Glasgow Festivals & Events
Festivals
Glasgow's reputation as 'The Friendly City' is reflected in a wide range of festivals covering all of the art forms and in an extensive programme of cultural and sporting events.
Celtic Connections has grown dramatically since it was first dreamed up 17 years ago as an answer to the black hole in Glasgow Royal Concert Hall's winter programme.
The festival now has the clout that allows up to 1,500 performers to consider travelling to Glasgow in the middle of a winter for a festival appearance.
http://www.celticconnections.com
First held in 1993, Glasgay! is now well and truly into its second decade and is now the UK's largest multi-arts festival for LGBT people (and their friends), celebrating the talent and diversity of the Scottish LGBT community (and way beyond) the festival also provides a platform for aspiring artists.
Glasgow Film Festival is a film festival in Glasgow, Scotland. It was started in 2005 and is now in its 5th year. 2008's festival took place between 14-24 February and the programme included exclusive premieres as well as a Bette Davis retrospective. The 2009 event featured an Audrey Hepburn retrospective and a birthday tribute to Errol Flynn.
http://www.glasgowfilmfestival.org.uk
New Moves International Dance Festival
A progressive festival of dance and performance presenting a mix of specially commissioned pieces and premieres by invited international artists.
Now sponsored by the Royal Bank of Scotland, the Glasgow Jazz Festival continues to progress, with over 160 separate performances staged each year. Most concerts take place at the Royal Bank Big Stage, aided and abetted by other concert venues and many Fringe venues around the Merchant City area. This is a festival with strong roots and many top names have featured here in past years.
Events, both wet and dry, feature in Glasgow's River Festival which is enjoyed by old and young alike. There is a distinct martial flavour, with many naval vessels on show including the tall ship 'Glenlee', built in 1896 at Port Glasgow. A programme of children's shows is staged including a walkabout, a magic show on deck and a treasure hunt. On dry land there is music and street entertainment and the Royal Marines perform displays showcasing their abseiling skills.
