Perth Local

Sometimes it's nice to Stop the Clock. 🍂✨

As autumn settles across Perthshire, there's nowhere quite like The Enchanted Forest. Wander beneath the trees, follow the lights through Loch Dunmore and take in a spectacular evening of sound, colour and imagination.

Celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, this popular event returns from 8 October to 8 November.

Buy your tickets now at https://www.perthcityandtowns.co.uk/events/the-enchanted-forest

Some people visit for the lights.

Some come for the stunning soundscapes.

Others come because it's become part of their family's story.

Whatever brings you here, we're glad you're part of ours ❤️

Perthshire Talks Tourism | Thursday 24 September | 10 am to Midday | Birnam Arts

Next Thursday, Perthshire's tourism businesses are invited to come together next week for the latest Perthshire Talks Tourism event.

This event will focus on business tourism and the opportunities it creates for businesses across Perthshire. Hear from the VisitScotland Business Events team, Unique Venues of Perthshire and industry experts about current trends, what event organisers are looking for, and how destinations like Perthshire can grow their share of this market.

If you run accommodation, a visitor attraction, hospitality business, venue or event space, this is a great opportunity and there's still time to register for your free place at https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/perthshire-talks-tourism-where-business-meets-destination-tickets-1997963321077?aff=oddtdtcreator

Perth Fringe 2027 applications are open 🙌🏼

🎭 PERTH FRINGE 2027 APPLICATIONS ARE NOW OPEN!

And our brand new Perth Fringe web app is now LIVE! 💗

Perth Fringe returns from 2nd–19th September 2027, bringing 18 days of live performance to venues and spaces across the city.

Planning for 2027 is already underway, and we're now inviting performers and venues to apply to be part of it.

🎤 PERFORMERS WANTED

We're looking for an incredible mix of live entertainment, including comedy, theatre, live music, jazz, blues, country, Americana, roots, folk, drag, burlesque, cabaret, variety, singer-songwriters, bands, acoustic acts, spoken word, storytelling, musical theatre, magic, dance, family entertainment and speciality acts.

And if what you do doesn't fit neatly into any of those categories, we still want to hear from you.

🏨 VENUES WANTED

We're also inviting Perth venues and performance spaces of different shapes and sizes to apply to become part of Perth Fringe 2027.

Whether you joined us in 2026 or you're considering Perth Fringe for the first time, now is the time to get involved.

Our new-look web app is also live, giving Perth Fringe a new home as we begin building towards September 2027.

📲 VISIT THE NEW PERTH FRINGE WEB APP

www.perthfringe.co.uk

You'll find the Performer Application and Venue Application buttons there.

🎭 18 DAYS. THREE WEEKENDS. ONE CITY.

📅 2nd–19th September 2027.
📍 Perth, Scotland.

This is where Perth Fringe 2027 begins. 💗

🎷🎸 CALLANDER JAZZ & BLUES FESTIVAL 2026 AT DALGAIR HOUSE HOTEL! 🎶

Four days of live music are coming to Dalgair House Hotel & Greg’s Bistro, with a packed Back Bar line-up for the Callander Jazz & Blues Festival! 🔥

From Thursday 1st to Sunday 4th October, we’ve got live blues, jazz and brilliant bands performing throughout the weekend, including Callander Blues Band, Jeff Jefferies, The State Blues Band, The Real World, The Revolutionaires, Best Dressed Blues Band, Why Not, Konrad, Tenements Jazz Band, Greig Taylor and Money Penny. 🎤🎺🎸

🍻 Great value drinks.
🎶 Four days of live music.
🍽️ Dinner available in Greg’s Bistro.
🙌 A fantastic festival atmosphere right in the heart of Callander.

Planning to make a night of it? Book your table at Greg’s Bistro on 01877 330283.

📅 Thursday 1st – Sunday 4th October 2026
📍 Dalgair House Hotel, Callander

Check out the full Back Bar set list on the poster and get your weekend planned! 👇🎶

We can’t wait to welcome you!

Disclaimer: Poster and event information supplied by Callander Jazz & Blues Festival.

🎭 PERTH FRINGE 2026: WHAT WE LEARNED

What a 10 days!

The first Perth Fringe is over, and after a little time to reflect, we wanted to share some of what we learned and, importantly, what we will do differently when we return in 2027.

Perth Fringe 2026 was put together in just 17 weeks. From that standing start, we delivered 112 events across Perth, covering comedy, live music, theatre, storytelling, magic, cabaret, burlesque, drag, family entertainment and community performance.

There were sell-outs, packed rooms, brilliant performances and plenty of moments we will never forget. But the purpose of doing a proper debrief isn't simply to celebrate what went well. It's also about being honest about what didn't work as well and learning from it.

Our biggest lesson is simple:

2027 doesn't need more shows. It needs more people at the shows.

Next year we want Perth Fringe to feel less like a collection of individual performances and much more like Perth itself is hosting a festival. That means more activity during the day, more family entertainment, street performers and buskers, stronger Fringe branding around the city, better-connected venues and more opportunities to spend an entire day at the Fringe.

We also learned that smaller, busy venues can create an incredible atmosphere. La Cave à Vin sold out all but four of its shows, Beelieve Circus sold out both of their shows, Broth3rs recorded three sell-outs, while rooms at the Salutation The Salutation Hotel and The Rose House also sold out during the festival.

The impact wasn't confined to ticket sales either. La Cave à Vin, Broth3rs and The Sally reported takings significantly higher than the equivalent period in 2025. These figures give us a very encouraging first indication of what Perth Fringe can contribute to the wider city-centre economy.

🤖 NO GENERATIVE AI IMAGERY IN OFFICIAL PERTH FRINGE MARKETING

One of the clearest lessons from our first year relates to our marketing. We used generative AI imagery in some of our promotional material during 2026. Some of it simply wasn't good enough. We were building an entire festival in 17 weeks and producing a huge volume of promotional material, but that doesn't change the lesson we took from it.

Perth Fringe is about real performers, real creativity and real people. Our marketing should reflect that. From now on, official Perth Fringe posters and promotional imagery will use genuine performer photography, artwork supplied by performers and venues, and professionally designed creative work.

We will not use generative AI imagery in official Perth Fringe posters or marketing, and we will not use it to recreate, reinterpret, alter or substitute the likeness of a performer. If a performer gives us their photograph, it should remain recognisably and authentically them.

Earlier planning also gives us the opportunity to work more closely with local photographers, designers, artists and other creative professionals. That's not only about improving the standard of Perth Fringe marketing, it's another opportunity for the festival to support creativity locally.

There are plenty of other things we're taking forward too. More weekend daytime activity, a stronger family programme, street entertainment, better physical signage and printed programmes, more video and live content, stronger hospitality partnerships, better accessibility information, more support for performers and much better measurement of the cultural and economic impact the Fringe creates.

The first Perth Fringe was never going to be perfect. It was the first one.

What mattered was proving that Perth could support its own accessible, multi-venue Fringe festival. We believe 2026 did exactly that. Now we take everything we learned, including the things we got wrong, and make the next one better.

Thank you to every performer, venue, volunteer, partner, local business, audience member and everyone who supported us.

Perth Fringe will return. 🎭 📅 Thursday 2 – Sunday 19 September 2027.

See you next year. 💗

Shang-a-Lang... Get your tartan ready. Get your dancing shoes ready. Grab your friends and enjoy the Bay City Rollers at Heartland 27 💙

Tickets on sale: https://heartlandfestival.co.uk/heartland-2027/