Aberdeen Performing Arts has announced a new season at Aberdeen's Lemon Tree, with a programme of gigs, theatre, comedy and family events.

Delve 2026, curated by Shetland fiddle player Chris Stout, invites audiences to journey into the cultural heritage of the North Isles for a weekend of music, film, food, spoken word and more celebrating the arts and culture of Orkney and Shetland. As part of Delve, brand-new children’s show A Land Beyond Winter will transform the venue into a magical winter wonderland. The show is the first first in a trilogy of new commissions developed with Edinburgh’s Capital Theatres and Eden Court in Inverness.

Lemon Tree's music line-up features Glasgow rockers Gun on Thursday 11 December, English folk-punk favourite Frank Turner on Sunday 21 September and American singer-songwriter Jesca Hoop together with Rachel Sermanni on Sunday 7 December.

There’s comedy too, with Aberdeen Comedy Festival (Monday 22 September to Sunday 5 October) showcasing established and rising talent, including Bridget Christie, Deirdre O’Kane, and Rory Bremner. November marks the debut of the Aberdeen Queer Arts Festival (Thursday 6 to Sunday 9 November), a new celebration of LGBTQ+ voices and creativity.

Aberdeen Performing Arts director of programming and creative projects, Ben Torrie, said: 'The Lemon Tree is a hub of creativity, community and culture and it holds special memories for so many of us.

'From old friends to first-timers, we’re always looking to welcome new and innovative talent to our stages as well as celebrating the fantastic community that has grown with our returning artists who always love the warm welcome they receive from our Lemon Tree audiences.

'This new season has room for all of it and more. Our Lemon Tree Christmas Show for 2026, A Land Beyond Winter, is the first of three shows that we have newly commissioned along with Capital Theatres in Edinburgh and Eden Court in Inverness and promises to warm hearts and inspire imaginations this December.

'Delve will be a deep dive into what makes the North Isles such a rich breeding ground for music, poetry and art over an incredible weekend of specially curated events.

‘The future is looking bright for the Lemon Tree and we can’t wait to see where this new season takes us!’

Full details can be found at the Aberdeen Performing Arts website.