Festival season is underway bringing artists, performers and audiences from across the world into the heart of Scotland’s capital.    

As the city buzzes with performance, debate and celebration, we caught up with Lori Anderson, Director of Festivals Edinburgh to hear more about how the organisation supports and promotes the collective interests of the city’s eleven major year-round festivals, and the role the festivals play in promoting Scotland on the world stage.

“All in all, the Festivals are cultural showcases, economic powerhouses, forums for international debate, drivers of ambition, and creators of cohesion. They represent Scotland at its most confident, its most open and its most creative. They are distinctively Scottish and profoundly international – and help define the country’s cultural identity on the global stage as a creative, contemporary, outward-looking nation.”

Lori Anderson, Director of Festivals Edinburgh

Tall Ships leaves a lasting legacy

With a magnificent Parade of Sail, the Tall Ships have bid a fond farewell to Aberdeen after attracting more than 400,000 visits over the course of the event and creating a lasting legacy for the Granite City.

Orkney closes International Island Games

Orkney 2025 basked in glorious sunshine for a spectacular week of world-class sport as thousands of visitors joined locals to celebrate a week of brilliant competition that saw 2,141 athletes and officials from 24 islands across the globe come together to take part in 12 sports.

One year to go until Glasgow 2026

To mark one year to go until the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games, the organisers have unveiled the official mascot of the Games, Finnie, a proud Glaswegian unicorn that was designed with the help of 76 children from 24 schools from communities across the city.

Gleneagles to host 2026 Senior Open

The King’s Course at Gleneagles will host the 39th edition of the ISPS HANDA Senior Open from 23–26 July 2026, following on from its first hosting of the championship in 2022.

Cowal Gathering reveal 2025 Chieftains

Two of Scotland’s most popular television presenters, STV’s weather anchor Sean Batty and entertainment presenter Laura Boyd, have been unveiled as this year’s Cowal Gathering Honorary Chieftains.

CivTech Challenge

Scotland’s festivals contribute hugely to the economy and the cultural life of the nation. CivTech Challenge 11.7, part of the Scottish Government’s CivTech programme, is calling on innovators to help solve key infrastructure challenges facing Scotland’s festivals.