Dundee Hooley 2025

The Hooley is back and ready to celebrate St Andrew’s Day the Dundee way.

Taking place on Sunday 30 November at Meadowside, 3-7.30pm, the free Dundee Hooley event promises an unforgettable evening of traditional Scottish entertainment alongside fun for the whole family.

With giant puppets, live performances and a variety of activities, including the iconic torchlight procession, the Dundee Hooley will dazzle and delight audiences of all ages.

The Main Stage, on Meadowside, will come alive with a vibrant programme of music throughout the afternoon and evening. The festivities begin at 3.00pm with the rousing sounds of the Dundee Schools Pipe Band then audiences can enjoy a mix of live Scottish music and upbeat performances that capture the spirit of the Hooley.

This leads to into a lively finale at 6.20pm from the Cask Strength Ceilidh Band, ensuring a spirited close to the day's celebrations.

The Community Stage will shine a spotlight on Dundee’s incredible local talent, offering a vibrant mix of performances throughout the event. From high-energy dance troops, captivating fire displays and karate demonstrations to uplifting choirs and brilliant musical acts, the stage will celebrate the creativity and spirit of the city.

This year’s theme celebrates St Andrew the fisherman and there will be various street performers, giant puppets - including St Andrew himself with underwater friends - and activities including a Silent disco, Giant Gaming Screen with Abertay University, rock carving and face painting.

The full programme includes:

Main stage - Meadowside
3.00pm Dundee Schools Pipe Band
3.30pm Tayside Young Fiddlers
4.05pm Ceol Dun Deagh
4.45pm Mad Ferret Band
5.40pm Seaword
6.20pm Cask Strength Ceilidh Band

Community Stage – Panmure Street
3.00pm Highland Dancers
3.20pm Active Dundee’s Urban Moves Dance Programme
3.40pm Kanzen For Life
4.00pm Showcase the Street
4.20pm Pyroceltica - fire performers
4.45pm Smart Moves Dance Group
5.00pm Ukrainian Choir “Berehynia”
5.40pm Bharatiya Ashram Dance Group
6.05pm Big Noise Douglas

5.30pm – 6.30pm The Dundee Hooley Parade 
Parade starts at High School of Dundee playground, Euclid Crescent
(Due to high demand, the parade is pre-book only and is sold out.)

3.00pm – 7.30pm - Activities Zone – Panmure Street
Giant Gaming Screen and games with Abertay University
Silent Disco Tent
Face Painting
Soap Carving with Dundee Historic Environment Trust
St Andrew’s dressed herring

3.00pm – 7.30pm - Street Performers 
Circus Alba
Lobster à la Cart by Artizani
Poppy Bubbles
Giant Illuminated Puppets
Sea Sphere
Giant Octopus

The Lord Provost of Dundee, Bill Campbell, will be once again leading the parade during the Dundee Hooley, with members of the public, acts and invited guests, which starts and ends at the High School of Dundee playground.

The Lord Provost said: "The Dundee Hooley has established itself as a highly valued element of our city’s festive programme, contributing significantly to the sense of community and celebration that defines this time of year. It will be an honour to lead the torchlight procession, a highlight that brings together residents and visitors alike.

"I warmly encourage people from Dundee and beyond to join us as we celebrate our shared community spirit through traditional Scottish music, dance, and entertainment and showcase the rich cultural life of our city.

Urban ReLeaf have been leading a series of lantern-making workshops as part of their Community Pop-Up Lab in communities across Dundee, exploring the city’s green spaces and waterways through creative design and celebrating citizen science.

This year’s workshops are being delivered in collaboration with a wide range of local partners. Two artists from What Moves You CIC, Dawn Hartley and Niamh O’Loughlin, have led the workshops and supported participants in designing lanterns inspired by Dundee’s stories and landscapes.

Council leader, Cllr Mark Flynn, said: "I'm absolutely delighted that the Dundee Hooley is back for another year. After the success of the Christmas switch-on, this is another fantastic event for our city centre.

“I’d encourage everyone to come out and enjoy the atmosphere. I’m particularly excited to see the blend of traditional Scottish elements alongside performances from our talented community groups. It’s an event that truly brings people together and is perfect for families to enjoy."

Further details about the event, an accessibility guide, road closures and more information about the entire Christmas in Dundee 2025 offering can be found on dundee.com.