• Monthly Producers Market

Every third Sunday of the Months of February to October Castle Douglas hosts a local Producer’s Market on Market Hill. This is a great chance to truly appreciate the craftsmanship that Dumfries and Galloway have to offer, from baked goods to fresh seafood, to locally produced spirits, and handcrafted soaps there is something for everyone! Even for our furry visitors with a local dog treat bakery!

And in November the producer’s market takes on a festive feel, as Market Hill host’s its very own Christmas market. The ideal spot to start your Christmas shopping and get tasty treats ready for the season!

• Civic Week

Civic Week is a week-long run of events and entertainment in the last week of July. One of the main, and most colourful, feature of the week is the Charter Ceremony, a symbolic reminder of Sir William Douglas and his presentation of the first charter. Sashes are given to the year’s chosen Douglas Lad and Lass, representing the town’s young people.

Activities vary from year to year but include sporting fixtures, fishing competitions, pet shows, fancy dress competitions, hidden article competitions in the town’s shop windows, treasure hunts and much more. The week culminates in the Douglas Day parade of decorated floats and walkers in fancy dress. The fun continues with pipe bands, dancers, children’s activities, musical entertainment, and a beer tent at Lochside Park. The grand finale is a stunning firework display over the loch.

• Food and Bike Festival

Starting as a Harvest festival in 2017, Castle Douglas Food and Bike festival has evolved into an amazing weekend of food, drink and cycling events.

In 2021 the Bike and Food festival hosted the final round of The Tour Series in an incredible street criterium around the town. After the pro-riders showed their prowess on the course the cycling events continued with a hill time trial for locals of all skills and a Gravel sportive that took place through the beautiful Galloway Forest.

The cycling events are not the only draws of this wonderful weekend. Demonstrations from local chefs, workshops with outstanding producers, musical performances, and activities for children also make this a great time to visit Castle Douglas.   

• Stewartry Agricultural Show

Known locally as the ‘coo show’ provides a fantastic day out for all the family in August. Apart from the weekly market, the Stewartry show best demonstrates the rich diversity and quality of livestock in the area. Not only does the show provide an opportunity to see some of the best livestock in the region being judged by experts in their field, but the showground is also packed with trade stands, locally produced foodstuffs, craft stalls including a very high standard of sticks and shepherds’ crooks, floral displays and all kinds of entertainment and activities. There are very popular horse events, a dog show, not to mention a beer tent.

The show is held at the Stewartry Rugby Club ground at Greenlaw, Castle Douglas. There is plenty of free parking and a free bus shuttle service runs every hour from Market Hill.

• Kirkcudbright Food Festival

Another annual celebration of local food production, this festival is a great chance to get a taste of Dumfries and Galloway.

With a fantastic market of local food, drinks and crafts, cooking demonstrations, and Red deer safaris at Gledpark this is a fantastic weekend to explore Dumfries and Galloway’s ‘Artist’s Town’.

With its lively fishing port and crafts trail, a trip to this festival has endless possibilities.

• Spring Fling

Spring Fling is the best visual art and craft open studio event in the whole of the UK and takes place over the Spring Bank holiday weekend. Almost 100 of the region’s artists and makers open their studios to the public – and the weekend attracts some 10,000 visitors from all over the world.

Several studios in Castle Douglas are open and many more can be found in towns and villages only a short drive away. The brochure, which is always a beautiful production in itself, shows the location of all artists and craft people taking part. http://www.spring-fling.co.uk/event

• Eden Festival

Music lovers of all genres would enjoy this energetic and vibrant festival situated in the stunning Raehills Meadows, in Dumfries and Galloway. Under an hour from Castle Douglas, this festival is a great day out for all ages. With fresh and electrifying performances from a host of talented musical performers and other arts, there is also a kids arena, circus tent, drive-in cinema, comedy performance, workshops, local produce and plenty more.

• Dumfries And Galloway Arts Festival

D&G Arts Festival works to provide people in some of the region’s most rural areas with world-class performing arts. It brings both the best local and national artists to the region and invests in local performing artists. It strives to introduce our communities young people to live performance. As the only region-wide performing arts organisation in Dumfries & Galloway there are also a number of venues for the festival in Castle Douglas!

• Stranraer Oyster Festival

Every September, Stranraer hosts its Oyster festival to celebrate the annual harvesting of Loch Ryan’s unique native oysters. As Scotland’s only wild, the native oyster fishery was once a well-kept seafood secret but this delicacy is sought after by chefs all around the world and this 3-day celebration seeks to make them accessible to everyone.

Just over an hours drive from Castle Douglas this showcase of local produce and a unique coastal area is a great chance to see cooking demonstrations, a Scottish oyster shucking competition, and taste great food.

• Wigtown Book Festival

Under an hour drive from Castle Douglas Wigtown has been Dumfries and Galloways’ book town since 1998. It has a huge selection of book-related businesses with books old and new, this town is a great visit at any time of year. However, the annual Wigtown Books festival that takes place each Autumn is an amazing event for book lovers, families, and children. There are up to 200 events

for adults, children and young people including literature, music, film, theatre, arts and crafts. Having welcomed speakers such as Ian Rankin, Clare Balding, Celia Imrie, John Simpson, Joanna Lumley, Douglas Hurd, Sally Magnusson, Richard Holloway, Mairi Hedderwick, Nick Sharratt and Cathy Cassidy this event is not one to miss!

• Big Burns Supper Winter Fringe Festival

The Big Burns Supper Winter Fringe Festival is the U.K.s’ biggest Winter Fringe festival and is located in Dumfries means that it is under an hours drive from Castle Douglas!

The festival takes place for two weeks every January and has a huge offering of free shows and events, the festivities work hard to support and promote local artists. The huge offering also includes musical performances, comedy shows, and theatrical performances.

And families can also take part in the Haggis Tossing Championship.