Home » What's On Glasgow West End: cinema, clubs, theatre, music, events, festivals, community and more » WestFest Glasgow's Cultural and Community Festival » WestFest 2025

WestFest 2025

WestFest is back for its third annual festival 1st – 29th June

After a hugely successful 2024 festival, comprising 131 events and reaching total audience numbers of 110,000 WestFest – Glasgow’s biggest community led, cultural festival today (Thursday 12 April) launches the programme for its 2025 festival.

WestFest captures the imaginations of participants, residents and visitors in the West End of Glasgow. Taking place across 60 venues in Glasgow’s West End from 1st to 29th June, this year’s festival promises an eclectic array of events, performances, and activities –with something for everyone.

WestFest 2025 will feature the usual mix of street festivals, concerts, community events, workshops, and exhibitions. Attendees can also look forward to the return ofsome festival favourites such as the The Big Sunday, Bard in the Botanics, the Glasgow Vintage Bus Tour and the ever-popular Kelvingrove Outdoor Ceilidh.

West Fest Outdoor Ceilidh Kelvingrove image Gavin McCourt Photograpy

Free Programme of Outdoor Events

The highlight for many will be the colourful, free programme of outdoor events that

the festival has become known for. This year these are:

• Kelvingrove Outdoor Ceilidh – Sunday 1st June, 2–4pm

• Vinicombe Street Gala – Saturday 7th June, 12–4pm

• ARCeilidh & Dear Green Music Fest at University of Glasgow – Sunday 15th

June, 12.30–7pm

• Midsummer Solstice Fire Show at Kelvingrove Galleries – Saturday 21st June,

9.30pm

• The Big Sunday on Kelvin Way – Sunday 29th June, 11am–4pm

WestFest’s Director is Brendon McIlroy who founded the festival in 2022 in response

to ‘overwhelming demand’ for community and cultural events in the West End, in the

absence of former festivals.

Brendon says, ‘It’s hard to believe WestFest is now in its’ third year and despite ome alarming funding cuts across the arts and events sectors- the festival has managed to keep growing and is going from strength to strength’

Brendon continues, ‘Last year it’s estimated that total attendance across our events was in excess of 110,000. For 2025 we are focusing on growing that number anddeveloping our community events programme –producing and encouraging events all across the West of Glasgow, not just Hillhead as most would expect WestFest 2025 will see the return of the festival’s popular illustrated talks programme at Glasgow’s Kelvin Hall in partnership with Glasgow850 – featuring over 20 free talks and workshops from some prominent west end voices.

Despite facing funding cuts and an uncertain climate for events and the arts, WestFest has been made possible this year due to support from partners such as National Lottery Communities Fund and Cala Homes – who are sponsoring The Big Sunday at Kelvin Way – a new large scale community event for this year.”

The WestFest team will be launching this years’ festival brochure and website on Easter Sunday 20th April with a fabulous performance tour across the West End from the likes of Sambayabamba, Brass Aye? and Think Circus. The team are inviting folks from across Glasgow to come and join them to celebrate the launch of WestFest 2025!

Head to WestFest’s Facebook page for timings and details.

West Fest Launch Sunday 20 April, 2025

12 noon – Glasgow Botanic Gardens

1pm – Kelvingrove Park Memorial Fountain

1.45pm – Kelvingrove Galleries Piazza

● See  All WestFest 2025 Listings 

This section: Community event, Events, Fairs, Festivals and Fundraisers, Free Events, Pat's Home Page Blog, WestFest Glasgow's Cultural and Community Festival, What's On Glasgow West End: cinema, clubs, theatre, music, events, festivals, community and more