Autumn Festivals 2023: Five essential Scottish festivals taking place in the coming weeks

If you’re looking for something to do in the coming weeks, there’s plenty to choose from.

Summer may be peak time for big events in Scotland, with Edinburgh transformed for the entirety of August and barely a weekend going by without a huge music festival taking place.

But there’s still plenty of fun to be had as the nights draw in. Here are 5 autumnal festivals to enjoy this October.

Edinburgh Cocktail Week (October 6-15)

The Cocktail Village at Festival Square is the main hub of Edinburgh Cocktail Week, featuring 22 pop-up bars serving a vast range cocktails and other drinks, street food trucks and a programme of music and entertainment. Buy a wristband (from £8) and you can visit the village whenever you fancy a tipple, as well as enjoying special £5 cocktails at 100 of the city’s best bars.

Royal National Mod (October 13-21)

Scotland’s largest Gaelic festival will this year take place in Paisley, kicking off with the traditional opening ceremony at the Town Hall on Friday, October 13, followed by a performance by folk favourites Breabach.There’s something for everyone in the packed programme, from a shinty competition and battle of the bands to Gaelic nature walks and a Children’s Cèilidh.

Scottish International Storytelling Festival (October 13-29)

The world’s largest celebration of storytelling is based in Edinburgh, but has events taking place across Scotland. This year’s event explores our ‘Right To Be Human’, and celebrates the 75th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Paisley Halloween Festival (October 26-28)

For three nights only, from 5-9pm each evening, Paisley town centre will be transformed into a Halloween playground, with two zones of spooky fun. Enter the Halloween Trail Zone to explore Frank & McSteins Fire Show, the Spooky Bat Cave and Raven’s Realm, or opt for the street theatre and circus performers in the Live Performance Zone.

Samhuinn Fire Festival (October 31)

A traditional Celtic tradition to mark the changing of the seasons, the Samhuinn Fire Festival sees a parade of otherworldly fancy dress, fire-play and acrobatics weave through Edinburgh’s Holyrood Park, with Arthur's Seat providing a suitably dramatic backdrop. Witness the epic battle between the Summer and Winter Kings unfold as the Cailleach prepares for transition into winter.