What's On
Four days of festivities in the city of Aberdeen
All aboard for the amazing Tall Ships Races festival.
The city will come alive this July with The Tall Ships Races. Enjoy the sights and sounds of 50+ Tall Ships, street food markets and quayside bars, STEM activities, a funfair, 60 trade and charity stalls, headline acts and free family entertainment!
Fri 18 July
- Fleet arrival - quayside closed to the public
- Quayside concerts - headline concert: 18:30 - 23:30
Sat 19 July
- Daytime & evening entertainment
- Ships will be open to the public at various times during the day
- Fleet arrival
- Opening ceremony
- Captains’ dinner
- Captains’ reception
Opening times
- Main quayside: 09:00 - 20:00
- Regent Quay street food market & bars: 09:00 - 23:00
- Discovery Zone (Castlegate): 09:00 - 18:00
- Funfair (King Street; from West North Street to Castle Street) - 09.00 - 23.00
- Quayside concerts - free programme: 09:15 - 16:30
- Quayside concerts - headline concert: 18:30 - 23:00
Sun 20 July
- Daytime & evening entertainment
- Ships will be open to the public at various times during the day
- Crew sports
- Crew parade
- Prize giving ceremony
- Crew party
Opening times
- Main quayside: 09:00 - 20:00
- Discovery Zone (Castlegate): 09:00 - 18:00
- Funfair (King Street; from West North Street to Castle Street) - 09.00 - 23.00
- Quayside concerts - free programme: 09:15 - 16:30
- Crew Parade (Union Terrace, Rosemount, Broad St, Regent Quay): Starts 16:00
- Prizegiving: 17:00
- Quayside concerts - headline concert: 18:30 - 23:00.
Mon 21 July
- Daytime & evening entertainment
- Ships will be open to the public at various times during the day
- Crew change day
- Captains briefing
- Red Arrows thrilling aerial display
Opening times
- Main quayside: 09:00 - 20:00
- Regent Quay street food market & bars: 09:00 - 23:00
- Discovery Zone (Castlegate): 09:00 - 18:00
- Funfair (King Street; from West North Street to Castle Street)- 09.00 - 23.00
- Red Arrows Display: 17:30 at Beach Esplanade viewing area
- Quayside concerts - free programme: 09:15 - 16:30
- Quayside concerts - headline concert: 18:30 - 23:00
Tues 22 July
- Daytime entertainment
- Ships undock
- Parade of sail
- Passage to the race start
Opening times
- Main quayside: 09:00 - 15:30
- Discovery Zone (Castlegate): 09:00 - 15:30
- Funfair (King Street; from West North Street to Castle Street) - 09.00 - 15:30
- Quayside concerts - free programme: 09:15 - 15:30
- Undocking & Parade of Sail (quayside & beach esplanade): 10:00 - 15:00
-
18
July Friday -
19
July Saturday -
20
July Sunday -
21
July Monday -
22
July Tuesday
18
July
2025-07-18
On the quayside
- All day
- Fleet arrival - quayside closed to the public
Peterson Seabase - main stage
- 1830 - 2330
- SOLD OUT - Quayside Concert - Deacon Blue, Brooke Combe and Little Kicks
In the city
- 1000 - 1700
- Monsters of the Deep @ Aberdeen Art Gallery
19
July
2025-07-19
On the quayside
- 0900
- Ribbon cutting and formal opening
- 0900 - 2000
- Event open
- 0900 - 2300
- Food opening times
- 0900 - 2000
- Curated on the Quayside market
- 0900-2000
- Tall Ships merchandise
- 1100-2230
- Bar opening times
- 1100 - 1600
- Get onboard the Tall Ships!
- 2000 - 2300
- Evening quayside entertainment (bars, street food, live music)
- All day
- Street performers
Peterson Seabase - main stage
- 0930
- SC&T Youth Ensemble
- 1015
- Mearns Singers
- 1120
- Abergaitas
- 1145
- Grand Opening for The Tall Ships Races Aberdeen 2025
- 1245
- Laura Harrington & Friemds
- 1410
- Frank Thomson Dance Band Duo
- 1510
- Ellie Beaton Trio
- 1600-1830
- Closed
- 1830
- Quayside Concert - Ministry of Sound Classical, Paul Oakenfold and Look Busy Collective
- 2300
- Closed
Transit Stage
- 1045
- Nuna (Solo)
- 1245
- The Riverlite Band & Guests (Eri-Ife, Mova, AY Bangz)
- 14:20
- Jackill
- 15:35
- Aberdeen City Music Jazz Ensemble
- 1705
- Gerry Jablonski Band
- 1820
- The Funky Red Pandas
- 1930 - 2300
- Quayside entertainment with Ross Graham, bars and street food
Family Stage
- 0900 - 2000
- Giant sandpit
- 0900 - 2000
- Ferris Wheel
- 0930
- Zumba for Families with Mailen
- 1030
- Pauline Cordiner - Storyteller
- 1130
- Zumba for Families with Mailen
- 1245
- Pauline Cordiner - Storyteller
- 1345
- Pauline Cordiner - Storyteller
- 1445
- Inverted Aberdeen - Ground-based Partner Acrobatics
In the city
- 0900 - 1800
- Discovery Zone @ Castlegate
- 0900 - 2300
- Codonas Funfair @ King Street (West North Street to Castle Street)
- 0900 - 1700
- Military Village @ Union Terrace Gardens
- 1900 - 2300
- Captain's Dinner (private event) @ Music Hall
- 1000 - 1700
- Monsters of the Deep @ Aberdeen Art Gallery
20
July
2025-07-20
On the quayside
- Event open
- Main quayside open
- 0900 - 2000
- Food opening times
- 0900 - 2000
- Curated on the Quayside market
- 0900-2000
- Tall Ships merchandise
- 1100-1930
- Bar opening times
- 1000 - 1600
- Get onboard the Tall Ships!
- All day
- Street performers
Peterson Seabase - main stage
- 0930
- Aberdeen City Council Music Service Ensemble
- 11:00
- Polish-Scottish Song Group
- 12.15
- The Paddy Buchanan Band
- 1345
- Tripple
- 1515
- Fell Line
- 1700
- Crew Prizegiving
- 1830
- Quayside Concert - Tide Lines and Calum Bowie
- 2300
- Close
Transit Stage
- 0945
- Eevie & The Jazz Sailors
- 1115
- Los Acousticos Bandidos
- 1245
- AiiTee & Nathan Somevi
- 1345
- Melodie & The Chillers
- 1515
- Nathan Somevi Band
- 1600
- Close
- 1900
- Crew Party (private event)
Family Stage
- 0900-2000
- Ferris Wheel
- 0900-2000
- Giant sandpit
- 0930
- Zumba with mayfit.es
- 1030
- Jackie Ross and Sheena Blackhall
- 1130
- Zumba with mayfit.es
- 1230
- Jackie Ross and Sheena Blackhall
- 1330
- Jackie Ross and Sheena Blackhall
- 1430
- The Bean Counter by Alice Mary Cooper
In the city
- 0900 - 1800
- Discovery Zone @ Castlegate
- 0900 - 2300
- Codonas Funfair @ King Street (West North Street to Castle Street)
- 0900 - 1700
- Military Village @ Union Terrace Gardens
- 1600
- Crew Parade - Union Terrace, Rosemount, Broad St, Regent Quay
- 0900 - 1230
- Crew Sports @ Aberdeen Sports Village
- 1000 - 1700
- Monsters of the Deep @ Aberdeen Art Gallery
21
July
2025-07-21
On the quayside
- 0900 - 2000
- Event open
- 0900-2300
- Food opening times
- 0900 - 2000
- Curated on the Quayside market
- 0900-2000
- Tall Ships merchandise
- 1100-2230
- Bar opening times
- 0900 - 2300
- Regent Quayside street food market and bars
- 1000 - 1600
- Get onboard the Tall Ships!
- All day
- Street performers
Peterson Seabase - main stage
- 0930
- Albacapela
- 1040
- Madame Tsunami Duo
- 1210
- ACE Voices
- 1340
- Iona Fyfe
- 1510
- Arthur Coates & Kerran Cotterell
- 1600 - 1830
- Closed
- 1830
- SOLD - OUT - Quayside Concert - Kaiser Chiefs, Glasvegas and The Capollos
- 2300
- Closed
Transit Stage
- 0945
- Guarana Street Drummers
- 1115
- Gentlemen of Jazz
- 1245
- Mathers and Wares
- 1415
- Chef & Guest
- 1550
- Matthew Kilner Electric Band
- 1705
- Granite City Blues Band
- 1820
- Titans
- 1930 - 2300
- Quayside entertainment with David Angus and Elphen, bars and street food
Family Stage
- 0900-2000
- Ferris Wheel
- 0900-2000
- Giant sandpit
- 0930
- Aarna Sharma - Bollywood Dance + Plus Workshop
- 1030
- Lilian Ross - Storyteller
- 1130
- Aarna Sharma - Bollywood Dance + Plus Workshop
- 1230
- Lilian Ross - Storyteller
- 1330
- Lilian Ross - Storyteller
- 1430
- The Bean Counter by Alice Mary Cooper
In the city
- 0900 - 1800
- Discovery Zone @ Castlegate
- 0900 - 2300
- Codonas Funfair @ King Street (from West North Street to Castle Street)
- 0900 - 1700
- Military Village @ Union Terrace Gardens
- 1500 - 1700
- Captain's Briefing (private event) @ Town House
- 1000 - 1700
- Monsters of the Deep @ Aberdeen Art Gallery
- 1730
- Grand Finale - Red Arrows display @ Beach Esplanade
22
July
2025-07-22
On the quayside
- 0900 - 1500
- Event open
- 0900-1500
- Food opening times
- 1100-1500
- Bar opening times
- 0900-1500
- Tall Ships merchandise
- 0900 - 1500
- Curated on the Quayside market
- 1000 - 1500
- Undocking & Parade of Sail (quayside and beach esplanade)
- All day
- Street performers
Peterson Seabase - main stage
- 09:30
- Aberdeen Chorus of Sweet Adelines
- 10:45
- The Country Quines
- 1200
- Aberdeen Strathspey and Reel Society
- 1245
- Closed
Transit Stage
- 0945
- The Richard Bailey Trio
- 1115
- Jingo
- 1200
- Closed
Family Stage
- 0900-1530
- Ferris Wheel
- 0900-1530
- Giant sandpit
- 0930
- Aarna Sharma - Bollywood Dance + Plus Workshop
- 1030
- Grace Banks - Storyteller
- 1130
- Aarna Sharma - Bollywood Dance + Plus Workshop
- 1230
- Grace Banks - Storyteller
- 1330
- Grace Banks - Storyteller
In the city
- 0915 - 1530
- Discovery Zone @ Castlegate
- 0900 - 1530
- Codonas Funfair @ King Street (from West North Street to Castle Street)
- 0900 - 1700
- Military Village @ Union Terrace Gardens
- 1000 - 1500
- Undocking & Parade of Sail (quayside and beach esplanade)
- 1000 - 1700
- Monsters of the Deep @ Aberdeen Art Gallery
Host partners
Supported by
Funded by
