15 Oct 2025
LOCALfest25
This autumn, from 15–17 October 2025, Dunkeld & Birnam will host the first-ever LOCALfest25, a festival reimagining tourism through a local lens. Over three days, tourism practitioners, hospitality providers, community groups, visitors, and locals will come together to celebrate and explore the power of community-driven tourism.
Overview
The programme will feature a dynamic mix of workshops, walks, talks, concerts, and community activities, all designed to show how visitors can experience Scotland as “temporary locals” and leave a positive, lasting impact on the places they visit.
Evening performances from renowned Scottish musicians Karine Polwart and Ross Ainslie, alongside daytime conversations, walks and workshops, will spotlight the best of local creativity, culture and natural landscape.
At the heart of LOCALfest25 is a commitment to positive local tourism – a movement that prioritises communities, sustainability, and authentic experiences. It’s about slowing down, connecting with locals, and appreciating what matters most to them. Dunkeld and Birnam, with their rich heritage, thriving small business scene, and deep-rooted environmental initiatives, provide the perfect backdrop for this inspiring gathering.
The festival is the brainchild of Raven Sinclaire, founder of Traceless Tours, and is led in partnership SCOTO, Historic Dunkeld, Dunkled & Birnam District Development Trust, local Scottish Radio Broadcaster Fiona Ritichie and the Dunkeld and Birnam community, with support from Historic Environment Scotland and Museums Galleries Scotland. The organisers aim for LOCALfest25 to be the first of five annual festivals, each hosted in a different Scottish community.
Tickets and more information can be found at www.belocal.scot/local-fest.
