2024 in Scotland: Events, activities and more

Scotland is a beautiful country with so much to do, which is why it’s such a perfect destination for locums. You have an opportunity to work in a way that suits you while enjoying all of the sights, attractions and events throughout Scotland. There are countless events and festivals throughout the year, so to help you curate your 2024 calendar in Scotland, we’re going to look at what Scotland has to offer throughout the year.

Enjoy the UK’s most northerly music festival

When you think of the Shetland Islands, you’ll probably picture a remote, serene island that offers a slower pace of life. For the most part, you’d be right - until the Shetland Folk Festival comes to town. Scheduled for 2-5 May 2024, the Shetland Folk Festival is the UK’s most northerly music festival and it features an assortment of fantastic live music, games and general festivities.

The festival spans four days and it’s the premier destination for Scottish folk musicians to perform at. You’ll get a chance to enjoy folk performers from across the world in a variety of venues dotted across the Shetlands. It’s a truly unique musical experience, and you’ll learn about the sheer amount of variety in folk music found here. Alongside the live music, there are various music workshops, stalls and other attractions to soak up.

It’s a festival with a lot of heritage and importance to the residents who live here permanently. It’s been an established festival for over four decades now, so you know you’ll be in for a special treat if you make it to the Shetland Islands in April.

Dive into some Highland Games

The Stirling Highland Games is an annual event held on the grounds of Stirling Castle on Saturday 17th August 2024. It's a traditional Scottish festival that brings together people from all over the world to enjoy a fun day out for all the family, with international competitors competing in piping, dancing and Highland sports such as tossing the caber.

It’s a fantastic outing if you’re interested in Scottish culture and gives you an opportunity to learn more about the historic sporting events of the nation. Don’t worry, though, you won’t be expected to throw any cabers yourself!

Have a laugh in Edinburgh

Edinburgh is home to a number of world-class festivals, including the Edinburgh Military Tattoo, which takes place over August and features more than 3,000 performers from around the globe. The city also hosts the Edinburgh International Book Festival, which has been held annually since 1983; it's one of Europe's largest literary events and attracts over 250 authors each year.

The Fringe Festival is another highlight; this annual comedy festival features more than 2,500 shows by performers from all over the world in venues across central Edinburgh during August. There are also plenty of smaller festivals throughout the year such as Mela (Asian arts), Jazz & Blues Festivals (international jazz musicians), Science Festival (science talks) or Art Festivals where you can see art exhibitions from local artists at venues across Scotland such as the National Museum of Scotland.

Experience Jazz & Blues events in Callander

The Callander Festival (3rd - 6th October) is a fantastic live event that’s set in the idyllic tourist town of Callander. The festival will feature live entertainment, theatre performances and musical concerts in addition to the usual array of arts and crafts stalls. There'll also be plenty going on for kids at this family-friendly event - including a funfair, face-painting sessions and workshops on how to make things like friendship bracelets!

Conclusion

Scotland has a lot to explore in 2024, from film festivals to something a little more traditional. We know that there are many more exciting things happening in Scotland, but we wanted to highlight some of the top events that will be taking place in Edinburgh, Glasgow and beyond this year.

If you’re looking to locum in Scotland this year, then please take advantage of our fantastic locum vacancies at Globe Locums.