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What’s On Guide Edinburgh December 2026
December is a cold winter month in Edinburgh, with an average temperature of 5°C. Christmas is fantastic time of year to visit, as Edinburgh comes alive with festive fun and sparkle. There are also lots of special events and shows to enjoy across the city. Here’s what’s on in Edinburgh in December 2026.
All details given here are subject to change or error, and no tickets are sold on this website. Please contact the event organisers directly for the most up-to-date information and ticket sales.
Music, theatre and comedy
- King’s Panto: The Adventures of Pinocchio, King’s Theatre, 28 Nov – 17 Jan
- Del Amitri: Past to Present, Usher Hall, 1 Dec
- Moonlight Sonata at Christmas by Candlelight, Edinburgh New Town Church, 1 Dec
- The Nutcracker Suite at Christmas by Candlelight, Edinburgh New Town Church, 1 – 4 Dec
- Back to the Future: The Musical, Edinburgh Playhouse, 2 Dec – 2 Jan
- Disney’s Muppet Christmas Carol in Concert, Usher Hall, 3 Dec
- Rhapsody in Blue at Christmas by Candlelight, Edinburgh New Town Church, 3 Dec
- The Jazz Room: Frank Sinatra & Louis Armstrong Tribute, Assembly Roxy, 4 Dec
- The Twilight Sad, Usher Hall, 6 Dec
- Barenaked Ladies, Queen’s Hall, 7 Dec
- The Bootleg Beatles, Usher Hall, 8 Dec
- Sex Pistols feat. Frank Carter, Edinburgh Corn Exchange, 9 Dec
- Candlelight: Christmas Movie Soundtracks, Assembly Roxy, 11 Dec
- Moonlight Sonata at Christmas by Candlelight, St Giles’ Cathedral, 11 Dec
- Nutcracker Suite at Christmas by Candlelight, St Giles’ Cathedral, 11 Dec
- Nutcracker Suite at Christmas by Candlelight, St Mary’s Episcopal Cathedral, 12 Dec
- Live at Christmas: Fern Brady & Tom Rosenthal, Queen’s Hall, 12 Dec
- Big Christmas Sing A-Long with Aled Jones & Alexander Armstrong, Queen’s Hall, 13 Dec
- Idlewild, Usher Hall, 18 Dec
- Elephant Sessions, Usher Hall, 19 Dec
- Hogmanay Concert: Underworld, Princes Street Gardens, 31 Dec
- Hogmanay Street Party, Princes Street Gardens, 31 Dec
Festivals and special events
- Giant Lanterns, Edinburgh Zoo, 13 Nov – 21 Feb
- Edinburgh’s Christmas, various venues, 14 Nov – 3 Jan
- Christmas at The Botanics, Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, 19 Nov – 30 Dec
- Edinburgh’s Hogmanay, various venues, 29 Dec – 1 Jan
- Magic Fest, TBC
- Castle of Light, TBC
Activities, tours and experiences
- Titanic Exhibition, Royal Highland Centre, 28 Nov – 14 Feb
- Edinburgh Ceilidh Club, various venues, 1, 8, 15, 18 & 22 Dec
- History Lovers Walking Tour, city centre, selected dates
- Haunted Vaults Walking Tour, Royal Mile, selected dates
- The Mountebank Comedy Walk, Monkey Barrel Comedy, selected dates
- Magical Harry Potter Tour, city centre, selected dates
- Pickering’s Gin Jolly Distillery Tour, Royal Dick Bar, selected dates
- Whisky & Gin Distillery Tour, Holyrood Distillery, selected dates
- Luxury Whisky Tasting, Underground Vaults, selected dates
- Silent Disco Adventure Tour, city centre, selected dates
Markets and fairs
- Edinburgh Farmers Market, Castle Terrace, most Sats
- Grassmarket Weekly Market, Grassmarket, most Sats
- Leith Market, Dock Place, most Sats
- Edinburgh Car Boot Sale, Edinburgh Corn Exchange, selected Sats & Suns
- Stockbridge Market, Saunders Street, most Suns
- Edinburgh Street Food, Leith Street, most days
- Tron Kirk Market, Tron Kirk on Royal Mile, most days
- Castle St Fair, Castle Street, 25 Nov – 22 Dec
- Ocean Terminal Market, TBC
- Traditional Christmas Markets, TBC
- Edinburgh Flea Market, TBC
- Arts Boutique, TBC
Museum and gallery exhibitions
- The Edwardians: Age of Elegance, King’s Gallery, 24 Apr – 6 Dec
- Scotland’s First Warriors, National Museum of Scotland, 27 Jun – 17 May
- Costume Couture: Sixty Years of Cosprop, Dovecot Studios, 18 Jul – 9 Jan
- Gwen John: Strange Beauties, Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, 1 Aug – 4 Jan
- Beyond Bayeux: Tapestry Now, Dovecot Studios, 23 Oct – 21 Mar
- Ade Adesina: Bard, City Art Centre, 7 Nov – 11 Apr
- Roman Scotland: Life on the Edge of Empire, National Museum of Scotland, 14 Nov – 18 Apr
- Kenneth Dingwall: Being, City Art Centre, 21 Nov – 7 Mar
- Scottish Portrait Awards 2026, Scottish National Portrait Gallery, 28 Nov – 11 Apr
Sport and fundraising events
- Edinburgh Christmas Running Festival, Inverleith Park, 6 Dec
- Blast 5K, The Meadows, 22 Dec
Popular attractions this month
- Georgian House, Edinburgh townhouse restored and furnished to represent a 1900s residence
- Scottish National Portrait Gallery, displaying Scotland’s national collection of portraits
- The Chocolatarium, taking you through the chocolate-making process, from cacao bean to chocolate bar
- Tron Kirk, historic church building on the Royal Mile with an indoor arts and crafts market
- National Museum of Scotland, displaying over 8000 world treasures in its packed galleries
- The Scotch Whisky Experience, an introduction to the world of whisky in Edinburgh
- Edinburgh Castle, iconic fortress atop Castle Rock, offering historic castle tours
- Museum of Childhood, a large collection of toys and games from the 18th to the 21st century
- Grassmarket, historic Edinburgh market square with shops, pubs and restaurants
- Leith, lively Edinburgh neighbourhood with restaurants, cafés, shops and waterfront
- View more attractions…
See also
- Virtual tours, take a look around Edinburgh from the comfort of home
- Q&As, a few questions answered about Edinburgh and Scotland
