Local Events
An exciting calendar of events across the North of England & South of Scotland
From time-honoured Borders traditions to coastal festivals and major sports championships – our corner of the country is home to a richly varied events calendar that unfolds throughout the year.
Whether you find yourself drawn to the spectacle of a Common Riding, the atmosphere of a summer music festival, or the simple pleasures of a country show, browse our list of highlights which offer a wonderful way to experience the character and community of the places during your escape with us.
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The Paxton House Antiques Fair
Friday 1 May 2026 from 10:00 am until 5:00 pm
Saturday 2 May 2026 from 10:00 am until 5:00 pm
Sunday 3 May 2026 from 10:00 am until 4:00 pm
More dates available
Muck n’ Mac Fest
Friday 1 May 2026 to Sunday 3 May 2026
Muck n’ Mac Fest blends two days of gravel riding through the stunning Tweed Valley with a buzzing festival village at Traquair House, Scotland’s oldest…
Victorian May Day Event
Saturday 2 May 2026 to Tuesday 5 May 2026
This May Bank Holiday weekend, step into a charming Victorian May Day celebration at Bowhill House & Grounds. Wander the historic courtyard and explore Bowhill’s…
Berwick Riding of The Bounds
Saturday 2 May 2026
Every May Day Bank Holiday Saturday, Berwick-upon-Tweed bursts into colour and pageantry as horses and riders parade through the streets, celebrating the border, the community,…
Shakespeare at Traquair
Tuesday 5 May 2026 from 7:30 pm until 10:00 pm
Wednesday 6 May 2026 from 7:30 pm until 10:00 pm
Wednesday 27 May 2026 from 7:30 pm until 10:00 pm
More dates available
Shakespeare at Traquair returns from 27 – 30 May 2026 and 3 – 6 June 2026, with its much-loved open-air promenade theatre inviting audiences to…
Kelso Scooter Rally
Friday 22 May 2026 to Sunday 24 May 2026
From 22 – 24 May 2026, Kelso hosts the BSRA National Scooter Rally No. 3, bringing a lively weekend of scooters, music and community spirit…
Melrose Sevens
Friday 22 May 2026 to Saturday 23 May 2026
On 22 – 23 May 2026, the world-famous Melrose Sevens takes place in Melrose at The Greenyards, the birthplace of rugby sevens, and is one…
The Borders Competitions Jim Clark Rally
Friday 22 May 2026 to Sunday 24 May 2026
The Jim Clark Rally returns to the lanes and villages around Duns from the 22 – 24 May 2026 for a weekend of closed-road motorsport…
Kelso Farmers' Market
Saturday 23 May 2026 from 9:30 AM until 4:30 PM
Saturday 27 June 2026 from 9:30 AM until 4:30 PM
Saturday 11 July 2026 from 9:30 AM until 4:30 PM
More dates available
Held on the last Saturday of every month, the Kelso Farmers’ Market is set in the handsome cobbled square of Kelso, celebrating the produce and…
Amble Puffin Festival
Saturday 23 May 2026 to Sunday 24 May 2026
The Amble Puffin Festival is a joyful weekend dedicated to the much-loved seabirds of nearby Coquet Island. As spring turns to summer, thousands of puffins…
Traquair Medieval Fayre Weekend
Saturday 23 May 2026 from 11:00 am until 5:00 pm
Sunday 24 May 2026 from 11:00 am until 5:00 pm
From 30 – 31 May 2026, the grounds of Traquair House are transformed for the atmospheric Traquair Medieval Fayre. Experience an authentic weekend of medieval…
Kelso Races - Ladies Day
Sunday 24 May 2026 from 12:00
Kelso Races Ladies Day takes place on 24 May 2026 at Kelso Racecourse, combining thrilling racing with one of the most stylish social events in…
Hawick Common Riding
Friday 5 June 2026
On 5 June 2026, the proud traditions of the Borders come vividly to life during Hawick Common Riding, one of the region’s most spectacular historic…
Bamburgh Run
Sunday 7 June 2026
On 7 June 2026, The Bamburgh Run is a much-loved vintage motorcycle rally that brings a dash of nostalgia to the peaceful lanes of North…
Borders Book Festival
Thursday 11 June 2026 to Sunday 14 June 2026
This years Borders Book Festival is held from 11-14 June 2026, in the gorgeous town of Melrose, with historic Melrose Abbey and the iconic silhouette of the Eildon hills as its picturesque backdrop. Hosted within…
Selkirk Common Riding
Friday 12 June 2026
On 12 June 2026, the historic town of Selkirk celebrates Selkirk Common Riding, a tribute to the town’s history and heritage. Riders parade through the…
Border Union Championship Dog Show
Saturday 13 June 2026 to Sunday 14 June 2026
From 13 – 14 June 2026, dogs and their owners gather at Springwood Park in Kelso for the prestigious Border Union Championship Dog Show. Across…
Peebles Beltane Festival
Sunday 14 June 2026 to Saturday 20 June 2026
The Peebles Beltane Festival is one of the Borders’ most colourful summer celebrations taking place from 14 -20 June 2026. Celebrated since 1897, it is…
Melrose Festival 2026
Sunday 14 June 2026 to Saturday 20 June 2026
This year the Melrose Festival runs from 14 – 20 June 2026. Each summer the town of Melrose celebrates its heritage with a lively week…
The Royal Highland Show
Thursday 18 June 2026 to Sunday 21 June 2026
From 18 – 21 June 2026, the Royal Highland Show – Scotland’s largest celebration of farming, food and rural life – takes place at the…
Ford Fest
Saturday 20 June 2026
On 20 June 2026, the Ford & Etal Estates host the lively Ford Fest, a one day event where you can enjoy live music, local…
Alnmouth Arts Festival
Saturday 20 June 2026 to Sunday 21 June 2026
The seaside village of Alnmouth hosts a relaxed weekend celebrating creativity during the Alnmouth Arts Festival from 20 – 21 June 2026. Over 50 local…
Live Jousting at Bamburgh Castle
Saturday 20 June 2026 to Sunday 21 June 2026
From 20 – 21 June 2026, the iconic Bamburgh Castle hosts a spectacular weekend of live jousting. The Knights of Royal England compete in exhilarating…
The Braw Lads Gathering Ceremonial Ride Out
Saturday 27 June 2026
This year’s Braw Lads Gathering Ceremonial Ride Out will be on 27 June in Galashiels. It is one of the Borders’ great riding events held…
Le Tour de Tweed Valley
Sunday 28 June 2026
Le tour de Tweed Valley returns on 28 June 2026, with Peebles Cycling Club hosting a scenic road cycling sportive through the heart of the…
The Genesis Scottish Open
Wednesday 8 July 2026 to Friday 10 July 2026
This summer from 8 – 12 July 2026, the Genesis Scottish Open brings world-class golf to East Lothian. Set in the prestigious Renaissance Club, on…
Jethart (Jedburgh) Callants Festival Day
Friday 10 July 2026
The Jethart Callants Festival fills Jedburgh with colour, music and equestrian tradition each summer continuing a tradition that dates back centuries. A highlight of the…
A Dogs' Day Out - Traquair House
Sunday 19 July 2026 from 11:00 AM until 5:00 PM
A Dogs’ Day Out is a cheerful summer gathering celebrating our four-legged companions, set within the historic grounds of Traquair House on the 19 July…
The Border Union Show
Friday 24 July 2026 to Saturday 25 July 2026
The Border Union Show, one of the region’s largest and most anticipated agricultural gatherings, takes place from 24 – 25 July in Kelso. Farmers, breeders…
Fringe By The Sea (North Berwick)
Friday 31 July 2026 to Sunday 9 August 2026
Fringe by the Sea returns to North Berwick from 31 July – 9 August 2026, bringing music, comedy, literature and performance to Scotland’s east coast.…
Edinburgh Fringe Festival
Friday 7 August 2026 to Saturday 29 August 2026
Each August Edinburgh transforms into the world’s largest arts festival as the Edinburgh Fringe fills the city with theatre, comedy, music and performance. Thousands of…
Etal Classic Car Show
Sunday 9 August 2026
On 9 August 2026, the Ford & Etal Classic Car Show returns to Etal Showground in Northumberland, bringing together a charming display of vintage and…
Peebles Grand Open Show
Saturday 15 August 2026
The Peebles Grand Open Show takes place on 15 August 2026 and celebrates the best of Borders farming and rural life. Livestock judging, equestrian competitions,…
Alnwick Castle - The HandleBards present Macbeth
Wednesday 19 August 2026 from 6:30 PM until 8:30 PM
The HandleBards cycling theatre company returns to Alnwick Castle with an energetic open-air performance of Shakespeare’s Macbeth on 19 August 2026. The HandleBards are cycling…
The North East Dog Festival
Saturday 22 August 2026 to Sunday 23 August 2026
Across 22 – 23 August, dog lovers gather for The North East Dog Festival returning to Kirkley Hall for a fun weekend dedicated entirely to…
Glendale Show
Saturday 29 August 2026
On 29 August 2026, the Glendale Show returns to the showfield at North Middleton near Wooler, bringing one of Northumberland’s most established agricultural events to…
Lindisfarne Music Festival
Thursday 3 September 2026 to Saturday 5 September 2026
From 3 – 5 September 2026, Beal Farm – overlooking Holy Island – hosts the vibrant Lindisfarne Festival, one of the most exciting music festivals…
Tour o' The Borders
Sunday 6 September 2026
Tour o’ the Borders returns on 6 September 2026, a closed road sportive taking place in the picturesque Scottish Borders, starting and ending in Peebles.…
The Etal Show
Sunday 6 September 2026
On 6 September 2026, the scenic Ford & Etal Estate hosts the charming Etal Show, a traditional country fair in the Northumberland countryside. Held annually…
World Sheep Dog Trials
Wednesday 16 September 2026 to Sunday 20 September 2026
From 16 – 20 September 2026, the remarkable World Sheepdog Trials bring competitors from across the globe together for a celebration of rural skill and…
The Famous Scarycrow Trail
Thursday 1 October 2026 to Friday 30 October 2026
Throughout October 2026, the Ford & Etal Estates host the wonderfully creative Ford & Etal Scarycrow Trail. Dozens of imaginative scarecrow displays appear along walking…
Harvest Festival Wild Swimming Weekend
Saturday 10 October 2026 to Monday 12 October 2026
From 10 – 12 October 2026, Take to the Water hosts the invigorating Harvest Festival Wild Swimming Weekend, celebrating outdoor adventure in the Tweed Valley.…
