Support from the Glasgow 2026 Festival has seen the event expanded for its biggest year yet. Programming is taking place at the Old Fruitmarket, Candleriggs Square, Merchant Square and, for the first time, The Briggait.

Between 24 and 26 July, festival-goers enjoyed everything from free live music and street theatre to family ceilidhs, circus performances and food markets.

Activities on offer included the new Clydeside Commons programmes featuring live DJs, workshops, talks and family activities at the Briggait, while discussions, exhibitions and film screenings inspired by Glasgow’s relationship with the River Clyde were part of the Watershed.

Merchant City Festival events continue this week, with a bumper programme of free live music, family activities, street theatre and markets on offer between Friday 31 and Sunday 2 August.

The programme includes two headline shows at the Old Fruitmarket, with performances from VLURE on Friday and Glasgow Techno Alliance on Saturday.

Before then, Candleriggs Square is offering opportunities to enjoy free entertainment and the city-centre festival atmosphere from Monday to Thursday.

The Merchant City is one of two locations to gather and enjoy free Glasgow 2026 live streams.

Photography Glasgow 2026

Support from VisitScotland sees the space used for big-screen Commonwealth Games screenings between 2pm and 9pm daily. Free family entertainment will take place from 12pm to 4pm each day, alongside many of the food and drink traders who featured during the opening weekend.

Christiana Bisset, Festival Programmer at Merchant City Festival said: “It was great to see so many people enjoying the Merchant City Festival over the opening weekend. There was a real buzz across the city centre as people explored the programme and spent time with friends and family.

"There's still plenty to come this week, with free Commonwealth Games screenings bringing people together to cheer on Team Scotland, before another packed weekend of music, markets, street performances and family activities.”

For more information and to view the full programme, click here.