This is September: Festivals Big and Small in the Limelight

For most of the year, festivals in Aberdeen politely take it in turns. In September, that courtesy takes a break. It’s understandable. This is a great time of year to have a festival. Traditionally, people are back from holidays, the weather is still relatively good and the dark nights are a little way off.

This month sees Aberdeen Comedy Festival, Wayword preview events (see more next month), Doors Open Days, Aberdeen Music Week, Climate Week North East, The Big Vintage Weekender and even Rotate Fest clamour for attention. That’s comedy, the written word, access to buildings, exploring the music scene, giving clothing a second life and design.

Get out and do stuff.

These festivals, big and small, are all doing the same civic work. They bring people together in a disruptive way. They break the regular pattern and bring one particular part of the cultural scene into the spotlight. In short, they give people an excuse to get out and do stuff. The benefit to the city, beyond the obvious good vibes and mental wellbeing, is that it builds sustainable revenue. Local food and drink businesses see increased sales, and that spending builds sustainable revenue for the wider community. This growth isn’t just for the length of the festival. Longer-term, they’re introducing people to local products they may not have otherwise encountered.

So don’t wait for the one festival with the biggest name attached. Pick a weekend, pick an afternoon, pick whichever one’s nearest your door. Not everything involves forking out for a ticket. Stick with POST throughout the month and we’ll keep you in the loop. There are over a hundred events on our calendar for September. These are just a a few.

Chris & Kevin xx

What’s on in September

The Silence of the Lambs

1-5 Sep | His Majesty's Theatre

Thomas Harris's landmark novel makes its world stage premiere in Aberdeen, written by Gina Gionfriddo and directed by Nikolai Foster. John Partridge takes on Hannibal Lecter, with Mollie Gallagher as Clarice Starling, Oliver Farnworth as Jack Crawford and Sam Jackson as Buffalo Bill.

A girl is missing, a serial killer is still out there, and the only person who might help catch him is locked in a cell and very interested in Clarice. The world sees it here first.

Elevated Dreams: Another Woman's Work

2 Sep | Aberdeen Art Gallery

Lead artist Cath Keay gives a lunchtime talk introducing the Elevated Dreams exhibition, tracing the life of Antonia Jabloner, the Austrian-born refugee who came to the north-east after the outbreak of the Second World War and lived to 94.

The talk looks at Antonia's Plans for Another World, the drawings she made during long-term psychiatric care in Aberdeen, and at Keay's collaborations with filmmaker Emma Bowen and composer Victoria Hume in making the work. Pay what you can.

New Dawn Fades: A Play About Joy Division and Manchester

3 Sep | Tivoli Theatre

Written and directed by Brian Gorman, this returning production traces the story of four ordinary lads from Manchester who came together at the height of the punk revolution and formed one of the most influential bands of all time. Josh Lonsdale reprises the role of Ian Curtis, with Lauren Greenwood returning as Debbie Curtis.

The play pulls in historical figures from Julius Agricola to Friedrich Engels and Pete Shelley of Buzzcocks, drawing on Curtis's lyrics and a soundtrack deep in the late-70s Manchester scene. Following Ian Curtis's death, the story moves toward the band's transformation into New Order.

John Bramwell

3 Sep | Tunnels

I Am Kloot frontman John Bramwell plays Tunnels on a solo tour behind his new album The Light Fantastic, a clear change of direction from his Kloot days: strings, four-part harmonies and songs that sit in brighter, more expansive territory than the band that earned him a Mercury Prize nomination.

Bramwell led I Am Kloot from 1999 to 2014, ending with a farewell at the Queen Elizabeth Hall backed by an orchestra. The new record suggests he's found somewhere interesting to go next.

The Dirty Hearts Club Is 20!

4 Sep | Tunnels

The Dirty Hearts Club ran every Thursday at Snafu from 2006 to 2011, booking young Scottish and touring bands at low door prices before the indie and electro crowd started staying on for the DJ sets. Frightened Rabbit, The Twilight Sad and We Were Promised Jetpacks all played over those years.

Organiers Nick Mailer and Steven Milne mark the twentieth anniversary with a night at Tunnels, where the tenth birthday party also took place. Zoe Graham and The Neutral Joy take the stage, with DHC DJs and HomeAlone on the decks playing old favourites alongside newer tracks.

Sunstinger + Floating Heads + DJ Yogi

4 Sep | Drummonds

Scottish shoegaze band Sunstinger trade in noise and texture, with lush reverb and moments of unexpected clarity rising out of the wall of sound. The kind of band best heard loud in a small room.

Aberdeen's Floating Heads are maybe even the noisier of the two, with a live reputation built on sheer volume. The band themselves suggest earplugs. DJ Yogi closes out the night.

Doors Open Days Aberdeen

5-7 Sep | Various venues

Every September, buildings across Aberdeen that are usually closed to the public throw open their doors for free, some for the only day of the year. Hidden libraries, historic churches, private green spaces, working buildings and architectural curiosities all take part, and the range of what's available tends to surprise even people who have lived here for years.

There are so many venues joining in across the three days that we couldn't begin to list them all here. Get yourself over to the link and see what's been sitting on your street this whole time.

GlasVille

5 Sep | Music Hall

Formed in 2014, GlasVille have spent over a decade building a following as one of the most established acts in UK modern country music, with sold-out shows and tens of thousands of fans across the country.

A high-energy live show with state-of-the-art production, covering the full sweep of modern country. As comfortable for first-timers as it is for the already converted.

Westburn Skate Jam

5 Sep | Westburn Park

The regular skate jam returns to Westburn Park with sessions split between under-16s, women and over-16s, plus a best trick round if time allows. Homegrown Soundsystem provide the music throughout.

Westburn has been a gathering point for Aberdeen's skate community for years, and the jam format keeps things accessible without losing the competitive edge that makes a best trick round worth watching. Free to enter, free to spectate. Starts 1pm.

Goldy Looking Chain

5 Sep | Aberdeen Art Gallery

Dance artist Julia McGhee shares a work-in-progress showing of Goldy, a multidisciplinary project built around an evolving, shape-shifting character made from a huge gold space blanket. Through movement and immersive sound, the work explores how the body interacts with light, material and environment.

The showing follows residencies at Dance Base in Edinburgh, Outerspaces in Dundee and an outdoor Highland residency in Easter Ross, developed with collaborators Niamh O'Loughlin and Lucas Chih-Peng Kao. Two free showings on the day, at 12.30pm and 2.30pm.

DJ Yogi: Like a Daydream

5 Sep | Drummonds

DJ Yogi takes a slot in the Drummonds Daytime Sessions series with a free afternoon set spanning shoegaze, dream pop and electronica, marking the 35th anniversary of Slowdive's debut album Just For a Day.

Walls of processed guitar, melodies buried in reverb, vocals that drift rather than land. A Saturday afternoon in Drummonds with nowhere else to be. Free entry, 2pm to 6pm.

Envirolution Aberdeen 2026

5 Sep | Seaton Park

Now in its third Aberdeen edition, Envirolution returns to Seaton Park for a free day of live music, upcycle workshops, storytelling and community climate talks. Stalls from local sustainability groups and small sustainable businesses sit alongside ethical food and drink vendors from across the region.

The approach is practical rather than preachy: pick up a repair skill, chat to a local group, dip in and out of the programme as the day takes you. Free and open to everyone.

King King

8 Sep | The Lemon Tree

Scottish blues rock band King King have built their reputation the straightforward way: strong songs played with precision and commitment by a band who have been at it long enough to make it look easy. Frontman Alan Nimmo brings a full-blooded vocal style and enough stage presence to fill rooms considerably larger than this one.

Behind him, Wayne Proctor on drums, Lindsay Coulson on bass and Bob Fridzema on keyboards form a rhythm section that gives Nimmo the platform to do what he does. A big where the musicianship alone is worth the ticket.

Aberdeen Music Week

9-12 Sep | Various venues

Four days of music, community and creative exchange bringing together artists, industry professionals and music lovers across Aberdeen. The programme opens online with a virtual masterclass on industry insight and global connection, before moving into in-person workshops on strategy, funding and artist development.

The Amplify Aberdeen Showcase on day three focuses on creation, collaboration and community, before the week closes with live performances across the city celebrating Aberdeen's music scene.

Arab Strap: Half-Told Tales Instore Performance and Signing

12 Sep | Assai Records

Arab Strap are coming to Assai with new album Half-Told Tales for an instore performance and signing. Aidan Moffat and Malcolm Middleton have been making bracingly honest music since the mid-90s, with lyrics the NME once described as "fly on the duvet vignettes."

Pre-ordering the album gets you priority entry at 6pm. Instores at Assai tend to be special occasions at the best of times, and this is Arab Strap in a record shop with a new record. Hard to think of a better way to spend a Saturday evening.

Aberdeen Oddity Market

13 + 27 Sep | Revolution

A free market at Revolution specialising in handcrafted and whimsical goods from local vendors, running on the second and last Sunday of every month. The mix of makers and sellers shifts each time, so there's always a reason to go back.

Whimsy is very much the guiding principle here, with an eclectic range of crafts, curiosities and one-of-a-kind finds spread across the space. Revolution's full food and drink menu runs alongside, with vegan-friendly options throughout. Free entry.

Irvine Welsh's Porno

14 Sep | Tivoli Theatre

Set twenty years after Trainspotting, Welsh's follow-up novel comes to the stage asking the obvious question: what happened to Renton, Sickboy, Spud and Begbie? The answer is, predictably, complicated. Jordan Young, best known as Alex Murdoch in River City, leads the cast.

The production was nominated for Best New Play in the West End. For anyone who has spent time with the source material, seeing where these characters ended up is reason enough to be there.

Speakin' Weird

14 Sep | Gaelic Lane Cafe

Nigerian spoken word artist and poet Tishe headlines this month's Speakin' Weird, with work that draws on identity, culture, faith and belonging, rooted in personal experience and African heritage.

The open mic is there for anyone who wants five minutes on the stage across poetry, prose, comedy, rap, stories or rants. Sign up on the night, or just come along to listen. Hosts Hannah, Esmond and Aron keep the room relaxed and open.

Poor Relief in the North East

16 Sep | Aberdeen Maritime Museum

Archivist Katy Kavanagh draws on records from Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire Archives to examine the 19th-century poor relief system and the people who depended on it. The talk uses parish records and plans to test how far Dickens' workhouses in Oliver Twist reflected reality.

A lunchtime look at what seeking help actually meant in Victorian Britain, from someone who has spent time with the primary sources. Pay what you can.

Kin Presents: Rotate Fest

16 + 17 + 24 Sep | Tunnels

Kin, Aberdeen's charity supporting local creative talent, launches its biggest project to date across three dates at Tunnels. On 16 and 17 September, thirty local creatives work together on a live design brief, producing a visual experience that an emerging team then develops into visuals for the closing night. Stonehaven-born motion designer Rob Johnson joins for talks on the creative process across the first two evenings.

The closing night on 24 September sees Fred Deakin, one half of Lemon Jelly and a Mercury Prize and Brit Award nominee, give a talk before headlining the DJ night.

P.P. Arnold

17 Sep | The Lemon Tree

P.P. Arnold came to the UK in the 1960s as an Ikette with the Ike & Tina Turner Revue and never really left, building a solo career that put her at the centre of British music for six decades. Collaborators have included the Small Faces, Nick Drake, Peter Gabriel and Roger Waters, alongside the Rolling Stones, Eric Clapton and Primal Scream.

The Lemon Tree show draws on that full sweep, with classics including The First Cut is the Deepest and Angel of the Morning woven through with stories from a remarkable career. Tickets are limited.

The Belmont Presents: Hugo

17 Sep | Cowdray Hall

A screening of Martin Scorsese's Hugo preceded by an introduction from Michael Start of The House of Automata, who served as the film's Automata and Horological consultant. Start shares on-set memories including teaching Jude Law how to use a screwdriver and designing a mechanical leg for Sacha Baron Cohen.

After the film, props from the production are available to examine up close and Start takes questions from the audience. Timed to coincide with the Making Waves: Amazing Machines exhibition at Aberdeen Art Gallery.

Aberdeen Comedy Festival 2026

19 Sep - 4 Oct | Various venues

Three weekends, five venues, and the most ambitious Aberdeen Comedy Festival programme to date. Russell Howard opens at the Music Hall on 19 September and the pace barely lets up from there, with the Lemon Tree carrying a dense run of shows across all three weekends, late-night and family strands both expanded, and Tony Roper's The Steamie adding a Scottish theatre classic to the mix at His Majesty's Theatre.

The full lineup is long enough that the best thing we can do is point you at the link and let you work through it yourself.

Climate Week North East

19 Sep - 4 Oct | Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire

Now in its twelfth year, Climate Week North East is a loose collection of hundreds of small events spread across the region, each one put together by a different group, business or individual who decided to do something. Tree planting, beach cleans, cycling sessions, film nights, repair workshops and more, with new events being added to the programme every week.

Organised by NESCAN Hub, the premise is straightforward: big problems get chipped away at through lots of ordinary, achievable actions, and each small change comes together to make a big difference.

Declan Welsh & The Decadent West

19 Sep | Tunnels

Glasgow four-piece DWDW write songs with something to say and a live show built to make sure you hear it. Scottish Album of the Year nominees who have sold out Barrowland and Amsterdam's Paradiso, they come to Aberdeen on the back of new album Explicit Agitation, fast and loud and politically charged in equal measure.

Declan Welsh has spent the past few years putting his platform to work on Palestine, and that urgency is all over the new record. Radio 1's Jack Saunders once said no one knows how to start a mosh pit like DWDW. Tunnels will find out.

Lesbian Bed Death + Gothzilla + Slice + Cadheart

25 Sep | Krakatoa

Stoke-on-Trent gothic rock and horror punk band Lesbian Bed Death return to Krakatoa, bringing theatrical aesthetics and heavy riffs shaped by the Misfits, Sisters of Mercy, Kiss and Danzig. Formed in 2004, they have spent two decades honing a live show built around horror-themed imagery and full commitment to the aesthetic.

Gothzilla, Slice and Cadheart complete a bill that covers considerable ground across the darker end of rock. Worth arriving early.

Monza Express + Kaleidoscope + Sister October

25 Sep | Drummonds

Aberdeen five-piece Monza Express draw from a wide pool, with Oasis, The Who, Foo Fighters, Teenage Fanclub and Crosby, Stills & Nash all audible somewhere in the mix. They have been steadily building a local following on the strength of a live show that pulls those influences together without sounding like any one of them.

Kaleidoscope bring their genre-fluid indie rock to the support slot, with Sister October completing a bill that keeps things firmly in Aberdeen's guitar scene. An ace Friday night out for music fans.

Scottish Ballet: Emergence

25-26 Sep | His Majesty's Theatre

Crystal Pite's Emergence draws on swarm intelligence research and bee colony behaviour to explore the tension between individual agency and collective belonging. The full Scottish Ballet company moves as a single organism, Owen Belton's score driving the dancers through formations that sit somewhere between classical ballet and something altogether more instinctive.

Returning to Scotland for the first time in ten years, the piece is paired with a world premiere from Julia Cheng, the choreographer behind Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club and Fiddler on the Roof, featuring an original score. Two works, two very different choreographic minds.

The Big Vintage Weekender

25-26 Sep | Bon Accord Centre

Curated by Closet Vintage, this two-day gathering brings rotating traders from across Scotland together under one roof, covering clothes, jewellery and vinyl across every era from pre-loved basics to true vintage, upcycled pieces and designer finds. Food from local bakers runs alongside both days.

Friday's traders include Fantouche Vintage, Vulture Culture, Velvet and Lace, Corner Flag, Vivifica Upcycled, Wardrobe Foxes and Assai Records among others, with Saturday bringing additional traders including GPS Vintage, Doric Studio and 90s Child. A serious amount of independent vintage under one roof for two days.

High Heels from the Big Boot

26 Sep | Aberdeen Arts Centre

Two grandchildren find an old laptop belonging to their grandmother. An AI starts sharing her secrets. What follows is a theatrical journey through the lives of Italian women, written and directed by Eva D'Amico and performed by GAUDEAMUS Artistic Company, moving between sharp comedy and moments that land considerably harder.

Performed in Italian with English live subtitles, it brings together iconic figures and overlooked voices across history, all finally getting to tell their own stories. Non-Italian speakers are very much welcome.