2026 Events
Ticketed Events
Some events are paid tickets, but all have a sliding scale.
Some events are free but with limited space so please book to avoid disappointment.
Running throughout the weekend
There are some events which will run from Friday to Sunday - make sure to check them out.
The story of Porty Pride - exhibition and archive
Hidden Objects - Find and Keep!
Still To Come….
The politics of queer archiving
Join us amongst the 'story of Porty Pride' exhibition for a discussion with OurStory Scotland on the politics of queer archiving.
Venue: Portobello Town Hall - Upper Hall
Organiser: Our Story Scotland
Cost: Free but ticketed at Outsavvy
Duration: 1 hour
What To Expect
Join us amongst the 'story of Porty Pride' exhibition for a discussion with OurStory Scotland on the politics of queer archiving. Exploring the beginnings of Porty Pride's archive to give us our context, we'll discuss why some histories get erased whilst others get recorded, why it's important to capture LGBTQ+ lives and stories, and what difference it makes to be able to see (or not see) the history of queer lives. We'll also explore the multiple, collaborative, collective nature of queer archiving - and the importance of people telling their stories in their own words.
In the second part of the event, we'll be inviting you to share and record your own queer stories of Porty and Porty Pride (whether it's your first or fifth time visiting), to add to our archive and be part of the making of queer history together.
With thanks to Scottish Council on Archives and The National Lottery Heritage Fund for supporting this work.
Host: Our Story Scotland is a registered Scottish Charity (SCIO). They collect, archive and present the life stories and experiences of the LGBT community in Scotland. This involves oral history work with all ages, including the older generation, whose stories reveal the tremendous changes that have occurred in the situation of LGBT people during their lifetime.
Accessibility
Whilst Porty Town Hall is step-free and wheelchair accessible, unfortunately the Upper Hall is up a flight of stairs, and there is no lift. Chairs will be available in the space for those who’d like to use them.
Blether and Brew
Come along and meet other older LGBTQIA+ people for an informal blether, with a brew about issues that matter to you.
Venue: Portobello Town Hall
Organiser: Porty Pride
Cost: Free
Duration: 1 hour
What To Expect
Come along and meet other older LGBTQIA+ people for an informal blether hosted by LGBT Health & Wellbeing, MacMillan and Sanctuary. This is a space to talk about issues that matter to you. The brew will be provided.
LGBT Health & Wellbeing - LGBT Health and Wellbeing is a queer‑led charity creating safer, healthier, more connected LGBTQ+ communities across Scotland. We do this by offering a range of support, services, and spaces.
Macmillan @ Edinburgh Libraries - We can offer advice on financial, emotional and practical support if you, or anyone you know has been affected by cancer.
Sanctuary Queer Arts - We create Sanctuary spaces, creative activities and inclusive events for all members of the LGBTQIA+ community.
Accessibility
The venue is wheelchair Accessible
step-free access
wheelchair accessible
accessible and gender-neutral bathrooms
Portobello Community Choir
Come and learn some harmony songs with a focus on equality and rights for LGBTQ+ people, and to celebrate rights won.
Venue: Porty Beach at bottom of Marlborough Street
Organiser: Portobello Community Choir
Cost: Free
Duration: 1 hour
What To Expect
All welcome – no singing experience needed.
Portobello Community Choir is open to anyone who likes to sing. We aim to joyfully connect with each other, the earth and the world around us through song.
Accessibility
This event will be happening on Portobello beach and you may be interested in hiring a Beach Wheelchair if relevant.
Foraging & Herbal Walk
Whether you are a complete beginner or an avid forager, come along to immerse yourself into the wild food and medicine growing all around us with Soraya from Grass Roots Remedies co-op.
Venue: Meet at Donkeyfield Community Orchard entrance opposite Brunstane Train Station
Organiser: Grass Roots Remedies Co-op
Cost: Free but booking required via Outsavvy
Duration: 2.5 hours
What To Expect
Whether you are a complete beginner or an avid forager, come along to immerse yourself into the wild food and medicine growing all around us with Soraya from GRR co-op.
We will be looking at the nutritional and medicinal benefits of our wild weeds and trees along with how to harvest them and make them into foods and remedies. We will be walking very slowly and stopping often as we visit the plants in the orchard, looking closely at them and sharing a seasonal herbal tea.
What to bring:
A brollie! Unless there are really high winds this herb walk will go ahead - please bring an umbrella to stay dry if it ends up being a rainy day
Wrap up warm - we will be moving very slowly and stopping often, bring layers so you can stay nice and snug
Appropriate footwear for dirt paths (leave those stilettos for the ball)
Any plantlore you would like to share or questions you would like to ask
About Grass Roots Remedies Co-operative: We are an Edinburgh & Glasgow based workers’ cooperative whose central philosophy is that herbal medicine is the medicine of the people and should be accessible to everyone. We offer a series of practical courses and workshops online and in-person, run the Wester Hailes Community Herbal Medicine Clinic, grow herbs in our medicine garden at the Lauriston Agroecology Farm, and produce simple resources to enable folks to practice herbalism at home.
Accessibility
Donkeyfield Community Orchard entrance opposite Brunstane train station. If you haven't been to this beautiful tucked away spot it can be found 30 minutes walk from Portobello Town Hall or a quick 10 minutes on the train from Edinburgh Waverly.
Donkeyfield Community Orchard has unsurfaced paths, some of which are sloping. The walk will involve a lot of standing and we will share a herbal tea with the option of sitting on a bench or the floor. If you have any questions about the location or route don't hesitate to get in touch with Soraya at soraya@grassrootsremedies.co.uk
Queer Yoga Edinburgh
Join us at Porty Pride for some yoga on the beach! These classes are for LGBTQ+ people who would like to practice yoga with their community, moving and breathing mindfully whilst connected to the sounds of the sea.
Venue: Porty Beach across from 10 John Street Edinburgh EH15 2EE
Organiser: Queer Yoga Edinburgh
Cost: £6.66 to £13.70 via Eventbrite
Duration: 1 hour
What To Expect
Open to all levels of experience. We will have around a 60 minute movement and meditation practice, which will follow a slow vinyasa style. We encourage choice in your practice, you are welcome exactly as you are.
This practice will be led by yoga instructor Megan (she/they) and supported by Oli (he/him).
We will meet at the beach at the end of John Street 5-10 minutes before 10.30am and find a spot to practice together. If you are running late please let us know by texting Oli (07889275982). We expect group size to be around 10-18 people.
What to bring
Please bring your own yoga mat or towel to practice on. We suggest you wear something comfy you can freely move in (joggers, shorts, tshirts etc) and layers might be useful! You might also want to bring a water bottle.
Accessibility
To join this practice, you should be able to get yourself up and down from the floor unaided, otherwise we suggest bringing a chair or something for support. Practice will take place on the sand.
Porty Pride Story Time with Ashley Douglas
Ashley Douglas will be reading from her book The Lass and the Quine, which is the first original LGBT+ inclusive children’s book published in the Scots language.
Venue: Portobello Bookshop
Organiser: Portobello Bookshop
Cost: Free without book or £8 with book - book here
Duration: 30 minutes
What To Expect
Portobello Bookshop is delighted to be welcoming author Ashley Douglas to the bookshop for a story time session in partnership with Porty Pride. She will be reading from her book The Lass and the Quine, which is the first original LGBT+ inclusive children’s book published in the Scots language.
You can sign up to attend and collect a copy of The Lass and the Quine when you attend the event, and there's a free option available as well. Ashley will be signing and dedicating copies of the book on the day.
Please note that the story is aimed at children aged 5-8 but children of all ages are welcome to attend this Story Time event. They must be accompanied by a parent/guardian throughout the event.
Book & Story Time £8.99
In-person event access for a child accompanied by parent/guardian, along with a copy of The Lass and The Quine
Free Story Time £0.00
In-person event access for a child accompanied by parent/guardian - Limited to 1 per person- Free access is limited, so please consider leaving for those who can't afford other options
About the book:
An illustrated storybook for children of primary school age based on the poem The Lass and The Quine by Ashley Douglas. It is a new Scots fairy tale that challenges those you know in a clever and enjoyable way.
The story concerns ‘a lass and a quine whae are awfie different in ivery wey, but whae faw heid ower heels in luve – meetin a wheen animals o the forest alang the wey!’ It has a timeless feel, but what makes it so special is that the love story is one between a girl and a princess, not a girl and a prince.
Ashley Douglas is a Scottish historian and translator. Ashley is the author of the essay My Sapphic City, which was published as part of the anthology who will be remembered here (Historic Environment Scotland, 2025). She is also the author of The Lass and The Quine (2025), the first ever original LGBT inclusive children's book in the Scots language.
Accessibility
Via Ramp - 1:10 ratio, 300g loading capacity
Fully automated front doors.
Clearance to access the staff toilet - 700mm wide
Sound
PA system
Hearing loop system
If you wish to attend an event and require BSL interpretation, please give us a few weeks notice and we’ll do our best to arrange an interpreter
Euan’s Guide Disabled Access Reviews
Wee Ball
Party with the whole family. There’s something for people of all ages; live DJ, storytelling and face-painting.
Venue: Portobello Town Hall
Organiser: Porty Pride
Cost: Free - drop in
Age: under 11
Event Description
Party with the whole family, there’s something for people of all ages at the Wee Ball.
Porty Pride OG, Mystika Glamoor hosts the party and brings a special storytime performance, while Annafleur of FEMMERGY fame will get you moving with a fun-loving DJ set spanning all eras.
All children must be accompanied by an adult
Face-painting available as well as indoor buggie-parking.
Line Up
Mystika Glamoor is the surrealist socialist socialite, the High Priestess of Edinburgh drag.
Annafleur (she/her) is a co-founder of queer club night Femmergy and a regular DJ menace across Edinburgh, playing anywhere from Sneaky Pete’s to your coolest friend’s bday party 💐 expect a genre jumble, but a guarantee you’re going to boogie 😙
Accessibility
The dance floor is Wheelchair Accessible
step-free access
wheelchair accessible
accessible and gender-neutral bathrooms
Buggy parking available indoors
The story of Porty Pride - exhibition and archive
Exhibition to tell the many stories of Porty Pride, and to record Porty’s queer stories for the future
Venue: Portobello Town Hall - Upper Hall
Organiser: Kathryn Welch for Porty Pride
Cost: Free
What To Expect
2026 marks Porty Pride’s fifth anniversary. It feels like a good time to begin to capture our archive - to celebrate what’s been achieved, to tell the many stories of Porty Pride, and to record Porty’s queer stories for the future.
This exhibition marks the beginning of our process of building that archive.
Drop in to our exhibition to revisit the stories of Porty Pride over the past 5 years - to learn, reminisce, share stories and look back.
Alongside the ‘formal’ history of Porty Pride, we want to include as many community stories as we can. Whether you’ve marched in the dog walk, partied at the ball, organised an event or waved a flag on the beach, we’d love to capture your memories of Porty Pride. We’ll have space and prompts for you to add your own stories to our exhibition, and to be captured forever as part of the story of Porty Pride.
Together, we hope to lay the groundwork now for a growing, evolving, collaborative collection of what Porty Pride is, and what it means to many of us.
With thanks to Scottish Council on Archives and The National Lottery Heritage Fund for supporting this work.
Accessibility
Whilst Porty Town Hall is step-free and wheelchair accessible, unfortunately the Upper Hall is up a flight of stairs, and there is no lift.
Chairs will be available in the space for those who’d like to use them.
Hidden Objects
Hidden objects made from Scottish rocks, yours to find and keep
Venue: All around Portobello
Organiser: Stuart, a member of Glasgow Lapidary Club
Cost: Free
What To Expect
I am Stuart and a member of Glasgow Lapidary Club.
I enjoy making jewellery from Scottish rocks such as Lewisian Gneiss, Jasper and Highland Marble. I never sell my work but, instead, I like to give it away to family, friends, race marshalls, charities and, of course, at Porty Pride. This year I will be 'hiding' about 30 to 40 items around the town.
My daughter and her wife have made Portobello their home and my wife and I get great joy taking our two young grandsons to the beach and swings.
There is a wonderful community spirit in Portobello and so I hope you find one of my 'hidden' pieces and it gives you a smile.
Objects will be “hidden” around Portobello for people to find. If you find an object, it is yours to keep!
Pride Labyrinth
Come together to help make the Pride Labyrinth. It's a 32 foot wide labyrinth communally built with rocks.
Venue: Porty Beach bottom of Kings Road
Organiser: Porty Labyrinth
Cost: Free
Duration: 1 hour
What To Expect
Come together to help make the Pride Labyrinth.
It's a 32 foot wide labyrinth communally built with rocks. The path leads you over and back, over and back, into the middle, then retrace your steps to leave, with the purpose of bringing you into balance!
We’ll be meeting on the beach at the bottom of Kings Road and if you have any ikea-type bags to fill with rocks and drag to the labyrinth, this would be handy to bring along.
Accessibility
Family-friendly event with physical requirements of collecting, transporting and placing rocks on the beach
Queeras! An Evening of Cocktails and Queer History
Join Greg, an amateur cocktail enthusiast, for an evening of cocktail making and queer history.
Venue: Rising Tide Cafe
Organiser: Greg Flett
Cost: £25 via Outsavvy
Duration: 2 hours
What To Expect
Join Greg, an amateur cocktail enthusiast, for an evening of cocktail making and queer history.
You’ll be guided to make three cocktails appropriate to the era and, while you sip, you’ll hear all about an important figure from queer history.
3 cocktails are included with the ticket price. Soft drinks are available to purchase.
Essential: Please bring your own cocktail shaker (or large jar, if you don't have one to hand)
If possible, please bring an electric scale or measure for 25/50ml.
18+ ID may be required
Accessibility
Unfortunately the venue is not accessible