Organisations all over the country are currently planning Homecoming activity and invite you to join the celebrations. From Orkney to Aberdeen, from Oban to the Scottish Borders, there will be a packed calendar of events and activities to choose from.
Local authorities across Scotland are coordinating programmes of local Homecoming events
Scotland’s Homecoming year has officially started!!
Within the packed programme, there’s a wealth of ancestral-related events. Read on for a wee taste......
1/ Scroll down the page for a text listing
2/ Order a copy of the events guide to be sent to your address (Terms and Conditions apply)
3/ Alternatively, CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE EVENTS PROGRAMME. (Please note that this is a 5MB file so may take some time to download.) DECEMBER 08 - JANUARY 09 Dec 30: The Dancin’ Dec 31: Hogmanay Jan - May: The Homecoming Scottish Cup Jan - Nov: Zig Zag: The Paths of Robert Burns Jan - Nov: Border League and Kings of The 7s Jan - Nov: Scottish National Portrait Gallery Jan - Dec: The John Muir Odyssey Jan 14: The Lives of Robert Burns Jan 14 - Feb 3: Burnsfest Jan 14 - April 25: Be Near Me Jan 15 - 17: Robert Burns 1759-2009 Jan 15 - Feb 1: Celtic Connections Homecoming Celebrations Jan 21: World Burns Night Jan 21 - Aug: As Others See Us Jan 24 - 25: Burns 250th Anniversary Weekend Jan 23 - 25: Burns Illuminated Jan 23 - 25: Burns Wha Hae Jan 23 - 25: World Famous Burns Supper Jan 24: Iconic Burns Jan 24 - Nov: This Is Who We Are Jan 25: Burns Light Jan 25 - Nov: North Carrick Burns Celebrations Jan 26 - Dec 31: Famous Scots Jan 29 - Feb 11: Sandi Thom’s 2009 Homecoming Tour Jan 29 - Feb 14: Tam O’Shanter Jan 29 - Nov 30: Mackintosh 100 FEBRUARY 09 Feb - April: Scottish Tides-Polish Spring Feb 4, 11 18, 25: Galloway Gatherings Feb 12 - 22: Glasgow Film Festival – Great Scots! Feb 14 - April 11: somebodyelse – Graham Fagen Exhibition Feb 14 - May 16: Creative Burns Feb 14 - Aug 1: Precious Cargo Exhibition MARCH 09 March 1 - Nov 30: Homecoming Trad Music Sessions March - Dec: Come Home to Museums in Fife Mar 6 - 14: Aye Write! The Bank of Scotland Book Festival Mar 6-May 23: Scots Music Abroad Mar 12-29: Magners Glasgow International Comedy Festival March 14: I Murder Hate March 16 - 20: Caithness International Science Festival Mar 18-22: StAnza: Scotland's Poetry Festival March 27 - 29: Hawick Reivers Festival Mar 29: Mauchline Plough Match March 31 - April 2: Smith in Glasgow ‘09 March 31 - April 6: Stirling’s Tartan Day APRIL 09 April - Sept: Following in the Family Footsteps April - Dec: Scotch Whisky Experience April 3 - 8: Edinburgh International Harp Festival April 4 - Sept 20: Inspired April 4 - 18: Edinburgh International Science Festival April 10 - 12: Northern Nashville Caithness Country Music Festival April 10 - 12: Melrose 7s April 25: Scottish Family History Fair and SAFHS Conference April 30: Beltane Fire Festival MAY 09 May 1 - 31: Whisky Month May*: The Homecoming Scottish Cup Final May 1 - 29: Enthusiasm for Scotch May - Oct Roots and Boughs: Summer in the Straths May - Oct Scottish Homecoming Golf Classics May 1 - 4: Scottish Mining Mayfest May 1 - 10: Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival May 1 - Sept 30 Scottish Highland Games Association May 2 - 3 The Magic Weekend May 2 - 3 Big in Falkirk May 2 - 9 Caithness & Sutherland Walking Festival May 2 - Oct 17 Adventurers, Statesmen and Inventors: Local Impact on Global Lives May 3 Bupa Great Edinburgh Run May 8 - 10 The Drambuie Pursuit May 8 - 10 Ullapool Book Festival May 9 -10: Culloden - From Battle to Exile May 10 Gourock Highland Games 2009 May 12 - 17 Word 09 – University of Aberdeen Writers Festival May 12 - 24 The World Mountain Bike Conference on Sustainability and The Original Bicycle Festival May 15 - Oct 17 Whisky Galore – A Musical! May 15 - 26 Borders Festival of the Horse May 16 The Scottish Pipe Band Championship May 16 The Robert Burns Humanitarian Award 2009 May 16 - 17: Spirit of the West May 16 - 24: Burns an' a' That! 2009 May 17: MacMillan Cancer Support Etape Caledonia May 17 - 23: Cape Wrath Challenge May 20 - 21: All-Energy ‘09 May 20 - 23: Loch Lomond Quilt Show - Homecoming Quilts May 23: Edinburgh 2009 Heineken Cup Final May 23: Mauchline Holy Fair May 23 - 24: Party at the Palace 1503 May 23 - 24: Traquair Medieval Fayre May 23 - Sept 12: Alexander Stoddart: Drawings and Models May 29 - 31: Gardening Scotland 2009 May 30 - 31: Emirates Airline Edinburgh 7s May 30 - Sept 12: Ayrshire Innovators May 31: Albert Bartlett Edinburgh Marathon JUNE 09 Jun - Aug: Return to the Ridings Jun - Nov: Meet your Ancestors in Clackmannanshire June - Dec: Where Tomorrow Begins June 1 - Aug 31: Whole in One Golf Exhibition June 4 - Aug 20: 25th Summer Season of Scottish Country Dance June 5 - 13: Nairn Book and Arts Festival June 6: Shotts Highland Games June 6 - 7: Nissan UCI Mountain Bike World Cup Jun 14 - 16: Forbes CEO Forum Jun 16 - 20: The Crossing Jun 17 - 28: Edinburgh International Film Festival June 18 - 21: Small Islands Film Festival June 18 - 21: Borders Book Festival June 19 - 21: Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Sailor – Routes to Your Scottish Roots June 19 - 21: Helensburgh Bi-Centenary Pipe Band and Highland Dancing Competition June 21: City of Aberdeen Highland Games Jun 25 - 28: Royal Highland Show June 26 - Oct 11: A Home Away From Home: The Scottish Emigration Experience June 27: Dumfries Family History Homecoming Fair JULY 09 July 2 - 5: The Scottish Traditional Boat Festival July 3 - 5: The Scottish Game Fair July 5: Cupar Highland Games July 6 - 25: I Kent His Faither: Musselburgh’s People Past and Present July 9 - 12: The Barclays Scottish Open July 10 - 12: T in the Park July 10-11: Scottish Perthshire Hill Rally July 11: The Famous Alva Games July 11 - 25: Classic Malts™ Cruise July 12 - Aug 2: Bridge of Allan, Callander, Killin and Stirling Highland Games July 15 - 18: Hebridean Celtic Festival July 16 - 19: The Open Championship July 17 - 23: The Hidden Jewel July 17 - Aug 16: Art on the Map 2009 July 18: The Loch Lomond Highland Games July 18: Blas na Fasaich (Taste of the Wilderness) July 18 - 19: Masters World Championships at Inverness Highland Games July 18 - Aug 3: North East Clan Fortnight and Aberdeen's Tartan Day July 19 - 25: International Junior Curling Camp July 21 - 24: International Genealogy Festival July 21 - 25: Burns Summer School July 24 - 25: The Wickerman Festival July 24 - 26: Mauchline Homecoming Marquee July 25: Doon Hame with Burns Conference July 25: European Pipe Band Championships July 25: The Scottish Diaspora Forum July 25 - 26: The Gathering 2009 July 25 - 26: The Big Tent July 27 - Aug 8: Aberdeen International Youth Festival July 31 - Aug 3: Guildtown Bluegrass Music Festival 2009 AUGUST 09 August: Johnnie Walker Championship Gleneagles Aug 1: Aboyne Highland Games Aug 2 - 3: Turriff Show Aug 3 - 9: Creative Connections Shetland Aug 5 - Sept 5: Edinburgh Art Festival Aug 7 - 8: Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival Aug 7 - 8: Tattoo Hebrides 2009 Tatù Innse Gall Aug 7 - 9: Ayr Flower Show Aug 14 - Sep 6: Edinburgh International Festival Aug 7 - 30: Edinburgh Military Tattoo Aug 7 - 31: Homecoming at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Aug 8: North Berwick Highland Games Aug 10 - 16: Piping Live! Music of the Clans Aug 12 - 13: The Clan Ross Gathering Aug 13: Ballater Highland Games Aug 15: The World Pipe Band Championships Aug 15 - 31: Edinburgh International Book Festival Aug 18 - 22: Festival of Politics Aug 19 - Sept 5: Carnegie Festival 2009 Aug 20 - 23: Mull of Kintyre Music and Arts Festival 2009 – ‘Cradle of the Nation’ Aug 22: Lonach Highland Gathering and Games Aug 22 - 23: Scotland’s Festival of History: Lanark Medieval Festival Aug 28 - 30: Fyvie Homecoming Festival Aug 29: Runrig at Scone Palace Aug 29: Cowal Gathering Aug 29 - All Sep: St Kilda Day: Latha Hiort Aug 29-30: Kirkintilloch Canal Festival SEPTEMBER 09 Sept 1 - 30: Scottish Ballet – 40th Anniversary Exhibition Sept 1 -30: Doors open Days Sept 2: Brass in the Park: The Mini Tattoo Sept 4 - 6: Brass in the Park Sept 4 - 12: Blas Festival Sept 5: Braemar Gathering Sept 5 - 6: The Great Scottish Run Sept 5 - 7: Orkney International Science Festival Sept 5 - 13: In the Footsteps of the Reivers Sept 6 - 12: Whisky Week Sept 10 - 12: Island Emigrants: Conference on Emigration from the Outer Hebrides Sept 18 -19: Battle of Prestonpans 1745 Reenactments Sept 18 - 20: Isle of Barra Whisky Galore Festival Sept 19: Scottish Hydro Electric Camanachd Cup Final 2009 Sept 19 - Oct 31: Leaving Home: Migration to and from Scotland Sept 24 - 27: The Memory Projector: Celebrating Beautiful Journeys Sept 24 - 27: Clan Scott Society Gathering 2009 Sept 25 - Oct 4: The StenaLine Wigtown Book Festival Sept 26 - Oct 5: Angus & Dundee Roots Festival OCTOBER 09 October* Scotland v Ireland: Shinty/Hurling International October James Watt, Head of Steam Oct - Jan Salt of the Earth Oct 3 Fife Family History Fair – ‘Home and Away: Scots on the Move’ Oct 4 Small Islands Film Festival Oct 4 Baxters Loch Ness Marathon & Festival of Running Oct 9 - 13 Moray Connections from Rail to Space Oct 9 - 17 Am Mòd Nàiseanta Rìoghail (The Royal National Mod) Oct 9 - 18 Cowalfest Oct 10 - 17 Crieff and Strathearn Drovers’ Tryst Oct 11 World Porridge Making Championship Mid - late Oct: Highland Homecoming – Ur beatha dhan dùthaich! Oct 16 - 25: Biggar Little Festival Oct 16 - Nov 1: The Enchanted Forest Oct 18 - 25: MacPherson’s Rant Oct 22 - 24: Scotland’s Global Impact Conference: Buaidh Chruinneil na h-Alba Oct 22 - 24: Trossachs International Mushroom Festival Oct 23 - Nov 1: Scottish International Storytelling Festival: Homelands Oct 23 - Nov 10: Voices in Paisley Festival Oct 30 - 31: Scottish Chamber Orchestra Oct 30 - Nov 8: Perthshire Amber – The Dougie MacLean Festival 2009 Oct 30 - Nov 22: sound: North East Scotland’s Festival of New Music Oct 31: Samhuinn NOVEMBER 09 November: Scottish Borders Hill Rally Nov 19 - 21 Intercontinental Rally Challenge 2009 Nov 23 - 30: St Andrews Festival 2009 - Scotland's Celebration Nov 27 - 29: The Aviemore Saltire Festival Nov 27 - 30: Homecoming Scotland's Finale Weekend Nov 27-29: Scots Trad Music Awards Nov 28: The Illuminated Art Car Parade Nov 28: Homecoming Live Nov 30: St Andrew’s Day Celebration
THROUGHOUT THE YEAR Throughout 2009: Scotland: A Changing Nation Throughout 2009: Scotland’s Wildlife Throughout 2009: BBC Scotland – A History of Scotland Throughout 2009: The Homecoming Dance Throughout 2009: Royal Scottish National Orchestra Throughout 2009: Westering Home to Islay Throughout 2009: Forest Heritage Scotland Throughout 2009: Drive It Home 2009: Scotland’s Biggest Ever Promotion for Visiting Golfers Throughout 2009: The Robert Burns World Federation Until May: The Homecoming Scottish Cup Jan 24 - Nov: This Is Who We Are Jan - Nov: Border League and Kings of The 7s Jan - Nov: Scottish National Portrait Gallery Jan - Nov: Zig Zag: The Paths of Robert Burns Jan - Dec: The John Muir Odyssey Jan 14 - April 25: Be Near Me Jan 21 - Aug: As Others See Us Jan 25 - Nov: North Carrick Burns Celebrations Jan 26 - Dec 31: Famous Scots Jan 29 - Nov 30: Mackintosh 100 Feb - April: Scottish Tides – Polish Spring Feb 14 - Apr 11: somebodyelse – Graham Fagen Exhibition Feb 14 - May 16: Creative Burns Feb 14 - Aug 1: Precious Cargo Exhibition March 1 - Nov 30: Homecoming Trad Music Sessions March - Dec: Come Home to Museums in Fife March 6 - May 23: Scots Music Abroad April - Sept: Following in the Family Footsteps April - Dec: Scotch Whisky Experience April 4 - Sept 20: Inspired May 1 - Sept 30: Scottish Games Association May - Oct: Scottish Homecoming Golf Classics May - Oct: Roots and Boughs: Summer in the Straths May 2 - Oct 17: Adventurers, Statesmen and Inventors – Local Impact on Global Lives May 15 - Oct 17: Whisky Galore – A Musical! May 23 - Sept 12: Alexander Stoddart: Drawings and Models May 30 - Sept 12: Ayrshire Innovators June - Aug: Return to the Ridings June - Nov: Meet your Ancestors in Clackmannanshire June - Dec: Where Tomorrow Begins June 1 - Aug 31: Whole in One Golf Exhibition June 4 - Aug 20: 25th Summer Season of Scottish Country Dance June 26 - Oct 11: A Home Away From Home: The Scottish Emigration Experience Oct - Jan: Salt of the Earth *Date to be confirmed.