Edinburgh Festival Carnival 2026

This event is supported by the City of Edinburgh Council and Edinburgh Visitor Levy

Edinburgh Festival Carnival Parade

Edinburgh Festival Carnival takes to the streets from 1pm on Sunday 19 July!

Join us for Scotland’s most vibrant multicultural celebration in Edinburgh’s iconic city centre. More than 1,000 carnival performers will parade from the top of the mound to the west end of Princes Street in a breath-taking display of music, dance and carnival costumes from local, national and international artists.

West Princes Street Gardens

From 2.30pm to 7pm, reggae, soca and Latin America rhythms sound out across West Princess Street Gardens as performers take to the Ross Bandstand and Terazzo:

  • 2:30pm: Chinese performances on the Terrazzo

  • 3:30pm: High-energy Soca and Caribbean sounds from Scrappy Sinon & Tropical Storm Band on the Ross Bandstand

  • 4.30pm: Tartan Rhythms (a Carnival commission featuring Indian Dhol, Scottish bagpipes, African percussion, and Indian classical dance) on the Terrazzo

  • 5pm: All female reggae band Akabu Queens on the Ross Bandstand

  • 6pm: The hottest latin rhythms from salsa ensemble Orquesta Boreal on the Ross Bandstand

PLUS! Activity across the Gardens including dancing, drumming and circus skills!

Edinburgh Festival Carnival Parade Performers

Achu's Rhythmic Souls
Alba Cuba dance
Alma Latina Dance Project
Baila Venezuela
Bombrando
Bora Brasil
Caporales Centralistas San Miguel
Clan Colombia
Clan Macondo
Colombia Dance, El Encanto
Conga Caledonia
Dance Ihayami
Dominican Republic Association of Scotland
Drummond Salsa Club
Ecuatorianos en Edinburgh
Edinburgh Belly Dancers
El Salvador
GDFL Brassband
Goodtrees
Neighbourhood Centre
Grupo de danza
Jaiva
Las Heroinas
Latin Dance Inclusive
Latino Dance Project
Mextli
Moko Somõkõw Carnival Band
Nepal Scotland
Nikkan Dance Academy
Otra
Passion4Fussion
Preston Caribbean Carnival
Project X
Pulse of the Place
Quisqueya La Bella
Rumba by Lu
Scottish Association of Marathi Regional Arts and Tradition
Scottish Indian Arts Forum
SK Dance UK
Soles del Peru
Street Mash
Sunshine Arts International
Talentos Dance School
Tartan Rhythms
Tazumal Dance
The Edinburgh Samba School
Tinkus Puros Miskis
Touch of Love
Usnis
WHALE Arts
Zarif At Toul-As Samer Palestinian Dabke Troupe

Special thank you to all our carnival partners including Latin American Community Association of Edinburgh and the Chinese Arts & Culture Committee.