Fife's Summer Festivals

Summer in Scotland means festival season and with so many to choose from up and down the country it can be difficult to know where to start.  Gemma Armit, a Fife local and Scotland travel blogger at Two Scots Abroad has put together this great guide to the best summer festivals in Fife.  I'm ashamed to say I've not been to any of these, however thanks to Gemma I've been inspired to check some out for myself and hopefully you will be too!

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One of the sweetest things about the Kingdom of Fife is the sense of community that
spreads throughout summer in the form of its festivals. Towns and villages of all sizes
club together to entertain visitors and celebrate tradition through music, theatre, food,
sport and traditional highland dance. This guide is an insight into some of the best
Scottish summer (and beyond) festivals in the region over the water from the capital,
Edinburgh.

June

Crail Food Fest

Over one weekend in June, this food festival offers food stalls, educational talks, street
music and chef shows in the town of Crail.  Venues include Crail Harbour,
BeechwalkPark and Crail Community Centre.  Included in the itinerary is ‘Langoustine in
a Box’ which content creators from the Feast of Fife press trip say is making waves so
that is definitely one set to catch over this two-day culinary event.

East Neuk Festival

This 5-day music event is an explosion of culture set against the stunning backdrop of
Fife’s East Neuk.  Expect the unexpected as churches are transformed in concert halls in
June!  Previous venues include Anstruther Town Hall and Kilconquhar Church.

​July
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Byre in the Botanics

No need to worry about the typical July Scottish summer weather at this Fife festival,
artists perform under a roof during this fully seated gig. Expect a show by Midge Ure
and opera from Oliver-award winning, OperaUpClose in 2018.

Aberdour Festival

Aberdour Festival runs for a mammoth 10 days and is jam-packed with art exhibitions,
music, comedy, fossil walks and scarecrow hunting!  The event also includes a variety of
sports coaching and challenges such as bowls, cricket, tea dances, raft racing and the
famous Donkey Brae Run.
Are you the star of the show?  Check out Aberdour does Strictly this summer!  Can
pampered pooch win the pet show?  They’ve really thought of everything in Aberdour.
While you are there, swing out Aberdour Castle which features in the popular TV series
Outlander.  Fans should check out this guide to Outlander tours and locations for more

Image Credit - Colin Hattersley

Rapture Festival

The travelling gaming festival hits Glenrothes in August.  Fife’s Rothes Halls will be
taken over by Fortnite, PUBG, Minecraft and Roblox.  There’s a vintage gaming section
for us oldies and multiplayer challenges for social attendees.  Special YouTuber guests
announced soon.

If you're visiting Fife why not explore more of the region?  Check out my 'Things to do in Fife' page for more ideas.

​Throughout Summer


Town Highland Games

​Close to every community’s heart is the annual gala day. Nearly every town in Fife
celebrates summer with a gala parade, crowning of the summer king and queen, food,
games and sometimes competitions. The bigger towns of also Burntisland (July) and
Inverkeithing (August) play host to highland dancing competitions where dancers of all
ages from a variety of dancing schools compete against each other while wearing
traditional Scottish dress (kilt). There are over 60 highland dancing events in Scotland,
click here to find out more.

Image Credit - Scottish Highland Games Association

Balgove Night Market

How has five years passed without us knowing about the Balgove Night Market?  This
farmers market runs from 5-9pm once a month (Tuesdays) throughout summer
returns for a Christmas stint in December.  Expect fresh meat, bread and flowers in a
rustic setting.

Address: Balgove Larder, Farm Shop, Butchery & Café, St Andrews, KY16 9SF

Crail Raceway

Drag car lovers can itch that need for speed during the various events at Crail Raceway
over the summer months which include Crail Drag and Drift Thrash and The Big
Weekender.

September

​Defend Fife

​As the summer months come to close and we look forward to the ‘tattie holidays’ one of
Fife’s newest festivals takes place.  Defend Fife is a multi-location festival focusing on
Army, Airforce, navy and Homefront life in WW2 this September. It also celebrates the
alliance and friendship between Scotland and Poland.
The weekend kicks off with a Saturday morning parade which includes pipe bands,
veteran groups, cadet forces and scouts. Everyone is welcomed and encouraged to
bring artefacts (photos, medals, etc) to share and discuss. Expect to see vintage dress,
crafts, food and a pop-up cinema!
The second location is based at Lathalmond, the ex-WW2 Royal Navy Depot, and 
home to the Scottish Vintage Bus Museum. Mode of transport between Dunfermline and
Lathalmond? Vintage bus of course.

Image Credit - Defend Fife

October

Fife Beer Festival

Fife’s Charity Beer Festival returns to Scotland’s old capital, Dunfermline.  The two-day
music, food and drink event takes place at the Glen Pavilion offering a tipple from over
50 of the best cask conditioned beers and over 20 types of cider. Keeping up with the
times, a gin bar was introduced in 2017!
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​Not the definitive list but a taster to what Fife has to offer through its festivals during the
summer holidays and beyond. Keep up to date with what’s going on in the Kingdom
here. Whether you love sports or a swalley, there’s something for everyone in the
Kingdom and rest assured, it’s always sunny in Fife!
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Many thanks to Gemma Armit for sharing some of the fab festivals in Fife.  Gemma is a Scotland travel blogger and the fingers and lens behind the incredibly useful travel site Two Scots Abroad and part owner of the SEO support site and consultancy team, Make Traffic Happen.
Follow her travels on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest.