Edinburgh’s Festival of Politics runs 27–28 August
The Festival of Politics returns to the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh on 27 and 28 August 2026. Open to the general public, the two-day event brings debates, panels and speakers to Horsewynd, Edinburgh EH99 1SP. There is no single festival-wide price: tickets are priced by individual event and can be booked through the published programme.
Organised by the Scottish Parliament, the festival focuses on social, political and environmental questions affecting Scotland, the wider UK and the world. It may appeal particularly to visitors interested in public affairs, technology, rights and contemporary social issues.
| At a glance | Details |
|---|---|
| Dates | 27–28 August 2026 |
| Venue | The Scottish Parliament, Horsewynd, Edinburgh EH99 1SP |
| Audience | General public |
| Tickets | Check individual events for prices and booking |
Which Festival of Politics sessions should you look for?
The programme ranges across artificial intelligence, climate change, housing, poverty, free speech and the manosphere. Other sessions will consider Brexit, human trafficking, misogyny and society’s use of technology.
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That breadth gives visitors a practical way to narrow the programme according to their interests. Technology-focused discussions sit alongside sessions about living conditions, individual rights and social behaviour, while contributors come from politics, the arts, business, media and the third sector. Readers planning to attend should therefore review individual event descriptions and ticket details rather than treating the festival as a single admission event.
Visitors building a wider cultural itinerary around the trip can also explore other Edinburgh events taking place during August.
Baroness Hale joins the 2026 line-up
Brenda Hale, the Rt Hon Baroness Hale of Richmond DBE, is among the featured speakers. Her appearance will explore her legal career and her work as a pioneering reformer.
Lady Hale was the first woman Law Commissioner, the first and youngest female Law Lord, and the first woman appointed President of the Supreme Court. Her session adds a personal legal perspective to a programme otherwise centred on current political, technological and social questions.
Accessibility and what to check before travelling
The Scottish Parliament has ground-level entry, lifts, disabled toilets and wheelchair access. British Sign Language translation will be provided for nine events, so visitors who require it should check which sessions are included when reviewing the programme.
The Forever Edinburgh listing does not give daily start or finish times, transport instructions or one standard ticket price. Before travelling to Holyrood, select the relevant session, confirm its scheduled time and individual price, and use the booking option in the Festival of Politics listing.
Source: Forever Edinburgh Events
Context & actions About this article
Source check How this event guide was checked
The dates, venue, programme themes, ticket guidance and accessibility information were checked against the source event page.
- Confirmed the festival dates as 27–28 August 2026.
- Confirmed The Scottish Parliament and its Horsewynd address as the venue.
- Checked that prices are set separately for individual events and booking is available.
- Checked the stated wheelchair access and British Sign Language provision.
- Source
- Forever Edinburgh Events
- Scope
- Edinburgh
- Updated
- 2026-08-29 09:37
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