As the leaves turn golden and the air becomes crisp, Edinburgh welcomes the arrival of autumn with open arms, offering a wealth of experiences to enchant visitors of all ages. From family-friendly adventures to cultural festivals, the city comes alive with the colours and festivities of the season. Join us as we explore the top attractions and events that make Edinburgh a must-visit destination during the autumn months.

Family-Friendly Things to Do: Autumn in Edinburgh is the perfect time for family outings and adventures. Explore the enchanting Edinburgh Zoo, where kids can encounter exotic animals and enjoy interactive exhibits. Take a stroll through the vibrant Botanic Gardens, where the changing foliage provides a stunning backdrop for leisurely walks and picnics. For a dose of history and fun, visit the Museum of Childhood, where hands-on exhibits and nostalgic toys captivate young minds.  Learn more

Events and Festivals: Edinburgh’s autumn calendar is brimming with exciting events and festivals celebrating art, culture, and tradition. Don’t miss the Edinburgh International Storytelling Festival, where master storytellers from around the world gather to share tales of magic and adventure. Embrace the spirit of Halloween at the Samhain Fire Festival, a mesmerizing spectacle of fire, music, and performance that honours ancient Celtic traditions. And be sure to mark your calendar for the Edinburgh Cocktail Week, where you can sip on creative concoctions and sample the city’s thriving cocktail scene. Learn more

Best Sights and Landmarks: Autumn casts a spell of enchantment over Edinburgh’s iconic sights and landmarks, transforming them into breath-taking landscapes of colour and beauty. Marvel at the majestic Edinburgh Castle, set against a backdrop of fiery foliage and dramatic skies. Wander down the Royal Mile, where historic buildings and cobbled streets evoke centuries of history and tradition. For a tranquil escape, explore the Royal Botanic Garden, where vibrant autumn hues and peaceful pathways create a serene oasis in the heart of the city. Learn more

In conclusion, Edinburgh offers a magical escape for visitors seeking to embrace the beauty and charm of autumn. Whether you’re exploring historic landmarks, indulging in seasonal treats, or immersing yourself in the vibrant festival atmosphere, Edinburgh promises an unforgettable autumn getaway for all to enjoy.

What’s on in Edinburgh this Autumn?

September

Music, Theatre and Comedy

Mrs Brown’s Boys: Mrs Brown Rides Again, Edinburgh Playhouse, 7 – 10 Sep

Christine and the Queens, Usher Hall, 8 Sep

Stephen Lynch: The Time Mac Hine Tour, Queens Hall, 8 Sep

Tony Blackburn: Sounds of the Sixties Live, Usher Hall, 12 Sep

The King and I, Edinburgh Playhouse, 12 – 16 Sep

Echo and the Bunnymen, Usher Hall, 14 Sep

Music from the Movies, St Giles’ Cathedral, 15 Sep

Candlelight: The Soundtracks of Jane Austen, St Mary’s Episcopal Cathedral, 15 Sep

Candlelight: A Tribute to Taylor Swift, St Mary’s Episcopal Cathedral, 15 Sep

The Bohemians: A Night of Queen, Liquid Room, 16 Sep

Romeo and Juliet, Festival Theatre, 19 – 23 Sep

Candlelight: 100 Years of Warner Bros. St Mary’s Episcopal Cathedral, 22 Sep

Festivals and Special Events

Edinburgh Riding of the Marches, city centre, 10 Sep

Fleurs De Villes VOYAGE, Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, 15 – 24 Sep

BANFF Mountain Film Festival World Tour, Festival Theatre, 16 Sep

Doors Open Days, various venues, 23-24 Sep

EH1 Festival, Royal Highland Centre, 23 Sep

Activities and Experiences

Harris Tweed Handbag Workshop, Islander Workshop, every Tue & Fri

Edinburgh Cheese Crawl, Comely Bank, every Sat

Edinburgh Beer Tour, High Street, selected dates

Edinburgh Ceilidh Club, various venues, 5, 12, 19, 22 & 26 Sep

Art and Textiles Workshops, Dovecot Studios, 9, 16, 22- 23 & 30 Sep

Markets and Fairs

Edinburgh Farmers Market, Castle Terrace, every Sat Grass market Weekly Market, Grass market, every Sat

Leith Market, Dock Place, every Sat

Ocean Terminal Market, Ocean Terminal, every Sat & Sun

Edinburgh Car Boot Sale, O2 Academy, every Sat & Sun

Stockbridge Market, Saunders Street, every Sun

Edinburgh Wedding Exhibition, Murray eld Stadium, 2 – 3 Sep

Castle St Fair, Castle Street, 4 – 10 Sep

Edinburgh Flea Market, Out of the Blue Drill Hall, TBC

Museums, Galleries and Exhibitions

Scottish Landscape Photographer of the Year, Bonnie & Wild, 1 Feb – 31 Jan

Local Foreigners: the human face of immigration, Museum of Edinburgh, 11 Mar – 10 Sep

Decades: The Art of Change 1900–1980, Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, 29 Apr – 7 Jan

When the Apple Ripens: Peter Howson at 65, City Art Centre, 27 May – 1 Oct

Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize 2022, Scottish National Portrait Gallery, 17 Jun – 10 Sep

Windrush: Portraits of a Pioneering Generation, Palace of Holyrood house, 22 Jun – 18 Sep

Lawrence Abu Hamdan: 45th Parallel, Talbot Rice Gallery, 24 Jun – 30 Sep

Jesse Jones: The Tower, Talbot Rice Gallery, 24 Jun – 30 Sep

Beyond the Little Black Dress, National Museum of Scotland, 1 Jul – 29 Oct

Scottish Landscapes: A New Generation, Dovecot Studios, 1 Jul – 7 Oct

Wonder Women at Dovecot, Dovecot Studios, 1 Jul – 7 Oct

Grayson Perry, Scottish National Gallery, 22 Jul – 12 Nov

Scottish Women Artists, Dovecot Studios, 28 Jul – 6 Jan

Uniquely Scottish Silver, National Museum of Scotland, 5 Aug – 26 May

Rising Tide, National Museum of Scotland, 12 Aug – 14 Apr

Windrush Legacy Creative Reactions, Museum of Edinburgh, 2 Sep – 28 Jan

Sport and Fundraising Events

The Moon Walk, Holyrood Park, 9 Sep

Inatable 5K, Hopetoun Estate, 9 Sep

October

Music, Theatre and Comedy

Sister Act, Festival Theatre, 2 – 7 Oct

The Waterboys, Usher Hall, 3 Oct Alfie Boe, Usher Hall, 5 Oct

Vivaldi’s Four Seasons & The Lark Ascending, St Giles’ Cathedral, 6 Oct

All The Old 45s: Very Best of Deacon Blue, Usher Hall, 10 – 11 Oct

Haircut 100, Queens Hall, 13 Oct Lloyd Cole, Usher Hall, 14 Oct

Scottish Ballet: Twice Born, Festival Theatre, 20 – 21 Oct

Royal Blood, Usher Hall, 21 Oct Usher Hall, 22 Oct

Disney’s Aladdin, Edinburgh Playhouse, 24 Oct – 18 Nov

Treason The Musical, Festival Theatre, 25 – 28 Oct Dawn French, EICC, 27 Oct

Munya Chawawa, O2 Academy, 28 Oct Christian Brighty: Playboy, The Stand, 28 Oct

Festivals and Special Events

Oktoberfest, West Princes Street Gardens, 5 – 8 Oct

Edinburgh Cocktail Week, various venues, 6 – 15 Oct

Comic Con Scotland, Royal Highland Centre, 7 – 8 Oct

Gin & Rum Festival, Assembly Rooms, 14 Oct

Scottish International Storytelling Festival, various venues, 17 – 29 Oct

Edinburgh Horror Festival, various venues, 26 – 31 Oct

Edinburgh Short Film Festival, Summerhall, TBC

Samhuinn Fire Festival, Holyrood Park, TBC

Activities and Experiences

Harris Tweed Handbag Workshop, Islander Workshop, every Tue & Fri

Edinburgh Cheese Crawl, Comely Bank, every Sat

Edinburgh Ceilidh Club, various venues, 3, 10, 17, 20, 24 & 31 Oct

Museum Late: Fashionably Late, National Museum of Scotland, 6 Oct

Collection Centre Tour, National Museums Collection Centre Granton, 25 Oct

Art and Textiles Workshops, Dovecot Studios, TBC

Markets and Fairs

Edinburgh Farmers Market, Castle Terrace, every Sat Grass market Weekly Market, Grass market, every Sat Leith Market, Dock Place, every Sat

Museums, Galleries and Exhibitions

Scottish Landscape Photographer of the Year, Bonnie & Wild, 1 Feb – 31 Jan

Alberta Whittle: create dangerously, Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, 1 Apr – 7 Jan

Decades: The Art of Change 1900–1980, Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, 29 Apr – 7 Jan

When the Apple Ripens: Peter Howson at 65, City Art Centre, 27 May – 1 Oct

Collective, 24 Jun – 1 Oct

Beyond the Little Black Dress, National Museum of Scotland, 1 Jul – 29 Oct

Scottish Landscapes: A New Generation, Dovecot Studios, 1 Jul – 7 Oct

Wonder Women at Dovecot, Dovecot Studios, 1 Jul – 7 Oct

Grayson Perry, Scottish National Gallery, 22 Jul – 12 Nov

Scottish Women Artists, Dovecot Studios, 28 Jul – 6 Jan

Uniquely Scottish Silver, National Museum of Scotland, 5 Aug – 26 May

Rising Tide, National Museum of Scotland, 12 Aug – 14 Apr

Windrush Legacy Creative Reflections, Museum of Edinburgh, 2 Sep – 28 Jan

Making Space: Photographs of Architecture, Scottish National Portrait Gallery, 7 Oct – 3 Mar

Monarchs of the Glen, Dovecot Studios, 14 Oct – 2 Mar

November

Music, Theatre and Comedy

Disney’s Aladdin, Edinburgh Playhouse, 24 Oct – 18 Nov

A Night at The Opera by Candlelight, St Giles’ Cathedral, 3 Nov

McFly, Usher Hall, 4 Nov

Whitney Queen of the Night, Usher Hall, 5 Nov

Teenage Fanclub, Assembly Rooms, 7 Nov

World Cup After Party: The Good, The Bad & The Rugby Live 2023, Usher Hall, 7 Nov

James Martin, Usher Hall, 8 Nov

The Australian Pink Floyd, Usher Hall, 9 Nov

West End Musicals Concert, St Giles’ Cathedral, 10 Nov

Ross Noble, Usher Hall, 25 Nov

Panto: Adventures of Peter Pan, Festival Theatre, 25 Nov – 31 Dec

The Muppet Christmas Carol: Film with Live Orchestra, Usher Hall, 27 Nov

Billy Bragg: Roaring Forty Tour, Usher Hall, 28 Nov

Electric Six, Liquid Room, 30 Nov

Festivals and Special Events

Christmas at The Botanics, RBGE, 16 Nov – 30 Dec

Scots Fiddle Festival, Pleasance, 17 – 19 Nov

Fireworks & Bon re Night, Hopetoun House, 4 Nov

Castle of Light, Edinburgh Castle, 24 Nov – 3 Jan (selected dates)

Edinburgh Short Film Festival, Summerhall, TBC

Activities and Experiences

Harris Tweed Handbag Workshop, Islander Workshop, every Tue & Fri

Edinburgh Cheese Crawl, Comely Bank, every Sat

Edinburgh Ceilidh Club, various venues, 7, 14, 17, 21 & 28 Nov

Collection Centre Tour, National Museums Collection Centre Granton, 15 Nov

Art and Textiles Workshops, Dovecot Studios, TBC

Markets and Fairs

Edinburgh Farmers Market, Castle Terrace, every Sat Grassmarket Weekly Market, Grassmarket, every Sat

Leith Market, Dock Place, every Sat

Stockbridge Market, Saunders Street, every Sun

Edinburgh Art Fair, O2 Academy, 17 – 19 Nov

Christmas Shopping Fair, Hopetoun House, 24 – 26 Nov

Christmas Market, Princes Street Gardens, TBC

Edinburgh Flea Market, Out of the Blue Drill Hall, TBC

Castle St Fair, Castle Street, TBC

Museums, Galleries and Exhibitions

Scottish Landscape Photographer of the Year, Bonnie & Wild, 1 Feb – 31 Jan

Alberta Whittle: create dangerously, Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, 1 Apr – 7 Jan

Decades: The Art of Change 1900–1980, Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, 29 Apr – 7 Jan

Grayson Perry, Scottish National Gallery, 22 Jul – 12 Nov

Scottish Women Artists, Dovecot Studios., 28 Jul – 6 Jan

Uniquely Scottish Silver, National Museum of Scotland, 5 Aug – 26 May

Rising Tide, National Museum of Scotland, 12 Aug – 14 Apr

Windrush Legacy Creative Re ections, Museum of Edinburgh, 2 Sep – 28 Jan

Making Space: Photographs of Architecture, Scottish National Portrait Gallery, 7 Oct – 3 Mar

Monarchs of the Glen, Dovecot Studios, 14 Oct – 2 Mar

The Scottish Landscape Awards, City Art Centre, 4 Nov – 3 Mar

Deep Rooted, City Art Centre, 18 Nov – 25 Feb

Sport and Fundraising Events

MoRun, Holyrood Park, 25 Nov

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