Melrose Festival

Where: Melrose, Borders - Rideout from Greenyards (good view from Market Place at 6.05 pm), Coronation at the Abbey
When: 3rd Week in June - Rideout Monday, Coronation Thursday.
Time: Rideout 6pm, Coronation 7pm

 

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The annual festival at Melrose combines all the typical elements of the traditional border summer celebrations with a Common Riding, Festival Queen, sports and fancy dress.Common Ridings are a boundary marking custom on horseback. They are mainly held at locations across the Scottish Borders, perhaps because this area suffered from centuries of raiding and reiving between local families and the English, and the locals needed to protect their lands from encroachment. Long after this was necessary, the Ridings survived to become major festivals and a great day out! The Rideout at Melrose is on the Monday, leaving Greenyards at 6pm and returning to town by around 9.30 while the Queen is crowned on Thursday at Melrose Abbey. There are several associated events including Fancy Dress and a Bicycle Ride as well as  the Tour of Ceremonies which involves the main participants processing around the locality, followed by sports and dancing.

Helpful Hints.

In 2024 the dates are Sunday 16th to Saturday 22nd June with Rideout on Monday 17th and Crowning on Thursday 20th.

Check the Facebook page below for updates, or email festival@hotmail.co.uk for any further information.

If the  Festival Programmes at the local shops sell out you can get an abbreviated timetable from the Tourist Information Centre with all the main fixtures listed.

Click here for the Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/Melrose-Festival-1413148842266539/

View this location on the map.