Edinburgh Festivals for Children and Young Persons

Imaginate, Edinburgh International Children’s Festival, 26th May – 3rd June 2018
Imaginate is the national organisation in Scotland, which promotes, develops and celebrates theatre and dance for children and young people.

The best of children’s theatre and dance from around the world is showcased at the Edinburgh International Children’s Festival.

The festival has established itself as one of the best places for programmers from all over the world to see work of the very highest standard.

Royal Highland Show, 21 – 24 June 2018
Celebrating its 178th year, The Royal Highland Show is one of Scotland’s most iconic events, showcasing the very best of farming food and rural life. A great day out for everyone of all ages, get up close to the country’s top quality livestock, taste exceptional food & drink and experience rural living at its most vibrant.

The Royal Highland Show is a great day out for everybody of all ages and kids aged 15 or under go free, when accompanied by a paying adult.


Beltane Fire Festival

30th April every year on Calton Hill, Edinburgh
A living, dynamic reinterpretation and modernisation of an ancient Iron Age Celtic ritual and is the largest of its kind.
Family Beltane 2018, 6th May 2018
Kids and their families get to experience the magic of Beltane Fire Festival 2018 with their own special Family Beltane celebrations. This will be a cosy day of fun and games to stimulate the imagination – whether your wee one is artsy and craftsy, a natural-born storyteller, or a green-fingered type.

Edinburgh Art Festival
26th July to 26th August 2018
Edinburgh Art Festival was founded in 2004 through an ambitious partnership of galleries committed to ensuring that high quality presentations of visual art remained at the core of Edinburgh’s summer festival experience. This partnership remains at the core of our Festival, and is reflected in the rich programme of exhibitions developed for the Festival each year by our Partner Galleries.

Presented across leading national institutions, internationally recognized contemporary art galleries and artist run spaces, it offers a chance to discover work by some of the very best historic and contemporary artists from Scotland, the UK and beyond.

BBC Tent at Edinburgh Festival
Every year at the Edinburgh Festival, the BBC host a selection of kid and adult friendly events throughout the day and evening.
2018 is yet to be announced however you can view the best bits of 2017 HERE.

Portobello Big Beach Busk 9
(Saturday 25th August 2018)
The last Saturday of every August, 12 noon onwards.
Busk taking place along Portobello’s Promenade – turn up, perform and peruse.

Edinburgh International Science Festival
First held in 1989, the Edinburgh International Science Festival is an annual celebration of science and technology organised by an educational charity. During its two-week run, the Festival features almost 300 events in various venues in and around Edinburgh. The programme varies annually, offering a variety of interactive activities, exhibitions and workshops, shows and performances, and talks, debates and discussions for children and families, teenagers and adults.

2018’s Science Festival has now finished however the theme for April 2019 is “Frontiers”.