What will I do while I'm in Glasgow?...   by Scott C. Docherty

January

First of all each year there's the Celtic Connections Festival, one of the world's most anticipated cultural events, including over 200 concerts, lectures, ceilidhs, workshops and street artistry, all celebrating the Celtic culture (wow that's a lot of c's!).

February

February begins with New Territories, an international festival of live arts in Tramway in the southside of the City, featuring some of the most talented and influential artists in the world. Then you have the Glasgow Film Festival, which is exactly what it says on the tin, and is fast becoming a huge event in UK film circles, exploring the types of great wee films you'd never see at the Odeon but which should be given a chance even though they won't make much money. Finally, you can come and visit the Aye Write Festival at the fabulous Mitchell Library. It lines up the cream of international talent, and aims to encourage reading, writing and creativity in Glasgow, so is well worth a look.

March

One of my personal favourites appears in March, the Glasgow International Comedy Festival. This gets bigger every year, and you'll be treated to comedy (good and bad) all across the City, from up and coming talents as well as the larger more recognised acts touring today. In March we also like to celebrate St. Patrick's Day on the 17th. It's not a festival as such, but given our deep Celtic connection it always turns out to be a day not to miss in Glasgow.

April

With the April showers comes one of our greatest cultural events, the Glasgow International Festival of Contemporary Visual Art (AKA the GI Festival), which has firmly established Glasgow as a leading light in global art circles, particularly when it is coupled with Scotland's National Art Fair in George Square, the UK's most prestigious contemporary art fair outside of London. Finally, there's a cool little festival called Triptych, which explores a myriad of musical genres and always adds some more colour to April.

May

May brings you the increasingly attended Maydaze in the City Halls and the Old Fruitmarket. It starts with the tremendous Mayday Rally, and continues until the excitement bursts into the next event, Big Big Country, our Americana Music Festival. To be honest, May is a little light on the major events cycle, but I always find a great deal to do anyway, as there are plenty of gigs, concerts and shows to keep me going, so just have a look for what's on when you're here and you certainly won't be bored.

June

The big diary buster in June is the Über-cool West End Festival, which parades down the streets of one of the trendiest areas in the City. For jazz lovers, there's the Glasgow International Jazz Festival, and for those more in love with more mainstream music, you can grab a ticket for Live & Loud. Next up you've got Bard in the Botanics, which tributes Shakespeare in the West End's Botanic Gardens, and was the first annual outdoor Shakespeare festival in Scotland). Also in June however, you'll be treated to the Lord Provost's Procession, involving bagpipes, tartan, colourful floats, street entertainers and free family fun.

July

July brings the Glasgow River Festival, which celebrates the River Clyde, with brilliant events like the Zapcat Races. Again, there's not too many big events other than T in the Park which everyone usually jumps onto a bus for, now that it's held outside the City.

August

For those lovers of tartan and traditional Scottish displays, Piping Live! and the World Pipe Band Championships will give you what you need in August. It's a huge display of global talent at Glasgow Green, but remember to bring the ear plugs as it gets pretty loud the nearer you get! August also brings the football (soccer) season back, and it runs until May the next year. Get yourself to a Celtic or Rangers game and join in the electric atmosphere, learning as you will why football is so important to Glasgow. More important to me however, is eating! This month you'll hear a lot about Gourmet Glasgow, where our best restaurants each provide you with a great set menu and free dram of whiskey for an outrageously low price. What could possibly be better?!!

September

This month introduces you to the Merchant City Festival, a great week event which rivals every year all that trend-setting going on in the West End. There's also the Doors Open Day in September, where loads of our best paid attractions open their doors and simply let you walk in as if you own the place. Superb!

October

The Glasgay Festival in October is one of the largest multi-art form festivals in the world, and whether you're into the culture or not, the whole thing's just so colourful you'll be drawn in if you're here while it's on. Glasgow in October also brings Halloween, where kids and adults alike dress like Harry Potter and Princesses, and you can join in on one of the many murder mystery tours or dinners organised all over the City, or simply go watch one of the scary movies they always put on in the cinemas.

November

In November, as the weather gets colder the events fill you with an inner warmth. The Christmas Lights come on, and George Square becomes inundated with stalls, an ice rink, chestnut roasting, nativity scenes and more, and the whole City becomes made with the festive buzz. Whether you think it's too early to get into to it or not, Glasgow in the main doesn't mind, and just gets on with enjoying itself in the lead up to the most exciting time of the year. Continuing on this festive theme, Glasgow's Pantomime Season kicks off at the end of the month. This is an experience you won't want to miss if you're looking to catch a bit of Glasgow patter at its funniest, no matter whether you're young or old. Just book a ticket at one of the venues and find out how good it really is. You might also like Whisky Live, which celebrates our favourite tipple.

December

What more can you say about Glasgow in December, apart from that it's just fun all round? First up, you can visit the German Christmas Market in St. Enoch Square, and tuck into the bratwurst and currywurst sausages, spanferkel, garlic and salami pizza bread, and a great deal more, not forgetting the dazzling plethora of sweets and treats, all washed down with gluhwein. Don't ask me what's in all that, but take it from me that it all tastes great! There are loads of fairy-lit cabin stalls dotted around the Square selling things like ornate wooden toys, funky candles, intricate jewellery, and much more. Apart from that, there are literally hundreds of events organised all over the City, so book a ticket for whatever suits your tastes. The main event though is Hogmanay, and you'll be hard pushed to find anywhere else in the world that offers the kind of experience you'll get in the Country where it all started.

So have a great year on me, and if you want to know more, just visit the site and get in touch.

Arrabest!

Copyright Scott Charles Docherty. All rights reserved.

About the Author

Scott Docherty lives happily in Glasgow, and is the owner of Top Ten Glasgow Guide & its popular Lobey Dosser Tribute Blog - Have you kept in touch with Glasgow?