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Talks And Lectures events in Edinburgh

Scroll down to view the upcoming Talks And Lectures events taking place throughout Edinburgh or use the filters to narrow down the results.

Events in Edinburgh

Guided Looking: An Artwork Audio Described

Selected dates between 20th February 2025 - 18th December 2025

Join Fiona Johnston, audio describer, as she describes various artwork and objects from the Royal Collection at the Palace of Holyroodhouse.

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Costume Society Scotland Events

Selected dates between 3rd March 2025 - 5th May 2025

Come along to the Costume Society Scotland's season of varied talks on fashion, costume, textiles, accessories and related subjects between between October and April at Augustine United Church!

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Palace Page Turners

Selected dates between 7th March 2025 - 5th December 2025

Many authors have been inspired to pick up their pen to write about the Palace of Holyroodhouse. These sessions will explore these literary works followed by a hearty discussion!

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Snapshots: Gallery Short Talks

Selected dates between 13th March 2025 - 4th September 2025

Join us on Thursdays at The Palace of Holyroodhouse for a short talk on one of the fascinating photographs in our exhibition Royal Portraits: A Century of Photography!

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Information Lecture: Help and Healing on the Spiritual Path through the teaching of Bruno Groening

Selected dates between 23rd March 2025 - 21st December 2025

A lecture about spiritual healing and help through the teaching of Bruno Groening is taking place at The Open Door Community Centre, Edinburgh on various dates throughout the year.

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Chocolate Love Match - Fort Kinnaird

Selected dates between 29th March 2025 - 5th July 2025

Ready to meet your Chocolate Love Match? Book now to secure one of the limited number of spaces available for our guided chocolate tasting experiences at Hotel Chocolat, Fort Kinnaird!

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Literary Journeys: A Conversation with María José Solano

8th April 2025
Edinburgh South

María José Solano shares her literary journeys in a conversation with Professor Alexis Grohmann as part of the AHGBI Annual Conference.

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Tartan Day – The history and future of the famous celebration of Scottish heritage in the US

10th April 2025

Join the Scottish Arts and Humanities Alliance (SAHA) and the US Consulate General in Edinburgh for Tartan Day and learn all about the history and future of this famous Scottish celebration!

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Curator’s Introduction to Royal Portraits: A Century of Photography

11th April 2025

Join Senior Curator of Photographs and exhibition curator Alessandro Nasini as he discusses his personal highlights from our current exhibition, Royal Portraits: A Century of Photography!

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Edinburgh Science Festival: Conservation and Cans

11th April 2025

Join leading experts for a drink and hear about Edinburgh Zoo's mission to save wildlife and their latest conservation work around the globe!

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NASC Discussion: Local and Global Song

11th April 2025

This panel explores songs as tools to put in your pocket to take out at the right time, there is a song for every season and occasion!

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NASC Keynote Address with Prof Susanne Rosenberg

11th April 2025

Join Professor Susanne Rosenberg and the North Atlantic Song Convention for the opening keynote address of 2025!

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NASC Panel: Community Singing

11th April 2025

This talk is for anyone interested in starting or joining a singing group, leading community songs, or simply learning more about the transformative power of singing together.

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Edinburgh Science Festival: Step to Sustainability

12th April 2025

Join us for an exclusive guided tour of Edinburgh Zoo after closing, led by one of our rangers, followed by a talk at our new solar meadow.

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NASC Panel: Curating a Place to Sing - From Kitchen to Stadium

12th April 2025

From intimate kitchen gatherings to grand concert performances, this panel explores how songs are presented and shared in different contexts and for diverse audiences.

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NASC Panel: Singing Lives Lived - Songwriting and Tradition

12th April 2025

Explore the interplay between songwriting and tradition in this thought-provoking panel discussion at the Scottish Storytelling Centre on 12th April!

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Record Store Day 2025 with VoxBox Music

12th April 2025

Welcome to VoxBox Music's annual Record Store Day event on Saturday 12th April in St Vincent's Chapel and also the main shop!

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Sicily Wine Tasting

13th April 2025

Discover Sicily at Port of Leith Distillery on Sunday 13th April as Slonk Wine celebrates all things Sicilian!

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Professor Richard Dawkins: The Genetic Book of the Dead

14th April 2025

One of the world’s most eminent writers and thinkers, Professor Richard Dawkins, joins the Edinburgh Science Festival 2025 on 14th April for a special event as part of his last tour on the road!

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An Evening with Alex Aster

15th April 2025

Waterstones Edinburgh West End is thrilled to welcome #1 New York Times bestselling author Alex Aster to the shop on 15th April, as she chats about her sizzling romance debut, Summer in the City!

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Storytelling Ceilidh with the Burgh Blatherers: Food for Thought

16th April 2025

Join Edinburgh's own Burgh Blatherers on 16th April for the next open-floor storytelling night taking place throughout the year!

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Crisp and Wine Night

17th April 2025

Join us at 7pm on Thursday 17th April for Mara’s first-ever Wine & Crisps Evening, hosted by the brilliant Tan&Ns Wine Importers.

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Lab Coats and Love Notes with Ali Hazelwood

17th April 2025

The Sunday Times and New York Times bestselling author, Ali Hazelwood, will travel across the pond to share a conversation on love, science, and the art of storytelling!

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Singapore Dinner

18th April 2025

Join us on the croft for our first-ever collaboration with Mrs M, a Singaporean woman who is passionate about the food of her country and eager to share the unique flavours of its cuisine.

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McGonagall Night

20th April 2025

Join the International Ghost Society for an evening in celebration of the poet William Topaz McGonagall - a man commonly known as the worst poet ever to have lived.

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A Century of Scottish Colourists with Alice Strang

22nd April 2025

Join Alice Strang, Curator of the National Galleries of Scotland’s Scottish Colourist series of exhibitions, for this talk on 22nd April.

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The History of Witchcraft and Feminism

23rd April 2025

Uncover the fascinating history of witchcraft and how patriarchal ideas shaped the image of a witch at the Assembly Roxy on Wednesday 23rd April! Followed by Q&A.

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An Evening with Catriona Silvey and Sam Canning

24th April 2025

Join Catriona Silvey and Sam Canning on Thursday 24th April at Waterstones Edinburgh West End, as they chat to Katalina Watt about their new novels!

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Drama, Dynamism and Detail: Italian Baroque Paintings in the Royal Collection

24th April 2025

Join Assistant Curator of Paintings Dr Amy Parrish on 24th April to delve into some of the extraordinary works of Italian Baroque painting contained within the Royal Collection.

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How You Can Make the World a Radically Better Place, with Rutger Bregman

24th April 2025

This April, Rutger Bregman comes to the Assembly Rooms to convince us that in our age of crisis, we need to stop wasting our talent in jobs that solely provide personal enrichment.

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South Asian Coins in Museums and Proactive Repatriation and Justice-Seeking

24th April 2025

Join the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland on 24th April at Augustine United Church for two special history talks and our Spring Election event!

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An Afternoon with Esther Inglis (c. 1571-1624)

26th April 2025

Join author Sara Sheridan & experts to explore the life and work of calligrapher Esther Inglis, with live Renaissance music and spoken word poetry inspired by her exquisite manuscripts!

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Stories from Hospitals Back Home during the First World War

29th April 2025

Join the Royal College of Nursing for an evening exploring how in the First World War, volunteers provided nurses with vital support as they cared for sick and wounded soldiers in hospitals back home.

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Royal Portraits in the Press

2nd May 2025

Spanning portraits of Queen Victoria to King Charles III, this lecture taking place at the Abbey Strand Centre, discusses how iconic images are published and remembered.

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Steiner Waldorf Education Taster Weekend

2nd May 2025 - 3rd May 2025

Come and join us for a taster weekend on Steiner-Waldorf education! This is for parents, teachers and anyone else interested in creative approaches to education.

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Edinburgh Tradfest: Martyn Bennett: The Music Lives On

4th May 2025

Join us for this special hour of chat (and the odd tune) in the company of two people who have, in their own ways, made sure that Martyn Bennett’s music lives on.

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Henri Bergson: Philosophy and Ghosts

7th May 2025

In this talk on 7th May at the Institut français d'Ecosse, Bruno Clément discusses two lectures Henri Bergson wrote in 1913, both of which talk about ghosts.

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Fireside Stories: Herbal Histories

9th May 2025

Join artist and storyteller Amanda Edmiston for an evening of botanical storytelling inspired by the Physic Garden at the Palace of Holyroodhouse on 9th May!

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Festival of Europe

10th May 2025 - 11th May 2025

Scotland's second international Festival of Europe takes place on May 10th and 11th at French Institute, Edinburgh. Come along for a fantastic weekend of discussion, art and socialising!

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Edinburgh Tradfest: Rebellious Truth 25: Joy Dunlop + Fraser Fifield

11th May 2025

The talk by Joy Dunlop will give insight into her own Gaelic journey; from learning Gaelic songs phonetically, to being the face of multi-platform learning brand, SpeakGaelic.

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An Audience with Aggers and Tuffers

17th May 2025

Whether you're a devoted cricket fan eager for insider stories or just looking for a fun evening out, don't miss your chance to catch these two stars live in action!

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Gaz Oakley’s Tales of the Homestead - CANCELLED

19th May 2025

In this one-of-a-kind show, Gaz Oakley will take you on a personal tour of his garden offering a behind-the-scenes look at life on the homestead and the journey he went on to get there.

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Levison Wood: Walking The World

19th May 2025

Join Levison Wood, the world-renowned explorer, best-selling author and TV presenter, for on his fifth UK theatre tour, Walking the World: A Life of Exploration and Adventure.

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Guenther Steiner LIVE: Unfiltered

20th May 2025

Buckle up and fasten your seatbelts for a hugely entertaining all-areas-access conversation spanning a decade inside Formula 1, with former Haas F1 team principal Guenther Steiner!

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Ant Middleton - Military Mindset

24th May 2025

Don't miss an evening with Ant Middleton, one of the most inspiring figures of our time, at the Usher Hall on Saturday 24th May!

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Alpine Wine Tasting

25th May 2025

Slonk is celebrating all things Alpine this May at Port of Leith Distillery. Come and discover what makes high-altitude wines so distinctive!

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An Evening with Kate Foster

28th May 2025

Waterstones Edinburgh West End is thrilled to welcome bestselling author Kate Foster on 28th May, to celebrate the publication of her masterfully gripping new novel, The Mourning Necklace!

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Pride & Prejudice - Queer Book Fair at The Georgian House

6th June 2025

Join us at The Georgian House this Pride Month as we celebrate the opening of Below Stairs Books, our new secondhand bookshop, with a special Queer Book Fair on Friday 6th June!

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Threads of Empire: A History of the World in Carpets

7th June 2025

Explore the history of the world through its fascinating carpets with historian Dorothy Armstrong at Dovecot Studios on Saturday 7th June!

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Chris Hadfield: A Journey into the Cosmos

18th June 2025

Join Colonel Chris Hadfield for a captivating journey into the majesty of our planet and the vast universe beyond at Edinburgh's Usher Hall on Wednesday 18th June!

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The Story of Champagne with Arthur Motley

18th June 2025

Enjoy a tasting of 5 champagnes, and a talk by Arthur Motley on the fascinating place in global commerce and culture that Champagne holds, at Drinkmonger on Wednesday 18th June!

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Andy Murray - Centre Stage

19th June 2025

Join Andy Murray in conversation with sports broadcaster Andrew Cotter, where they’ll recount intimate and untold moments from Andy’s career in this unforgettable live experience!

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The Night Sky Show

28th June 2025

The Night Sky Show comes to Edinburgh Playhouse to take you on an epic journey from our celestial back yard and across the cosmos!

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An Evening with V.E. Schwab

30th June 2025

Join The Portobello Bookshop in welcoming V.E. Schwab to the Traverse Theatre to celebrate the launch of Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil.

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William Dalrymple - How Ancient India Transformed the World

8th July 2025

Don't miss this chance to hear William Dalrymple tell the story of how India became the great intellectual and philosophical superpower of ancient Asia.

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Glengoyne, Tamdhu and Rosebank with Ian Macleod

9th July 2025

Join Alan Wardrop as he presents the new spirit from Tamdhu, Glengoyne and Rosebank alongside 3 well-aged and rather fancy expressions at Drinkmonger on Wednesday 9th July!

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Scottish Colour Floristry

12th July 2025

Join Florist Lottie Longman to discover how colour and the landscape of East Lothian inform her work.

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Edinburgh International Book Festival

9th August 2025 - 24th August 2025

The 2025 Edinburgh International Book Festival returns from Saturday 9th to Sunday 24th August.

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Royal Portraits: A Century of Photography - BSL Tour

12th August 2025

Enjoy a BSL tour of Royal Portraits: A Century of Photography at The King's Gallery, The Palace of Holyroodhouse on Tuesday 12th August!

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An Evening with Boris Johnson

2nd September 2025

Join us at the Usher Hall on Tuesday 2nd September for An Evening with Boris Johnson!

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An Evening with Ocean Vuong - The Emperor of Gladness

8th September 2025

The Portobello Bookshop team are hosting an event with Ocean Vuong at the Assembly Rooms on Monday 8th September, for an evening of conversation about his second novel.

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An Evening with Racing Icons Mika Häkkinen & David Coulthard

25th September 2025

Don’t miss this unique chance to see Mika Häkkinen and David Coulthard as they take the stage for an uncensored, no-holds-barred conversation about their careers and the 2025 season so far!

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High Performance Live

8th October 2025

Join one of Britain's best-respected sports broadcasters, Jake Humphrey, and Psychologist Professor Damian Hughes, as they turn lived experiences of high performers into your life lessons!

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An Evening with Mary Beard

18th October 2025

Step into the world of Ancient Rome with renowned historian Mary Beard as she uncovers the stories that history forgot.

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Adam Frost

26th October 2025

Award-winning British garden designer and BBC Gardeners’ World presenter, Adam Frost, is leaving the garden and heading back out on tour, with a date at Assembly Rooms!

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An Evening with Heart Of Midlothian Legends

2nd November 2025

An Evening with Heart of Midlothian legends comes to the Assembly halls in Edinburgh starring legends: John Robertson, Gary Locke, Ryan Stevenson and hosted by Iain Ferguson.

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Stewart Copeland - Have I Said Too Much

9th November 2025

In this fascinating "Evening With", Stewart Copeland will talk about his incredible life as a performer, musician, entertainer, and writer!

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DOMINATION: The Fall and Rise of an Empire with Alice Roberts

10th November 2025

Join Professor Alice Roberts as she takes us on an investigative journey to establish who spread Christianity, how and why; the story of the fall of an Empire – and the rise of another!

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Digital Scotland 2025

19th November 2025

Digital Scotland is Scotland’s largest digital transformation summit for public sector policy and technology leaders, taking place at Edinburgh International Conference Centre on 19th November.

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Bez In Conversation

21st November 2025

Bez is back with his 'In Conversation Tour - The Nine Lives of a Happy Monday' and brings it to La Belle Angele on Friday 21st November!

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David Olusoga: A Gun Through Time

22nd November 2025

Join David Olusoga at the Assembly Rooms on Saturday 22nd November as he uncovers the story of three firearms that changed the world and the lives of our ancestors!

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Talks And Lectures Events in East Renfrewshire

Here's a selection of Talks And Lectures Events you can find over on our sister site, What's On East Renfrewshire:

Busby & Clarkston Horticultural Society Meetings

Busby & Clarkston Horticultural Society Meetings

Selected dates between 16th January 2025 - 15th May 2025

The Busby and Clarkston Horticultural Society is a gardening club for all who enjoy growing and learning about plants, why not join them for their exciting range of talks by knowledgeable speakers!

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Climate Adaptation: What Communities Can Do

Climate Adaptation: What Communities Can Do

10th April 2025

Join East Renfrewshire Climate Action Hub for a relaxed community learning session to explore the actions we can take to protect people and places we care about against the effects of climate change.

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Heritage Talk: Digging Up East Renfrewshire’s Past

Heritage Talk: Digging Up East Renfrewshire’s Past

20th May 2025

Join Susan Hunter to hear the highlights of her long journey into local archaeology at Eastwood House on Tuesday 20th May.

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Talks And Lectures Events in Fife

Here's a selection of Talks And Lectures Events you can find over on our sister site, What's On Fife:

An Evening with Paul Gascoigne

An Evening with Paul Gascoigne

4th October 2025

Join football icon Paul Gascoigne as he chats about his amazing career in football at the Alhambra Theatre Dunfermline on 4th October!

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An Audience With Ricky Tomlinson

An Audience With Ricky Tomlinson

20th July 2025

Join Ricky Tomlinson in conversation about his life and career on Sunday 20th July at CISWO Glenrothes, hosted by Asa Murphy!

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Killer Couples

Killer Couples

19th November 2025

Emma Kenny's Killer Couples promises an evening filled with intrigue, psychological depth, and discussions that will linger long after the show ends!

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Talks And Lectures Events in Glasgow

Here's a selection of Talks And Lectures Events you can find over on our sister site, What's On Glasgow:

The Glasgow Gathering of Quilters Talks

The Glasgow Gathering of Quilters Talks

Selected dates between 17th September 2024 - 17th June 2025

The Glasgow Gathering of Quilters hold a monthly programme of talks at Heart of Scotstoun Community Centre between September and June... all welcome!

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Glasgow Toastmasters Meetings

Glasgow Toastmasters Meetings

Selected dates between 4th February 2025 - 30th December 2025

If you want to enhance your public speaking skills or learn from seasoned speakers, join Glasgow Toastmasters at their next meeting!

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Explorers: The Age of Discovery with James May

Explorers: The Age of Discovery with James May

9th October 2025

From Ice Age migrations to space travel, the stories of famous, infamous and unknown explorers will come to life, presented by British television presenter and award-winning journalist James May!

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Talks And Lectures Events in Lanarkshire

Here's a selection of Talks And Lectures Events you can find over on our sister site, What's On Lanarkshire:

Antiques and a Little Bit of Nonsense

Antiques and a Little Bit of Nonsense

10th July 2025

Three of the country's favourite television personalities from the world of antiques entertain you with tales from the saleroom, television and beyond.

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Hari Budha Magar - No Legs, No Limits

Hari Budha Magar - No Legs, No Limits

15th April 2025

From injured veteran to the world's first double above-knee amputee to summit Mount Everest; Hari Budha Magar shares his inspiring journey at Cumbernauld Theatre!

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An Evening With Ricky Tomlinson

An Evening With Ricky Tomlinson

20th July 2025

Royle Family and Brookside star Ricky Tomlinson is coming to Condorrat Social Club for a fantastic event... An Evening With Ricky Tomlinson hosted by Asa Murphy!

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Talks And Lectures Events in Renfrewshire and Inverclyde

Here's a selection of Talks And Lectures Events you can find over on our sister site, What's On Renfrewshire:

World War II Talk and Artefacts

World War II Talk and Artefacts

23rd April 2025

Paisley Heritage are joined by Pete Scally at Whitehaugh Barracks on Wednesday 23rd April for a talk on World War II.

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History Cafe

History Cafe

12th April 2025

Join Renfrewshire Heritage in Blend Coffee Lounge at Paisley Arts Centre for their in-person History Cafe on Saturday 12th April.

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Paisley Book Festival

Paisley Book Festival

25th April 2025 - 27th April 2025

The Paisley Book Festival returns in 2025 for a sixth year from Friday 25th April to Sunday 27th April, centered around the theme 'The Lives We Live'.

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Talks And Lectures Events in Stirling

Here's a selection of Talks And Lectures Events you can find over on our sister site, What's On Stirling:

Talks at The Smith: Great Scottish Writers: Lavinia Derwent

Talks at The Smith: Great Scottish Writers: Lavinia Derwent

30th April 2025

Writer Adrian Ross gives this talk on children’s author and broadcaster Lavinia Derwent, who found huge success late in life, with memoirs about growing up on a farm in the Borders.

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Talks at The Smith: Photography: A Victorian Sensation

Talks at The Smith: Photography: A Victorian Sensation

28th May 2025

Dr Morrison-Low will explore the nineteenth-century photographic collections held by the National Museums of Scotland and the impact photography had on the general public.

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Brett Tippie – The Right Line

Brett Tippie – The Right Line

5th November 2025

Join Brett Tippie at The Albert Halls, Stirling on 5th November and hear stories of his wild and inspiring roller-coaster of a career!

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Events in Other Areas

Highlight Talks

Highlight Talks

Selected dates between 11th September 2024 - 18th June 2025

On selected days throughout the year the team at Robert Burns Birthplace Museum and volunteers hold a Highlight Talk exploring the life and works of Robert Burns!

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Boswell Book Festival

Boswell Book Festival

9th May 2025 - 11th May 2025

Boswell Book Festival, the world's only festival of biography and memoir, comes to Dumfries House for 2025 between the 9th and 11th May!

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Sponsored Links

Wonder & Co
xfire
Fayre Play
One Ren
Goldups Lane
ATG
Edinburgh Dungeon

Sponsored Links

Escape The Past
Renfrewshire Council
Wedding Unconvention
RSPB
Support The Makers
Kevin Quantum
MNB
Wonder & Co
xfire
Fayre Play
One Ren
Goldups Lane
ATG
Edinburgh Dungeon

Popular Events

Crafternoons
Looking for something fun to do with the kids? Then come along to these FREE arts and crafts sessions this Easter at the Scottish Parliament!
An Afternoon with Esther Inglis (c. 1571-1624)
Join author Sara Sheridan & experts to explore the life and work of calligrapher Esther Inglis, with live Renaissance music and spoken word poetry inspired by her exquisite manuscripts!
Record Store Day 2025 with VoxBox Music
Welcome to VoxBox Music's annual Record Store Day event on Saturday 12th April in St Vincent's Chapel and also the main shop!
8-Week Mindfulness Based Living Course (in-person & online combined course)
This 8-Week course will be facilitated by Gary Young from The Mindful Enterprise and is based on the work of international mindfulness teacher Rob Nairn.
Caitlin Cook: The Writing on the Stall
Caitlin Cook’s hit bathroom graffiti musical, has quickly become a comedic, musical, and theatrical sensation. Catch it at Monkey Barrel Comedy on 23rd April!

Popular Listings

Corn Exchange Haddington Edinburgh Playhouse Festival Theatre Edinburgh Howden Park Centre Livingston Kings Theatre Edinburgh National Museum of Scotland O2 Academy Edinburgh The Brunton Theatre, Musselburgh Traverse Theatre Usher Hall