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The Magic Returns: Bird and Beast Take Over Edinburgh

Right then, pull up a chair and let’s have a gander at what autumn has in store. As the Edinburgh nights draw in and a familiar chill creeps up the Royal Mile, there is quite simply no better time to lose yourself in a cracking good yarn. The Scottish International Storytelling Festival is back for its 37th outing. This year, it runs from 21st October to 31st October 2026. The festival is embracing the natural world with its spectacular Bird and Beast theme. It will deliver fifeteen new storytelling performances developed specifically for the programme.

Daniel Abercrombie, Scottish International Storytelling Festival Director, hits the nail on the head: “We are delighted to present this special moment in Scotland’s storytelling calendar which showcases this wonderful oral tradition across the whole of Scotland. The Scottish International Storytelling Festival is a place where creative opportunities are nurtured and where creative risks can be taken, where the tradition is safeguarded and the contemporary is encouraged.”

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Festival Highlights: Myths, Legends, and Global Voices

At the heart of the festival’s cèilidh tradition over its eleven days is brilliant collaboration. Expect some of Scotland’s finest talents sharing the stage with guest storytellers from Türkiye, Italy, Ireland, Canada, and England.

Here is just a wee taste of what to expect from the lineup:

• Avian Magic: The festival’s opening event is Aderyn/Bird, starring Ailsa Dixon and Ffion Phillips. Their sell-out Edinburgh Fringe show weaves together Welsh and Scots language with magical tales of birds.
• Global Collaborations: Drut’syla traditional storyteller Shonaleigh teams up with Turkish storytellers Nazlı Çevik Azazi and Roza Erdem. They will interweave traditional Anatolian tales with Shonaleigh’s ‘Bubbe’s tales’ that have been passed down through the generations.
• Italian Legends: Italian storytellers Paola Balbi and Davide Bardi will share a poetic and musical tale about the early years of Leonardo Da Vinci. Additionally, Bologna’s Fraternal Compagnia APS presents a reinterpretation of the myth of Dedalus and Icarus. This timeless tale of rebellion and power will be performed in recognition of the centenary of Nobel Prize winner Dario Fo.
• Equine Adventures: Tony Bonning and Allison Galbraith will share tales of a fiery Clydesdale. This features a recounting of Tony’s epic adventure travelling with his horse Chief across Scotland collecting Kelpie tales, aptly programmed in the Year of the Horse.
• Nordic Traditions: Riikka Palonen will be sharing tales from the cow sheds of Finland. Alongside her, Satu Lankinen will be teaching a Nordic cow-call known as ‘kulning’ and exploring traditional herding songs.
• Island Curiosities: Ailsa Dixon returns to share fascinating historical tales of feral, seaweed eating sheep on the Isle of North Ronaldsay. These unique creatures live within a 13 km area hemmed in by a dry stane dyke.
• Scottish Epics: Storyteller Donald Smith will lead two epic storytelling sessions, each over three hours in length. The first explores the life of St Columba, and the second dives into the legends of Ossian.
• Samhuinn Scares: For a darker, seasonal twist, storyteller Owen Pilgrim brings The Battle of the Birds, darkly reimagined for Samhuinn.
• Puppetry Milestones: Audiences can celebrate 20 years of The Man Who Planted Trees. Richard Medrington, Rick Conte, Puppet State’s Elspeth Murray and Dog will be reminiscing and resharing their favourite bits of the beloved show.

Catriona Hawksworth, Traditional Arts Officer at Creative Scotland, highlights why this matters: “Storytelling is a vital part of Scotland’s cultural life- connecting us to our heritage while creating space for new voices, new ideas and international exchange. This year’s festival will weave these strands together in a programme that celebrates Scotland’s rich storytelling traditions while opening them up to audiences and artists from around the world and making storytelling accessible to communities and audiences across Scotland.”

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A Milestone Year: 20 Years of the Storytelling Centre

Our favourite spot in Edinburgh, and in truth, one of our favourites across Scotland, the Scottish Storytelling Centre is celebrating twenty years. To mark this fantastic milestone – alongside twenty years of the National Theatre of Scotland – a special event titled Culture, Democracy and the Stateless Nation takes place on 23rd October. This includes a special in-conversation with former First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and theatre critic Joyce McMillan.

Culture Cabinet Secretary Màiri McAllan perfectly summarises this enduring legacy: “Over nearly four decades, the Scottish International Storytelling Festival has celebrated our nation’s rich storytelling traditions, bringing together voices from across Scotland and around the world. Backed by multi-year funding from Creative Scotland and the Expanded Festivals Fund, the Scottish Government is proud to support this outstanding, globally significant cultural event. As we mark 20 years of the Scottish Storytelling Centre, this year’s programme theme, Bird and Beast, captures the deep connection between our stories and the natural world we share.”

She adds, “I’d encourage everyone to explore this year’s programme and discover storytelling’s power to connect us with each other and the world around us.”

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Family Fun and the ‘Go Local’ Takeover

But it’s not just Edinburgh getting all the fun, with the brilliant ‘Go Local’ initiative returns as their biggest ever, staging over 100 events across Scotland’s pubs, parks, and community halls. Throw in a free Family Storytelling Day at the National Museum of Scotland on Saturday 24th October, and you’ve got a programme bursting with boundless imagination for the wee ones.

As Daniel Abercrombie wonderfully concludes: “Our Bird and Beast theme this year allows us a chance to enjoy and explore stories which carry a message about the way humans can understand and respect the planet we share with animals and nature. We look forward to welcoming old and new friends this autumn, to celebrate with a programme full of imagination, opportunity and generosity, led with great skill and enthusiasm by our storytellers, for it’s through them that we continue to celebrate and be proud of our storytelling scene in Scotland.”

Whether you’re a seasoned folklore fanatic or just fancy a rejuvinating, screen-free night out, this year’s festival proves that the ancient art of storytelling is as fierce and untamed as ever. Get your tickets booked, grab a custard cream slice from The Haggis Box, and let the wild tales begin.

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