Top Scottish Virtual & Hybrid Events

Fireworks at Oban Winter Festival

This year our great events and festivals are conquering the online world to bring to you the best virtual, digital and hybrid 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.

Agriculture

• Royal Highland Show – 14 – 20 June. Joining the online world, the Royal Highland Show is gearing up to host their livestreamed ‘behind closed doors’ event. The first of its kind in the UK, the event will showcase, as see the best of, livestock judging, equestrian, food & drink and rural skills streamed live and in high definition from the Ingliston showground in Edinburgh.

Arts & Culture

• Gather around the virtual ‘campfire’ with Marjolein Robertson, a comedian, storyteller and Edinburgh Festival veteran. Join her on Monday and Tuesday at 7pm, or Wednesday and Thursday at 8pm 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, to gripping workplace drama, there’s something to suit all tastes.
• LGBTI+ Elders Social Dance Club; 9 May – 13 June – 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 – Alongside the annual writers’ conference, viewers were treated in a selection of online events featuring a 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 is returning in 2021 for a series of online and in-person events, with a whole host of tours, lectures, DIY learning events and more.
• Scottish Chamber Orchestra – 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 – 17 – 19 September 2021. 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.
• StAnza – This digital festival featured live exhibitions, readings, round table events, interactive poetry installations and more which celebrated Scotland’s magnificent culture and artistic talent.
• Chinese New Year – 2021 marks the Chinese Year of the Ox – and in a unique Scottish twist – the Year of the Coo. To celebrate the Chinese New Year, a selection of virtual events, including a Chinese New Year Concert from Edinburgh’s Usher Hall was shown, and is available on YouTube.
• Spring Fling – 29 May – 6 June. The Spring Fling is back for 2021 and is taking on the online world. Here to showcase the best contemporary visual arts and crafts Dumfries & Galloway has to offer through digital exhibitions, workshops, demonstrations, live talks and more. Save the date and stay tuned for more details.
• Dundee Women’s Festival – On 8 March International Women’s Day was celebrated all over the world, to recognise women’s rights, their qualities and their achievements. Dundee went the extra mile this year by holding a two-week long festival. Dundee Women’s Festival was all about mixing with women from other cultures to expand understanding and friend circles, being more informed about women of the past who have achieved great things, learning a new skill, getting involved in sporting activities and encouraging other women to join in.
• Scott 250^th Launch – In 2021-22, Scotland celebrates the 250th anniversary of the birth of Sir Walter Scott, the launch saw four nights of film created on the theme of ‘Young Scott’ being projected onto Scott’s childhood home of Smailholm Tower in Kelso. Find out more about the man behind the legacy.
• Perth Festival of the Arts –  10 days of concerts and events broadcasted from venues around Perth and a Festival Drive-in Cinema at Scone Palace.

Food & Drink

• Paisley Food & Drink Festival – This year the event embraced a different approach, with an online mouth-watering menu of interactive experiences, including online cooking demonstrations, virtual tasting sessions, music and cocktail making events, interactive workshops, offers from local businesses with Paisley Eats app and much more!

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.
• Fly Live & Direct – After a massive success in taking on the online world in 2020 where the broadcast amassed over 50,000 views across multiple platforms, and was nominated for UK’s ‘Best Virtual Festival’, Fly Live & Direct returned for 2021.

Film & TV

• Hippodrome Silent Film Festival – Fans of HippFest say that the Festival was more than a trip to the cinema, it was an experience – distinctive, eye-opening and enjoyable.  The event saw a cocktail of screenings with music, workshops, events and activities that swept you up in the marvellous magic of early cinema.

Wildlife

• DolphinFest – This event celebrated the amazing marine wildlife in Aberdeen, with a special focus on the bottlenose dolphins that you can see from Torry Battery. Thes event aimed to raise the profile of the threats marine life face and encourage everyone to help protect it. Keep up to date with future events  on their Facebook page and head out to the coast to see if you can spot dolphins yourself.

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.