Glasgow Festivals

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Glasgow Festivals include festivals for art, film, comedy, folk music and jazz. Glasgow also hosts an annual queer arts festival in November.

Unlike the Edinburgh Festival (where the main festival and fringe festivals all occur around about the same time in August), Glasgow's festivals are spread evenly across the year, therefore ensuring a continuous annual programme of events.

Contents 1 Past Festivals 2 Main Festivals 3 Calendar of Festivals 3.1 January 3.2 February 3.3 March 3.4 April 3.5 May 3.6 June 3.7 July 3.8 August 3.9 September 3.10 October 3.11 November 3.12 December 4 See also 5 External links 6 Sources

[edit] Past Festivals

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Glasgow held several Great Exhibitions, they were the International Exhibition of Science, Art and Industry in 1888, the Glasgow International Exhibition in 1901, the Scottish Exhibition of National History, Art and Industry in 1911 and the Empire Exhibition in 1938. Glasgow also hosted the Industrial exhibitons as part of the Festival of Britain in 1951.

Glasgow's Mayfest, held annually in May, started in 1983 and became one of Glasgow's main festivals, covering theatre, arts and film and was Glasgow's attempt to rival the Edinburgh Festival in August. However it came to a close in 1997.

In 1988, Glasgow hosted its very successful Glasgow Garden Festival on old docks opposite the SECC, now home to the Glasgow Science Centre and the Pacific Quay.

Following the success of the Garden Festival, Glasgow was crowned European City of Culture in 1990 and featured a year-long calendar of festivals, many of which still continue today.

[edit] Main Festivals

Glasgow's main festivals are the Jazz Festival, West End Festival, Merchant City Festival, Celtic Connections, and Glasgay! (a queer arts festival which is one of the biggest gay and lesbian multi-arts festivals in Europe).

Glasgow also hosts the annual World Pipe Band Championships in Glasgow Green, with over 8,000 muscians.

[edit] Calendar of Festivals

As part of Glasgow's cultural renassiance, Glasgow is host to a variety of festivals throughout the year:-

[edit] January

• Celtic Connections - Celtic folk music festival

[edit] February

• Glasgow Film Festival

[edit] March

• Glasgow International Comedy Festival

[edit] April

• Glasgow International Festival of Contemporary Visual Arts
• Glasgow Art Fair - Scotland's Art Fair and THE place to buy Art in Glasgow
• Triptych - Music Festival embracing genres as diverse as Indie, Jazz, Neo-Classical, Reggae and Dance.

[edit] May

• Big Big Country - Americana Music Festival
• Maydaze - Free day of music, dance and family entertainment which is centred on Glasgow Green and usually takes place during the first weekend in May. Includes the traditional May Day Rally and Parade.

[edit] June

• West End Festival - Originally a small local festival centred around Byres Road, it is now Glasgow's biggest street festival
• Live & Loud
• Lord Provost's Procession - Annual parade of the Lord Provost
• Glasgow International Jazz Festival
• North Glasgow International Festival - based in Sighthill celebrating cultural diversity
• Bard in the Botanics

[edit] July

• Glasgow's River Festival
• Glasgow Mela Festival

[edit] August

• Piping Live
• World Pipe Band Championship

[edit] September

• Doors Open Day - unique chance for the public to visit some of Glasgow's most interesting buildings over one weekend in September.
• Merchant City Festival

[edit] October

• Big Big World - World Music Festival

[edit] November

• Glasgay! Festival

[edit] December

• Glasgow's Hogmanay Party

[edit] See also

• Culture in Glasgow

[edit] External links

• Glasgow Comedy Festival
• Glasgow Arts Fair
• Big Big Country
• Glasgow International
• West End Festival
• Glasgow Jazz Festival

[edit] Sources

• Glasgow City Council list of Festivals