Glasgow Festivals include festivals for

art Art is a diverse range of human activity, and resulting product, that involves creative or imaginative talent expressive of technical proficiency, beauty, emotional power, or conceptual ideas. There is no generally agreed definition of wha ...

, film,

comedy Comedy is a genre of fiction that consists of discourses or works intended to be humorous or amusing by inducing laughter, especially in theatre, film, stand-up comedy, television, radio, books, or any other entertainment medium. The term o ...

folk music Folk music is a music genre that includes traditional folk music and the contemporary genre that evolved from the former during the 20th-century folk revival. Some types of folk music may be called world music. Traditional folk music has b ...

and

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a m ...

Glasgow Glasgow ( ; sco, Glesca or ; gd, Glaschu ) is the most populous city in Scotland and the fourth-most populous city in the United Kingdom, as well as being the 27th largest city by population in Europe. In 2020, it had an estimated popul ...

also hosts an annual queer

arts festival An arts festival is a festival that can encompass a wide range of art forms including music, dance, film, fine art, literature, poetry and isn't solely focused on visual arts. Arts festivals may feature a mixed program that include music, lite ...

in November. Unlike the

Edinburgh Festival __NOTOC__ This is a list of arts and cultural festivals regularly taking place in Edinburgh, Scotland. The city has become known for its festivals since the establishment in 1947 of the Edinburgh International Festival and the Edinburgh Fe ...

(where the main festival and fringe festivals all occur around about the same time in August), Glasgow's festivals are spread evenly across the year, therefore ensuring a continuous annual programme of events.

Past festivals

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Glasgow held several Great Exhibitions. They were the

International Exhibition of Science, Art and Industry The International Exhibition of Science, Art and Industry was the first of 4 international exhibitions held in Glasgow, Scotland during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It took place at Kelvingrove Park between May and November 1888. Th ...

in 1888, the Glasgow International Exhibition in 1901, the

Scottish Exhibition of National History, Art and Industry The Scottish Exhibition of National History, Art and Industry was held in Glasgow in 1911. It was the third of 4 international exhibitions held in Glasgow, Scotland during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Summary The exhibition follow ...

in 1911 and the Empire Exhibition in 1938. The latter attracted 12.6 million visits, easily eclipsing the

Festival of Britain The Festival of Britain was a national exhibition and fair that reached millions of visitors throughout the United Kingdom in the summer of 1951. Historian Kenneth O. Morgan says the Festival was a "triumphant success" during which people: ...

(1951) or the Millennium Dome in London (2000). Glasgow also hosted the Industrial exhibitions as part of the

in 1951. Glasgow's Mayfest started in 1983 from the popular success of the STUC-organised May Day Parades and became a citywide public festival, covering theatre, music, dance, and visual arts. It became the second largest arts festival in Britain until funding ceased in 1997. In 1988, Glasgow hosted its very successful

Glasgow Garden Festival The Glasgow Garden Festival was the third of the five national garden festivals, and the only one to take place in Scotland. It was held in Glasgow between 26 April and 26 September 1988. It was the first event of its type to be held in the cit ...

on old docks opposite the SECC, now home to the

Glasgow Science Centre Glasgow Science Centre is a visitor attraction located in the Clyde Waterfront Regeneration area on the south bank of the River Clyde in Glasgow, Scotland. Queen Elizabeth II opened Glasgow Science Centre on 5 July 2001. It is one of Scotland's ...

Pacific Quay Pacific Quay is an area south of the River Clyde in Glasgow, Scotland. It is located at the former Plantation Quay and Princes' Dock Basin. The Princes' Dock Basin was the largest on the River Clyde when it was opened by the Clyde Navigation T ...

. 4.3 million people attended over 5 months, making it by far the most popular of the UK's five Garden Festivals held between 1984 and 1992. In August 1990 Glasgow was crowned European City of Culture, the first such city in Britain and featured an impressive year-long calendar of special events, inspiring the creation of several festivals which still continue today. This European Union designation started in 1985, for Athens, and followed in successive years by Florence, Amsterdam, Berlin, and Paris (1989). In 2008 Glasgow was declared a UNESCO City of Music, the first in Britain, and joins 9 other cities with the status worldwide.

Main festivals

Glasgow's main festivals are

Celtic Connections The Celtic Connections festival started in 1994 in Glasgow, Scotland, and has since been held every January. Featuring over 300 concerts, ceilidhs, talks, free events, late night sessions and workshops, the festival focuses on the roots of tra ...

,(founded 1993), the

Jazz Festival This is a list of notable jazz festivals around the world. Historic jazz festivals Jazz festivals by country The following is an incomplete list of notable jazz festivals, including both current and defunct festivals of note. Africa Angol ...

(founded 1987), the

West End Festival The West End Festival is an annual festival in the West End of Glasgow, Scotland. History The West End Festival in Glasgow was started in 1996 by Michael Dale as a small local festival centred on Byres Road. It has since become the biggest ...

(founded 1996),

Merchant City Festival {{No footnotes, date=September 2011 The Merchant City Festival is a major cultural festival taking place in Glasgow's Merchant City area. Attracting more than 55,000 people, the four-day Festival presents the cream of Scotland’s theatre, musi ...

(founded 2002), Southside Festival ounded 2008

Pride Glasgow Pride Glasgow is an annual lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) pride festival held in Glasgow, Scotland. Typically around 5,000 people take part in the parade element of ''Glasgow Pride''. History ''Pride Glasgow'' was establishe ...

Scotland's largest LGBT Pride Festival and

Glasgay! Glasgay! Festival was a gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender arts festival in Glasgow, Scotland. From 1993 to 2014 it was part of the diversity of Glasgow's cultural scene, an annual Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Arts Festival held ...

(a queer arts festival which is one of the biggest gay and lesbian multi-arts festivals in Europe)(founded 1997). Glasgow also hosts the annual

World Pipe Band Championships The World Pipe Band Championships is a pipe band competition held in Glasgow, Scotland. The World Pipe Band Championships as we currently know them have been staged since 1947 although the Grade 1 Pipe Band Competition winners at the annual Cowal ...

in August on

Glasgow Green Glasgow Green is a park in the east end of Glasgow, Scotland, on the north bank of the River Clyde. Established in the 15th century, it is the oldest park in the city. It connects to the south via the St Andrew's Suspension Bridge. History I ...

, with over 8,000 musicians.

Calendar of festivals

As part of Glasgow's cultural renaissance, Glasgow is host to a variety of festivals throughout the year:-

January

- Three week-long Celtic folk and world music festival, founded 1993. Now one of the world's most influential music festivals.

February

* Glasgow Film Festival

March

Glasgow International Comedy Festival Glasgow International Comedy Festival is a comedy festival in Glasgow, Scotland. The comedy festival started in 2002 and is held annually in March in venues across the city. The festival is supported financially by Glasgow City Council and sinc ...

Aye Write! Aye Write, originally stylized as Aye Write!'','' is an annual book festival which takes place in Glasgow, Scotland in late February or early March. History The first Aye Write festival was in 2005. Originally intended to occur once every two y ...

Annual event of authors and writers. (started 2005). *Glasgow Music Festival, founded 1911 by William Martin Haddow

April

Glasgow International Glasgow International (GI) is a biennial visual arts festival that takes place in Glasgow, Scotland. While Glasgow has a thriving contemporary art scene of its own, GI offers a platform to artists from other countries as well, showcasing the bes ...

Festival of Contemporary Visual Arts (also known as GI) *Glasgow Open House Art Festival *Glasgow Art Fair - Scotland's main art fair

May

Southside Film Festival The SouthSide Film Festival is an annual non-competitive, not-for-profit film festival that takes place each June in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. The first festival took place in 2004. The "SouthSide" refers to the area of the city on the south side o ...

* Southside Fringe - Festival celebrating the Southside of Glasgow featuring music, art, community activities and much more.

June

Glasgow Festival of Wine
- an annual wine festival held in the City and organised by Tom Cannavan *

- Centred on

Byres Road Byres Road is a street in Hillhead, Glasgow, Scotland. It is the central artery of the city's West End. Location and history Byres Road is a mixed commercial, shopping and upmarket residential area consisting largely of traditional sandstone ...

, Ashton Lane, the

Botanic Gardens A botanical garden or botanic gardenThe terms ''botanic'' and ''botanical'' and ''garden'' or ''gardens'' are used more-or-less interchangeably, although the word ''botanic'' is generally reserved for the earlier, more traditional gardens, an ...

, the

University of Glasgow , image = UofG Coat of Arms.png , image_size = 150px , caption = Coat of arms Flag , latin_name = Universitas Glasguensis , motto = la, Via, Veritas, Vita , ...

and Kelvingrove Park, it is now Glasgow's biggest popular event with over 150,000 attending 500 events in 75 locations and venues. Founded 1996. * Glasgow Science Festival - two weeks of science-themed events for children, schools and adults in venues throughout the city. Founded in 2007. *Lord Provost's Procession - annual community parade (discontinued in 2006) *

Glasgow International Jazz Festival {{coord, 55.861, -4.259, display=title, region:GB_scale:20000 Glasgow International Jazz Festival is a jazz festival in Glasgow, Scotland. Main Festival The Glasgow International Jazz Festival is held annually in June in the Merchant City area ...

(founded 1989). *Glasgow Mela - held on and off since 1990 Year of Culture in differing locations and months, now in Kelvingrove Park on a Sunday in June during the West End Festival *North Glasgow International Festival - event centred on asylum seekers, organised by the police (last held in 2005) *Bard in the Botanics - (annual open-air Shakespeare in the Botanic Gardens) *Govan Fair - Oldest Festival in Glasgow *Gorbals Fair - held in the Gorbals every June

July

*Glasgow's River Festival - two-day family event centred on the Clyde near the SECC and Science Centre. Started 2004, not held in 2010. *Glasgow Cabaret Festival - week-long theatre, variety, burlesque, circus and comedy festival at various venues around Glasgow. Started 2009, not held in 2010. Due to be held again in October 2011. *

. 4-day event to celebrate Glasgow's cultural quarter (started 2002). *

Glasgows Lesbian, Gay, Bi-Sexual and Transgender Pride Festival taking place over the Glasgow Fair Weekend

August

Piping Live! Festival The Piping Live! Festival (a.k.a. Piping Hot Festival) is an annual bagpiping event held in Glasgow by the National Piping Centre. The festival was created in 2003 and occurs on the run-up to the World Pipe Band Championships. It is estimated th ...

- celebration of piping in all its forms in the week's run up to the World Pipe Band Championships. *

- major international event held annually on Glasgow Green since 1968. 8,000 pipers and 120 bands. Organised by RSPBA. *Govanhill International Festival and Carnival - celebrating the diversity and community of Govanhill in Glasgow's southside.

September

* Glasgow Doors Open Days Festival - running for one week every September, an opportunity for the public to visit some of Glasgow's most intriguing buildings and get behind the scenes of the city. The programme also includes talks, tours, exhibitions and a dedicated children's programme. Organised by Glasgow Building Preservation Trust. (started 1989). The Scottish Acoustic Festival 5th - 7th in Oran Mor and Dram.

October

The Scottish Mental Health Arts and Film Festival
- one of the largest international arts and social justice festivals.

November

Africa in Motion
- African Film Festival held at the Glasgow Film Theatre. It will be running in parallel with the Edinburgh AiM Festival for first time in 2012. *

Glasgay! Festival Glasgay! Festival was a gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender arts festival in Glasgow, Scotland. From 1993 to 2014 it was part of the diversity of Glasgow's cultural scene, an annual Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Arts Festival h ...

*The Glasgow Festival of Burlesque

December

*Glasgow's Hogmanay *Glasgow On Ice

References

External links

Glasgow City Council list of FestivalsGlasgow Comedy FestivalGlasgow Art FairGlasgow InternationalWest End FestivalGlasgow International Jazz FestivalGlasgow Cabaret FestivalGlasgow UNESCO City of MusicSouthside Fringe
* European Capital of Culture
Govanhill International Festival and Carnival
{{Glasgow Music festivals in Scotland