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What’s On Guide Edinburgh October 2026
October is mild autumn month in Edinburgh, with an average temperature of 10°C. It is also the rainiest month of the year, so bring an umbrella! If it does rain, there are lots of indoor attractions to discover, including the Scotch Whisky Experience, Camera Obscura and World of Illusions and The Edinburgh Dungeons. Here’s what’s on in Edinburgh in October 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
- The Undertones: 50th Anniversary Show, Edinburgh Corn Exchange, 3 Oct
- Eckhart Tolle, Edinburgh Playhouse, 4 Oct
- The Archers: Live at 75, Edinburgh Playhouse, 5 Oct
- Miriam’s Full English LIVE, Edinburgh Playhouse, 6 Oct
- Avatar The Last Airbender: Film With Live Orchestra, Usher Hall, 6 Oct
- Professor Brian Cox: Emergence World Tour, Edinburgh Playhouse, 7 – 8 Oct
- Breabach, Queen’s Hall, 9 Oct
- Jeff Wayne’s Musical Version of The War of The Worlds, Edinburgh Playhouse, 10 Oct
- Jersey Boys, Edinburgh Playhouse, 12 – 17 Oct
- Starsailor, Usher Hall, 17 Oct
- The Shamrocks, Usher Hall, 21 Oct
- Hue and Cry, Usher Hall, 24 Oct
- Alison Moyet, Usher Hall, 26 Oct
- Dirty Dancing, Edinburgh Playhouse, 27 – 31 Oct
- Rollers Forever, King’s Theatre, 27 – 31 Oct
- One Night In Nashville, Queen’s Hall, 30 Oct
Festivals and special events
- Edinburgh Cocktail Week, various venues, 2 – 11 Oct
- Oktoberfest, Central Hall Tollcross, 8 – 10 Oct
- Comic Con Scotland, Royal Highland Centre, 24 – 25 Oct
- Scottish International Storytelling Festival, TBC
- Samhuinn Fire Festival, TBC
Activities, tours and experiences
- Edinburgh Ceilidh Club, various venues, 6, 13, 20, 23 & 27 Oct
Markets and fairs
- Edinburgh Farmers Market, Castle Terrace, every Sat
- Grassmarket Weekly Market, Grassmarket, every Sat
- Leith Market, Dock Place, every Sat
- Edinburgh Car Boot Sale, Edinburgh Corn Exchange, every Sat & Sun
- Stockbridge Market, Saunders Street, every Sun
- Edinburgh Street Food, Leith Street, every day
- Tron Kirk Market, Tron Kirk on Royal Mile, every day
- Homebuilding & Renovation Show 2026, Royal Highland Centre, 3 – 4 Oct
- Ocean Terminal Market, Ocean Terminal, 3 – 4 Oct
- Castle St Fair, Castle Street, 5 – 11 Oct
- Edinburgh Careers Fair, TBC
- Edinburgh Flea Market, TBC
Museums, galleries and exhibitions
- Maps: Memories from the Second World War, National Museum of Scotland, until 4 Oct
- The Edwardians: Age of Elegance, King’s Gallery, 24 Apr – 6 Dec
- Jean F. Watson: An Artistic Legacy, City Art Centre, 16 May – 4 Oct
- Wendy McMurdo: The Digital Mirror, Scottish National Portrait Gallery, 30 May – 25 Oct
- 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
- Catherine Opie: To Be Seen, Scottish National Gallery, 8 Aug – 1 Nov
Sport and fundraising events
- Blast 5K, The Meadows, 6 Oct
Popular attractions this month
- Edinburgh Dungeon, immersive, theatrical tours showcasing the city’s dark history
- Grassmarket, historic Edinburgh market square with shops, pubs and restaurants
- The Real Mary King’s Close, underground network of streets, offering history tours
- Edinburgh Castle, iconic fortress atop Castle Rock, offering historic castle tours
- Ghost Bus, spooky tours of Edinburgh by bus, sharing haunted stories and history
- Surgeons Hall Museums, exploring the history of pathology, surgery and dentistry
- Greyfriars, historic kirk and graveyard, renowned for the legendary tale of Greyfriars Bobby
- 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
- Dynamic Earth, an interactive journey through the past, present and future of our planet
- 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
