AROUND TOWN

One of Scotland’s favourite festive days out and Europe’s largest indoor funfair, The Irn-Bru Carnival (Friday 19 December 2025–Sunday 11 January 2026) is back this weekend at Glasgow’s SEC. With more than 75 rides and attractions, it’s the biggest one yet.

Edinburgh is offering festive fun in spades as part of Edinburgh’s Christmas (until Sunday 4 January) with markets, funfair rides, ice skating, street food and drink, and much more.

Meanwhile, the East Kilbride Shopping Centre will be hosting the Big Glasgow Comic Page Comic & Toy Market (Saturday 20 & Sunday 21 December) featuring a vast selection of pop culture merch including collectables, trading cards, crafts and clothing from all your favourite franchises and brands.

MUSIC

Mercury Prize Winner Badly Drawn Boy (Saturday 20 December) will be swinging by Edinburgh’s The Queen’s Hall, 25 years after his acclaimed debut, The Hour Of Bewilderbeast. Expect songs from that album and his other releases, including the recent Banana Skin Shoes and his soundtrack to About A Boy.

Glasgow’s Nice N Sleazy is the setting for a performance from the Miki Berenyi Trio (Saturday 20 December), led by the eponymous Berenyi, the former frontwoman of Britpop favourites Lush. Expect tracks from their debut album, Tripla, released earlier this year.

Edinburgh’s Leith Depot is hosting a Winter All Dayer (Saturday 20 December), the final Fuzz Bat show of the year, featuring an enjoyably eclectic line-up of five Edinburgh acts, two from Glasgow and one from Aberdeen, with punk, indie, rock opera and folk all represented.

STAGE

If you’re looking for a panto to perk up your festive season then Dundee Rep has put together its own acclaimed take on Jack And The Beanstalk (until Tuesday 30 December) featuring Caroline the singing Highland cow, who will be spilling the beans on the classic fairytale.

If you prefer your Christmas festivities with added chills then The Edinburgh Krampus Festival (until Sunday 21 December) at the Banshee Labyrinth brings together dark markets, creepy magic, terrifying tales, witchy workshops, festive slashers and more. 

In Sophie McCartney: One Foot In The Rave (Friday 19 December) at Edinburgh’s Royal Lyceum the successful comedian and author will be discussing her perimenopausal panic as she embraces the next chapter in her life with sequins and a pair of killer orthopaedic heels.

SCREEN

The third instalment in James Cameron’s sci-fi labour of love Avatar: Fire And Ash hits cinemas this Friday, picking up Jake and Neytiri’s story following Neteyam’s death. Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana and Sigourney Weaver are amongst the returnees.

Glasgow Film Theatre has classics aplenty in its Christmas Programme (until Wednesday 24 December) with Gremlins, It’s A Wonderful Life, Home Alone, Elf and, erm, Eyes Wide Shut among the festive options this weekend.

Meanwhile, head to Edinburgh’s Cameo for screenings of Kevin Smith’s cult favourite in Dogma: Resurrected! (Friday 19 & Saturday 20 December). It stars Ben Affleck and Matt Damon as renegade angels alongside the likes of Linda Fiorentino and Salma Hayek, with this screening featuring a recorded Q&A with Smith himself.

PODCASTS 

Historian Greg Jenner is the host of a new history podcast for all ages from the You’re Dead To Me team. Dead Funny History takes an irreverent look at subjects like Ramesses The Great, Hadrian’s Wall and the history of football in fun, bite-sized episodes. 

In The Brian Badonde Bodcast Kayvan Novak’s charlatan art critic and social commenter returns to interrogate celebrity guests, including Peaky Blinders’ Paul Anderson, singer Ella Eyre and comedian and fellow podcaster Adam Buxton.

In The Guardian Investigates: The Birth Keepers Sirin Kale and Lucy Osborne take you through their year-long investigation into how two influencers made millions radicalising pregnant women around the world.

VISUAL ART

Edinburgh’s Fruitmarket is the setting for Jamie Cooper: LEVELLING UP (until Sunday 18 January) an immersive installation that includes newly created sound and film pieces, including plastic sculptures and illuminated signs.

Still Glasgow (until Sunday 13 June) at the Glasgow Gallery Of Modern Art brings together more than 80 photographic works, including well-known images of the city and lesser known gems, to examine Glasgow past and present.

And finally, Glasgow’s The Modern Institute is currently hosting exhibitions from Lewis Miller (A Doll’s Room), William E Jones (It Only Looks As If It Hurts) and Chris Johanson (until Wednesday 14 January) across its Osborne Street and Aird’s Lane locations.