Summer events taking place at historic sites across Scotland

Historic Environment Scotland (HES) is announcing its summer events programme today (Monday 16 March), with events taking place at iconic heritage sites across the country. 

The action kicks off at Easter weekend (Saturday 4 to Monday 6 April) with Living History activity at 15 sites across Scotland, from Caerlaverock Castle, Craigmillar Castle and Dunstaffnage Castle to Melrose Abbey, Urquhart Castle and Fort George. Visitors can meet a cast of characters from across history, learning more about these iconic places and the stories that have taken place within their walls. There will also be Living History events taking place across these sites on select dates during the Easter holidays (Friday 3 to Sunday 19 April).  

Also taking place across a number of Historic Scotland sites during the Easter Weekend (Friday 3 to Monday 6 April) is the new family friendly self-guided Easter trail, Lambs on the Loose! Children and their families can search through our sites to uncover clues and earn a chocolatey reward. 

At the Unicorn & Friends event at Stirling Castle (Saturday 11 to Sunday 12 April), visitors can meet the ever-popular Unicorns, but this year they’re bringing along some friends. With crafts, stories about mythical beasts and a Jester led treasure hunt, it’s a weekend that’s sure to be fun for all the family. 

Visitors can get stuck in with a Viking Invasion at Dunstaffnage Castle (Saturday 23 to Sunday 24 May), where there’s the chance to witness Viking warriors in thrilling clashes and explore the living history camp to find out more about how they lived. 

Returning once more is the annual Spectacular Jousting events, taking place at Linlithgow Palace (Saturday 27 to Sunday 28 June) and Caerlaverock Castle (Saturday 25 to Sunday 26 July). Visitors can experience a show like no other, featuring impressive feats of horsemanship as brave knights battle it out in the arena. There’s also a living history camp to explore and experience life in medieval times, plus a falconry display and plenty of antics from the court jesters. 

Celebration of the Centuries is once again descending on Fort George (Saturday 8 to Sunday 9 August), Historic Scotland’s largest re-enactment event. Visitors can wander through living history camps to meet Picts and Romans and, new for this year, try and buy Scottish food and drink at the fair in the Grand Magazine. Plus, new for this year there will be a WW1 themed horseback display. 

Gillian MacDonald, Interim Director of Marketing and Engagement at HES, said: 

“I am thrilled to launch this year’s summer events programme and welcome visitors to experience over 2,000 years of history through live performances and interactive experiences. 

Our action-packed programme offers something for all ages to enjoy and we look forward to once again bringing the stories of our past alive against the backdrop of iconic heritage sites across Scotland.” 

For a full list of events or to book tickets visit historicenvironment.scot/whats-on. Daytime events are free for Historic Scotland members. 

• We are the lead body for Scotland’s historic environment, a charity dedicated to the advancement of heritage, culture, education and environmental protection. It is at the forefront of researching and understanding the historic environment and addressing the impacts of climate change on its future, investigating and recording architectural and archaeological sites and landscapes across Scotland and caring for more than 300 properties of national importance. We are also the lead on delivering Scotland's strategy for the historic environment, Our Past, Our Future. 
• Historic Scotland, trove.scot, The National Collection of Aerial Photography (NCAP), The Engine Shed, Stirling Castle, Edinburgh Castle and Stòr are sub-brands of HES.
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