12 Days of Blogmas: Day Eleven - What’s on in The Borders in 2024
As the year draws to a close, it's natural to look back on the past, and anticipate the future. On today's penultimate Blogmas post, I want to share a seasonal calendar of events throughout The Borders for you to enjoy. I want this list to perhaps surprise, and delight, you with the depth and variety of events in this often forgotten region of Scotland. This is by no means a comprehensive list and I may have missed some of your favourites, so feel free to leave a comment with your must-see or must-do activities!
Winter
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Winter -
As the reality of January hits home its nice to have something to look forward to. Burns Night events occur all over the country to bring a blast of warmth and friendship to the darkest of months. This year, Bowhill House are offering a Whisky Tasting and Supper on 26 January, to celebrate the Bard.
The dark, cold, clear nights of January and February are great times to enjoy our Dark Skies, check out my recent blog for more suggestions.
The Wild Writers Festival returns to Peebles Eastgate with headliner Andrew Cotter sure to draw a big crowd, split between sports fans and dog lovers.
February sees Scottish stand-up, historian, tour guide and You-Tuber Bruce Fummey bring his Stories of Scotland tour to the Newlands Centre in Romannobridge. I am a big fan of Bruce, he makes history very accessible and fun. Also, it gives me a chance to get Romannobridge (pop. 175) on to the Blog - it’s not all Peebles, Gala and Hawick ;)
Hawick Film Group have a Powell and Pressburger retrospective running in January and February. It’s no stretch to say that the four films they are showing (The Red Shoes, Black Narcissus, I Know Where I’m Going! and A Matter of Life and Death) are among the best British films ever made.
Trimontium Museum in Melrose opens up on 9 February after a winter break. Guided walks run from April - October, but if you haven’t been to the museum yet then just go! It’s first rate.
Horses are big business in The Borders and the winter sees Point to Point racing at Friars Haugh, just outside Kelso. 21 January, 11 February and 9 March are this years dates.
Winter Dark Skies
Discover your winter adventure in The Scottish Borders
Credit: Mark Gamblin Photography
Spring
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Spring -
The lighter days of spring bring with them new life and vitality, as our farms welcome new arrivals and woodlands slowly show signs of growth after winter.
Friday 22 March heralds the start of the Hawick Reivers Festival, commemorating the heritage of The Borders with music, talks, re-enactments and more.
Many of our top visitor attractions will open again for the season, including Traquair House, Mellerstain, Smailholm Tower in April and Floors Castle in May.
In April 2024, it will be 900 years since King David I of Scotland ascended to the throne. Many are linking this event to the establishment of Peebles as a Royal Burgh. As a result, there is a growing interest in marking Peebles' 900th birthday in the spring.
April sees the 40th anniversary of The Southern Upland Way, which passes through the Borders from Ettrick Head to Cove. I am not sure if there are official plans to mark the anniversary, but Tweed Valley Blogger will be - watch this space!
Rugby Sevens arrives in April with the world famous Melrose ‘sports’ on 13 April. Sevens is one of The Borders gifts to the world, and you must go to Melrose at least once. However if you want a really good day out, and a bit more relaxed, I would suggest Earlston Sevens on Sunday 5 May. Great way to spend the Bank Holiday weekend.
Having celebrated their 10th Anniversary in 2023, next year sees The Great Tapestry of Scotland unveiling a new exhibition, celebrating extraordinary ‘Paisley’ shawls. A fascinating part of Scotland’s weaving story, the exhibition opens on 26 March 2024.
Spring is also Musical time in The Borders! Amateur societies in Galashiels, Selkirk, Hawick Kelso, Innerleithen and Duns will present ‘Me and My Girl’, ‘Legally Blonde’, ‘Our House’, ‘9-5’, ‘The Addams Family’ and ‘Dirty Rotten Scoundrels’ respectively. These are beloved occasions in our communities and offer great value for money for those wanting a fun night out.
Spring sees the return of the Alchemy Film and Moving Image Festival in Hawick. A true celebration of the arts, with an experimental edge, this event will run at venues across the town from 2 - 5 May.
Rounding out Spring, 24 - 26 May sees the return of the Jim Clark Rally. This thrilling, closed roads event is based around Duns, which is also home to the excellent Jim Clark Museum. Jim was Formula 1 World Champion in 1963 and 1965, one of The Borders finest sons. Highly recommended.
The Southern Upland Way
Marking 40 years of the trail in April
Credit: South of Scotland Destination Alliance/Duncan Ireland
Summer
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Summer -
The biggest shows in town across the summer are without question the Common Riding and Festival Season. Between Hawick Common Riding on 7 June and Coldstream Flodden Day on 8 August, The Borders will thunder to the sounds of hoofs across moors and songs of old being sung. A curiously regional phenomenon, but of huge (and fairly untapped) international appeal, these are “better felt than telt”. Keep your eye on this blog for more on the Common Ridings as the year unfolds
Running parallel is the Border Athletics season, where professional runners compete on track across the region. I can’t list them all here but would, of course, like to note that the oldest of them all St. Ronan’s Border Games will take place on Saturday 20 July, celebrating it’s 197th Anniversary!
Tweedlove Bike Festival returns between 14 and 16 June in Peebles, with the highlight being the International Enduro race. Always a good family friendly day out, and don’t miss the return of the Glentress 7 on August 24.
St. Ronan’s Border Games
The 197th Anniversary, 20 July 2023
Credit: @tweedvalleyblogger
Of course, summer isn’t all sound and fury. Those wishing for gentler pursuits may enjoy The Borders Book Festival, which returns to Melrose from 13 - 16 June. Expect the usual mixture of thought provoking speakers, great food and the best celeb spotting The Borders can offer!
Borders Book Festival
13 - 16 June, Melrose
Credit: Borders Book Fesitval
Shakespeare at Traquair present ‘The Merchant of Venice’, for 8 promenade performances (rain or shine!) between 29 May and 8 June. Remember your midgie spray…
Also at Traquair, as summer drifts towards Autumn, you can enjoy Beyond Borders International Festival on 24 and 25 August.
The Pipe Band Championship season kicks off in Innerleithen in June, with Peebles Highland Games in September. Marching bands from across the region have a busy summer of engagements, mainly linked to Common Ridings and Festivals.
Rounding out the summer music season will be the return of EdgeFest at Lilliardsedge. Two days of top class live music on 31 August and 1 September.
Finally, and with an eye towards autumn, the regions Agricultural Shows are a huge draw in our rural part of Scotland. Here are just a few! The Border Union Show at Kelso (the biggie) is 26 - 27 July. The Berwickshire County Show in Duns hasn’t had a date confirmed yet, but is usually early August, with Peeblesshire at Nether Horsbrugh a week later. Roberton Show also takes place in early August. Yarrow and Ettrick is in September at Philliphaugh, near Selkirk, which is also the home of The Country and Food Festival which is expected to return for a second year - date TBC!
Tweedlove International Enduro
June 16, Peebles. Part of Tweedlove Enduro Series
Credit: https://unsplash.com/@williamtm
Autumn
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Autumn -
As summer fades and the leaves change The Borders becomes an outdoor haven, with some of the best hiking and cycling routes coming into their own. For me, this is the best time of year to be out on the hills, followed by a warm pub, and and you can see some of my favourite autumn walks on this blog post.
You can expect Halloween Events at Traquair, Jedburgh Castle Jail, Abbotsford and more. If these are anything like this year then Jedburgh in particular will scare the life out of you!
Autumn also sees the return of racing at Kelso Races. The opening fixture for the 24/25 season will be on September 18, an evening of jump racing.
Get in early for tickets to see the theatrical phenomenon ‘Singin' I'm No A Billy, He's A Tim’, being performed at MacArts in Galashiels on 5 October 2024. This is a play exploring bigotry and what happens when a Rangers fan and Celtic fan are locked in a jail cell together. Just part of the superb lineup MacArts run throughout the year - a true local success story.
MacArts, Galashiels
Catch ‘Singin' I'm No A Billy, He's A Tim’ in October, and great shows throughout the year
Credit: @tweedvalleyblogger
Winter
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Winter _
Before you know it, back at winter again!! I won’t go into too much detail as my blog has been flooded with wintery goodies of late, however we can look forward to the return of Monteviot Light Trail, Pantos, Christmas Markets and all manner of lovely seasonal events.
I hope you've enjoyed this brief insight into what's to come in 2024 and are feeling inspired and excited about the future. Of course, there are always things that I will have missed or overlooked! Please share your thoughts in the comments below and let me know what you're most excited about for 2024.
See you next time for the final Blogmas post…
