions and events across a variety of categories.

Family-Friendly Fun

Winter in Edinburgh offers a wealth of family-friendly activities perfect for creating lasting memories. Glide gracefully across the Edinburgh Christmas Ice Rink at St Andrew Square, where twinkling lights and joyful laughter fill the air. Hop aboard the Christmas Wheel for panoramic views of the city, glittering with festive decorations. For a touch of nostalgia, explore the Christmas markets at Princes Street Gardens, where children can marvel at whimsical displays and indulge in sweet treats. Learn more about all-year family-friendly things to do in Edinburgh here

Events and Festivals

Edinburgh truly comes alive with festive spirit during winter, hosting an array of events and festivals that celebrate the season. The renowned Edinburgh Christmas Market, one of the year’s most anticipated events, turns the city into a magical wonderland with charming stalls, thrilling rides, and live entertainment. Don’t miss the city’s signature celebrations, including enchanting light displays, theatre performances, and Santa’s Grotto—where children can share their Christmas wishes with the jolly man himself. Learn more about the capital’s key annual events and festivals here

Iconic Sights and Landmarks

Winter casts a spell over Edinburgh’s iconic landmarks, transforming them into mesmerising scenes. Marvel at the majestic Edinburgh Castle as it glows against the winter night sky, and stroll along the festive Royal Mile, bustling with holiday shoppers and twinkling lights. For sweeping views of the city draped in snow, climb Arthur’s Seat or venture up to Calton Hill, where you’ll capture breathtaking photos of Edinburgh’s winter charm. Learn more about Edinburgh’s most sought-after sights and landmarks here

In conclusion, Edinburgh’s winter wonderland offers a magical escape filled with festive joy, enchanting experiences, and seasonal beauty. Whether you’re browsing the Christmas markets, enjoying family-friendly fun, or admiring the city’s iconic landmarks in a winter glow, Edinburgh promises an unforgettable winter getaway for all.

Music, theatre and comedy

December

The Wombats, Edinburgh Corn Exchange, 2 Dec

Cast: 30 Years Of All Change, Edinburgh Corn Exchange, 4 Dec

Chopin by Candlelight at Christmas, St Giles’ Cathedral, 5 Dec

Rachmaninov & Grieg Piano Concertos at Christmas, St Giles’ Cathedral, 5 Dec

Count Arthur Strong Is Charles Dickens In A Christmas Carol’, EICC, 6 Dec

A Fairytale for Christmas, Edinburgh Playhouse, 6 Dec

Candlelight: Queen vs. ABBA Tribute, St Mary’s Episcopal Cathedral, 6 Dec

MAMMA MIA! Edinburgh Playhouse, 9 Dec – 4 Jan

The Bootleg Beatles, Usher Hall, 9 Dec

Christmas at the Movies by Candlelight, St Giles’ Cathedral, 12 Dec

Candlelight Original Sessions: Ella Eyre, Assembly Roxy, 12 Dec

Candlelight: Tribute to Taylor Swift, Assembly Roxy, 12 Dec

Vivaldi’s Four Seasons at Christmas, St Mary’s Episcopal Cathedral, 13 Dec

Live At Christmas: Sam Campbell, Tim Key, Amy Gledhill, Queen’s Hall, 13 Dec

Panto: Jack and The Beanstalk, Festival Theatre, 13 Dec – 11 Jan

Love Actually: Film with Live Orchestra, Usher Hall, 14 Dec

Ding Dong Merrily… Robert Plant & Saving Grace, Usher Hall, 18 Dec

Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata by Candlelight, St Giles’ Cathedral, 19 Dec

Viennese Christmas Spectacular by Candlelight, St Giles’ Cathedral, 19 Dec

The Holiday: Film With Live Orchestra, Usher Hall, 20 Dec

Candlelight: Christmas Movie Soundtracks, St Mary’s Episcopal Cathedral, 20 Dec

Badly Drawn Boy, Queen’s Hall, 20 Dec Del Amitri, Usher Hall, 22 Dec

Elephant Sessions, Queen’s Hall, 23 Dec, Edinburgh Corn Exchange, 27 Dec

Peat & Diesel: The Night Afore Hoolie, West Princes Street Gardens, 30 Dec

Hogmanay Concert Featuring Wet Leg, West Princes Street Gardens, 31 Dec

January

MAMMA MIA! Edinburgh Playhouse, 9 Dec – 4 Jan

Panto: Jack and The Beanstalk, Festival Theatre, 13 Dec – 11 Jan

The Rocky Horror Show, Edinburgh Playhouse, 6 – 10 Jan

Rob Beckett: Giraffe, Edinburgh Playhouse, 15 Jan

Al Murray: All You Need Is Guv, Edinburgh Playhouse, 17 Jan

GirlyPop Live Tributes, Edinburgh Corn Exchange, 18 Jan

Candlelight: Coldplay v Imagine Dragons Tribute, St Mary’s Episcopal Cathedral, 24 Jan

Sing-a-Long-a Encanto, Edinburgh Playhouse, 24 Jan

Sing-a-Long-a The Greatest Showman, Edinburgh Playhouse, 24 Jan

Beethoven Violin Sonatas by Candlelight, St Giles’ Cathedral, 26 Jan

Fawlty Towers: The Play, Edinburgh Playhouse, 27 – 31 Jan

Candlelight: Vivaldi Four Seasons & Rachmaninov 2nd Piano Concerto, St Giles’ Cathedral, 30 Jan

February

Twilight In Concert: Film With Live Band, Usher Hall, 1 Feb

Prima Facie, Royal Lyceum, 3 – 7 Feb

Suede, Usher Hall, 5 Feb

FRIENDS! The Musical Parody, Edinburgh Playhouse, 6 – 7 Feb

Chris Ramsey: Here, Man, Festival Theatre, 8 Feb, Usher Hall, 10 Feb

Shen Yun, Edinburgh Playhouse, 10 – 11 Feb

Dita Von Teese: Nocturnelle, Edinburgh Playhouse, 13 – 14 Feb

Bach Cello Suites by Candlelight, St Giles’ Cathedral, 13 Feb

A Valentine’s Night at the Opera by Candlelight, St Giles’ Cathedral, 13 Feb

Valentine’s Chopin & Champagne by Candlelight, St Mary’s Episcopal Cathedral, 14 Feb

Valentine’s Vivaldi by Candlelight, St Giles’ Cathedral, 14 Feb

Valentine’s Moonlight Sonata by Candlelight, St Giles’ Cathedral, 14 Feb

A Country Night in Nashville, Edinburgh Playhouse, 15 Feb

Varna International Ballet: Cinderella, Edinburgh Playhouse, 19 Feb

Varna International Ballet: Swan Lake, Edinburgh Playhouse, 20 Feb

Varna International Ballet: The Nutcracker, Edinburgh Playhouse, 21 Feb

Talking Sopranos, Usher Hall, 21 Sep

Here & Now: The Steps Musical, Edinburgh Playhouse, 24 Feb – 1 Mar

Disney In Concert: The Sound Of Magic, Usher Hall, 24 Feb

Boyzlife, Usher Hall, 28 Feb

Festivals and special events

December

Edinburgh Zoo’s Giant Lanterns, Edinburgh Zoo, selected dates 14 Nov – 22 Feb

Edinburgh’s Christmas, various venues, 15 Nov – 4 Jan

Christmas at The Botanics, Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, 20 Nov – 30 Dec

Castle of Light, Edinburgh Castle, selected dates 21 Nov – 4 Jan

Beyond Van Gogh & Beyond Monet, Royal Highland Centre, 29 Nov – 4 Jan

Edinburgh’s Hogmanay, various venues, 29 Dec – 1 Jan Magic Fest, TBC

January

Edinburgh Zoo’s Giant Lanterns, Edinburgh Zoo, selected dates 14 Nov – 22 Feb

Edinburgh’s Christmas, various venues, 15 Nov – 4 Jan

Castle of Light, Edinburgh Castle, selected dates 21 Nov – 4 Jan

Beyond Van Gogh & Beyond Monet, Royal Highland Centre, 29 Nov – 4 Jan

Burns & Beyond, TBC

February

Edinburgh Zoo’s Giant Lanterns, Edinburgh Zoo, selected dates 14 Nov – 22 Feb

Manipulate Festival, various venues, 4 – 10 Feb

Capital Sci Fi Con, Edinburgh Corn Exchange, 21 – 22 Feb

Activities, tours and experiences

December

Edinburgh Ceilidh Club, various venues, 2, 9, 16 & 19 Dec

January

Edinburgh Ceilidh Club, various venues, 2, 9, 16 & 19 Dec

February

Edinburgh Ceilidh Club, various venues, 2, 9, 16 & 19 Dec

Markets and Fairs

Edinburgh Farmers Market, Castle Terrace, most Saturdays

Grassmarket Weekly Market, Grassmarket, most Saturdays

Leith Market, Dock Place, most Sats

Edinburgh Car Boot Sale, Edinburgh Corn Exchange, selected Sats & Suns

Stockbridge Market, Saunders Street, most Sundays

Edinburgh Street Food, Leith Street, most days

Tron Kirk Market, Tron Kirk on the Royal Mile, most days

Traditional Christmas Markets, Princes Street Gardens, 15 Nov – 4 Jan

Christmas Art, Craft & Design Fair, Assembly Rooms, 6 – 7 Dec

Winter in the West End, Cornerstone Centre at St John’s Church, 8 – 21 Dec

Castle St Fair, TBC

Edinburgh Flea Market, TBC

Museums, galleries and exhibitions

December

Cold War Scotland, National Museum of Scotland, until 4 Jan

Resistance, Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, 21 Jun – 4 Jan

Panorama: New Views of a City, Collective, 9 Jul – 21 Dec

Unmasked: Exploring Scottish Portraiture, City Art Centre, 13 Sep – 31 May

Making a Statement: Craft & Activism in Edinburgh, Museum of Edinburgh, 17 Sep – 26 Jan

Shen Xin: Highland Embassy, Collective, 3 Oct – 21 Dec

Drawing the Italian Renaissance, The King’s Gallery, 17 Oct – 1 Mar

Alfred Buckham: Daredevil Photographer, Scottish National Portrait Gallery, 18 Oct – 19 Apr

Picking up the Thread: The Past, Present and Future of Tapestry, Dovecot Studios, 20 Oct – 14 Feb

The Children are Now, Talbot Rice Gallery, 25 Oct – 15 Feb

Michael Fullerton, City Art Centre, 22 Nov – 22 Feb

January

Cold War Scotland, National Museum of Scotland, until 4 Jan

Resistance, Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, 21 Jun – 4 Jan

Making a Statement: Craft & Activism in Edinburgh, Museum of Edinburgh, 17 Sep – 26 Jan

Drawing the Italian Renaissance, The King’s Gallery, 17 Oct – 1 Mar

Alfred Buckham: Daredevil Photographer, Scottish National Portrait Gallery, 18 Oct – 19 Apr

Picking up the Thread: The Past, Present and Future of Tapestry, Dovecot Studios, 20 Oct – 14 Feb

The Children are Now, Talbot Rice Gallery, 25 Oct – 15 Feb

Michael Fullerton, City Art Centre, 22 Nov – 22 Feb

Turner in January, Scottish National Gallery, 1 – 31 Jan

Giants, National Museum of Scotland, 31 Jan – 14 Sep

February

Unmasked: Exploring Scottish Portraiture, City Art Centre, 13 Sep – 31 May

Drawing the Italian Renaissance, The King’s Gallery, 17 Oct – 1 Mar

Alfred Buckham: Daredevil Photographer, Scottish National Portrait Gallery, 18 Oct – 19 Apr

Picking up the Thread: The Past, Present and Future of Tapestry, Dovecot Studios, 20 Oct – 14 Feb

The Children are Now, Talbot Rice Gallery, 25 Oct – 15 Feb

Michael Fullerton, City Art Centre, 22 Nov – 22 Feb

Giants, National Museum of Scotland, 31 Jan – 14 Sep

Sport and fundraising events

December

Blast 5K, The Meadows, 16 Dec

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