Top Scottish Virtual Events

North Berwick Highland Games

This year our great events and festivals are conquering the online world to bring to you the best virtual and digital events, so you don’t have to miss out.

Throughout the year Scotland’s cities, towns and villages host eclectic and welcoming events of all genres, interests and themes that everyone can get involved in and enjoy. From adrenaline pumping sporting events, and captivating storytelling pop-ups, to toe-tapping music festivals, and educational talks and workshops, there’s plenty to explore.

Here are just some we know you’ll love, but keep checking back for more additions.

Arts & Culture

• Scottish Ballet – 21 – 24 December. This Christmas, immerse yourself in the magic of theatre right at home. The Secret Theatre will see the worlds of the Snow Queen and the Sugar Plum Fairy burst into life in this spectacular, feature-length film. You’ll be treated to an extraordinary show filled with acrobats, snowflakes, clowns, princes and – of course – beautiful ballerinas. Tickets are FREE but must be booked in advance.
• Gather around the virtual ‘campfire’ with Marjolein Robertson, a comedian, storyteller and Edinburgh Festival veteran. Join her on Monday, Thursday and Friday evenings as she live streams Shetland folktales and shares hilarious stories about her experiences performing.
• Join in with the Pitlochry Festival Theatre’s online series featuring poetry, storytelling, music and children’s workshops.
• Settle down for a cosy night in with Scottish Opera, who have a growing collection of films available to watch for free on their website. From romantic comedy with a game-show twist Cosi fan tutte, to gripping workplace drama The Narcissistic Fish, there’s something to suit all tastes. Streaming now.
• National Theatre of Scotland – 13 Dec – 1 Jan 2021. Presenting 20 days of festive joy with special content for online audiences. Featuring Rapunzel, a Christmas show online, and in cinemas, from Scottish panto legend Johnny McKnight in partnership with Historic Environment Scotland, and Makar to Cracker, the return of Scottish Makar Jackie Kay’s soulful poetry and music offering.
• LGBTI+ Elders Social Dance Club– Dust off your dancing shoes, charge your glasses and get ready for ONLINE DANCE CLUB! We might not be able to meet in person but we can use the magic of technology to connect, chat and boogie.
• Wigtown Book Festival – This event is every book enthusiast’s dream, with hundreds of like-minded people, as well as authors, poets, literary geniuses and more. Delve into the captivating online festival which covered two main themes of Resilience and Connection. As well as live online speaker events, the 2020 festival will feature its usual mix of art exhibitions, film events, music and performance.
• The Tartan Noir Show – get sucked into the world of crime writing with Theresa Talbot in these gripping and intense weekly podcasts. Exploring the very best of the genre, the podcasts will feature some incredible works from a variety of renowned names, such as Val McDermid, Denise Mina, Ian Rankin and many more.
• Doors Open Days – Join in with Scotland’s biggest free festival of architecture which will be bring a whole host of tours, lectures, DIY learning events and more.
• Tune in to the digital concert of Nicola Benedetti performing Bruch’s Violin Concerto with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra recorded at Perth Concert Hall. Head over to their YouTube Channel, or Facebook, to watch.
• Bloody Scotland – Scotland’s crime writing festival is back and is bringing to you an online programme of various events, including their biggest ever panel of 27 authors across 5 continents.
• Scottish International Storytelling Festival – The Scottish International Storytelling Festival took place virtually in October, keeping audiences ‘In the Flow’ with an eclectic mix of online events spanning across the globe and small scale face-to-face events, celebrating Scotland ‘a nation shaped by water’, taking you on voyages at home and away.
• StAnza – 6-14 March 2021. A hybrid festival, largely digital, with a few live exhibitions and socially distanced outdoor events. The festival will include readings, round table events, interactive poetry installations and more to celebrate Scotland’s magnificent culture and artistic talent.
• Edinburgh Neighbourhood Market – 16 Nov 2020 – 1 Jan 2021. Support local this winter and stock up on all your Christmas crafts, gifts and goodies online with Edinburgh’s Neighbourhood Market.
• The Magical Beacon Stone – 18 – 31 December. Tune in to this brand-new festive film for everyone to enjoy this Christmas! Featuring goodies, baddies and magical mayhem, what more could you want? Join in the epic adventure to save Christmas – facing tests and trials aplenty, with help on hand from some new (and slightly odd) friends along the way. Book to watch online from Friday 18 December and enjoy FREE unlimited viewing until 31 December!

Music

• The Scottish Chamber Orchestra have recorded their planned programme of concerts in the Queens Hall in Edinburgh and Perth Concert Hall. From Bach to Beethoven and Mozart to Milhaud, a feast of wonderful music will is available to view through the Orchestra’s Facebook and YouTube channels.
• The Royal Scottish National Orchestra’s first ever digital season offers ten glorious concerts film live in the RSNO’s Glasgow studio. Featuring acclaimed artists such as superstar violinist Midori, the series is available on a pay per concert or subscription basis.  Free for all the family, settle down and enjoy ‘he NIght before Christmas courtesy of the RSNO and Children’s Classic Concerts. The show premieres 12 December at 2pm and will be available to watch for 30 days.
• Blas 2020 – 20-30 November. 11 days of concerts, workshops, lectures and more celebrated the music, songs, language and culture of the Highlands.
• Frontline Festival Scotland – 30 November. This new virtual gig saw performances from over 30 Scottish artists streamed across social media on the patriotic St Andrew’s Day.
• Celtic Connections – 15 January – 2 February 2021. An annual favourite in the Scottish events calendar, Celtic Connections is back for 2021 and is set to take on the online world. Top quality performances and concerts will be able to view every night across the 19 days, featuring some of the biggest names in the Scottish music scene.
• Seall Festival of Small Halls – 26 – 28 November 2020. With the event live-streamed from the Isle of Skye, the festival brought music to everyone’s ears this year. Nine musicians performed in two 45-minute sets before taking to the stage again for the grand finale, the Big Ceilidh.
• Pipes of Christmas Festival of Advent – until 20 December. Organised by Learned Kindred of Currie in the USA, join in this virtual screening which provides Christmas cheer in a series of inspirational films featuring musical performances filmed in Glasgow and Dornoch Cathedrals, on the Isles of Skye and South Uist and Glencorse Old Kirk featured in Outlander, as well as locations In New York and Nova Scotia. The films will be available on the Kindred’s YouTube channel every Sunday, culminating in  a one-hour production on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Donations raised from the Festival will support the work of a range or organisations in Scotland, including the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, the National Piping Centre and Sabhal Mor Ostaig.

Food & Drink

• Taste of Shetland – Tune in to learn how some of Shetland’s leading producers make their products and dishes, enjoy live cooking demonstrations, hear culinary discussion and take part in food-related quizzes and other entertainment.
• Scotch Whisky & Scottish Chocolate Pairing: Online Tasting Experience – 4 December. Join in the fun with Scotland’s leading whisky expert, Charles Maclean, and World Class Master Chocolatier, Iain Burnett, for an exclusive online tasting where you can unveil the delicately balanced tastes and textures of single malts, combined with rich, gourmet chocolate.

Film & TV

• Glasgow Film Festival – 24 February – 7 March 2021. An annual Scottish favourite, the Glasgow Film Festival is back in 2021 with a wide-ranging programme that celebrates every corner of world cinema and provides a fantastic showcase for the best of Scottish film. Stay tuned for the full programme release in December.

Family-Friendly

• Christmas Search Party Edinburgh – 20 Nov 2020 – 8 Jan 2021. Join in the fun this Christmas with this virtual treasure hunt. Enjoy this socially-distanced outdoor experience and see if you can find Rabbie the Red Nose Reindeer prancing through the streets of Edinburgh.

If you fancy getting into the great outdoors to explore some of Scotland’s stunning scenery and learn about how the land has been shaped by the elements over the millennia, why not get involved in the Scottish Geology Festival?

Explore more virtual and live streaming events of all genres and topics to keep you busy with The List.