Events
Creating unforgettable experiences
Our world-class events boosted Glasgow’s global profile in 2025/26, delivering memorable moments for our communities and visitors while showcasing the very best of the city.
Glasgow Life’s Events team delivered a year of significant firsts throughout 2025/26, alongside an established programme of outstanding cultural and sporting events that continue to define the city’s global reputation.
From securing major new events to hosting landmark moments for Glasgow’s communities, the programme reflected ambition and impact; reinforcing the city’s profile as a trusted, world-class events destination.
Across the year, nearly 340,000 attendances were recorded at events delivered or supported by Glasgow Life, generating more than £16 million in GVA for the city’s economy.
Major events, lasting impact
The Merchant City Festival showed why it’s one of the most popular events in Glasgow’s calendar, attracting 40,000 visits to the city’s cultural district and offering a vibrant mix of live music and dance, comedy, street theatre, food and market stalls.
The World Pipe Band Championships brought 8,000 pipers, over 200 bands and 35,000 spectators to Glasgow Green. Alongside the competition, the Piping Live! festival attracted 25,000 attendances, showcasing Scotland’s cultural heritage to the world.
The Glasgow Mela, Scotland’s largest celebration of South Asian heritage in Kelvingrove Park, attracted more than 21,000 visits. With performances from global and local artists, the much-loved event championed creativity, inclusion and community pride.
From landmark celebrations to future global events
Several events marked important milestones for Glasgow. The Aye Write Book Festival returned, celebrating its landmark 20th anniversary with a packed programme featuring 180 authors across 130 events over 11 days.
The city also hosted the final stage of the Lloyds Tour of Britain Women, bringing Britain’s leading professional women’s cycling race to Scotland for the first time, with 5,000 spectators gathering at Glasgow Green for the finish.
Sporting events remained a key driver of participation and profile. The Great Scottish Run achieved record entries, with 32,000 runners taking part, demonstrating the continued appeal of mass participation events and their contribution to the city’s visitor economy.
New events further strengthened the city’s cultural offer. Our inaugural Winter Trail transformed the city centre into a festive, artist‑led experience, attracting more than 10,000 attendances. The trail created opportunities for Glasgow‑based artists while introducing new audiences to cultural activity in public spaces.
Alongside these highlights, the team supported a wider programme of core city events throughout the year, including the Glasgow Film Festival, Glasgow International Comedy Festival, and the Doors Open Days Festival, reinforcing the quality, diversity, and appeal of Glasgow’s year-round events calendar.
Glasgow again welcomed Host City, the world’s largest meeting of destinations and leaders in cultural, sporting and business events. Featuring two days of discussion with major event owners, organisers, industry and government, it showcased the city's event credentials while building valuable knowledge, relationships and opportunities for the future.
And preparations continued for the city’s hosting of the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games, with the team working closely with Games partners to develop the Glasgow 2026 Festival and Festival Fund, which will embed community-led, grassroots cultural and sports activities in neighbourhoods across the city.
The year also laid the foundations for future success, with the team securing several major events, including the return of the Royal National Mòd in October 2026, a stage of the UCI Cyclo-Cross World Cup in December 2026 – bringing the prestigious cycling event to Scotland for the first time – and the SPAR European Cross Country Championships in December 2027.
One city, many cultures
Celebrating Glasgow’s South Asian heritage at the Mela.
The Glasgow Mela is a flagship event in the city’s annual cultural calendar and Scotland’s largest South Asian festival, celebrating Glasgow’s diversity and multicultural identity. The 2025 event attracted more than 21,000 people to Kelvingrove Park, bringing communities together for a free day of music, arts, sport, and workshops.
The festival continues to play an important role in strengthening community connections and presenting the richness of South Asian culture in Glasgow. We spoke to Mela co-producer and performer, Dr Diljeet Bhachu, about what makes the event so enduring.
A record year for Piping Live!
As well as delivering our own events, Glasgow Life plays a vital role supporting the city’s wider events programme.
One of the standout highlights is Piping Live! which enjoyed a record-breaking year in 2025, attracting 25,000 attendances and celebrating Scotland’s national instrument in the heart of Glasgow. The 22nd edition also saw the National Piping Centre transformed into a new festival hub, enhancing the experience for performers and visitors alike.
We spoke to Piping Live’s Artistic Director, Finlay MacDonald, who reflected on the festival’s continued growth and Glasgow Life’s invaluable support.