Scottish Local Holidays 2026 and 2027
The September weekend, Fair and trades holidays, spring holidays and Victoria Day for Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Dundee and other Scottish council areas. These local holidays are separate from Scotland's bank holidays and vary from town to town.
The September weekend 2026 is Monday 28 September in Glasgow, Aberdeen, South Lanarkshire and Argyll and Bute, Monday 21 September in Edinburgh and Monday 5 October in Dundee. Glasgow Fair begins on Saturday 18 July 2026. Local holidays are set by councils, not by law, so you only get them off if your employer recognises them.
September weekend 2026 and 2027 by council
The autumn holiday, usually called the September weekend, is the most widely observed local holiday in Scotland. Each council sets its own date:
| Council area | 2026 | 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| Glasgow | Mon 28 Sep | Mon 27 Sep |
| Edinburgh | Mon 21 Sep | Mon 20 Sep |
| Aberdeen | Mon 28 Sep | Not yet published |
| Dundee | Mon 5 Oct | Mon 4 Oct |
| South Lanarkshire | Mon 28 Sep | Not yet published |
| East Lothian | Fri 11 and Mon 14 Sep | Not yet published |
| Argyll and Bute | Mon 28 Sep | Not yet published |
Where 2027 is shown, it comes from the council's published list or its fixed rule. Councils usually publish the next year's dates late in the year, and we update this page when they do.
What a local holiday is
Scotland has two kinds of public holiday. Bank holidays, such as Christmas Day and St Andrew's Day, are set nationally and close banks across the country. Local holidays are set by each council, often following old local custom such as a trades fortnight or a fair, and they differ between towns only a few miles apart.
Local holidays mainly affect council offices, schools and businesses in that area. Banks stay open, and many employers, especially national companies, do not give them at all. Some councils, such as Aberdeen, say plainly that the dates are traditional ones they do not set, and that it is up to each employer whether to recognise them.
Local holidays by council, 2026 and 2027
Glasgow City Council
| Holiday | 2026 | 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| Spring holiday | Mon 25 May 2026 | Mon 31 May 2027 |
| Glasgow Fair begins | Sat 18 July 2026 | Sat 17 July 2027 |
| Autumn holiday (September weekend) | Mon 28 September 2026 | Mon 27 September 2027 |
Glasgow sets its local holidays by rule: the Fair starts on the Saturday before the third Monday in July, and the autumn holiday is the last Monday in September. The 2027 dates follow those rules; the council had not published its 2027 list when we checked. The spring holiday is the same day as the national spring bank holiday.
City of Edinburgh Council
| Holiday | 2026 | 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| Spring holiday | Mon 20 April 2026 | Mon 19 April 2027 |
| Victoria Day | Mon 18 May 2026 | Mon 24 May 2027 |
| Trades holidays begin | Sat 4 July 2026 | Sat 3 July 2027 |
| Autumn holiday (September weekend) | Mon 21 September 2026 | Mon 20 September 2027 |
Both years come from the council's published lists. Edinburgh's autumn holiday is a week earlier than Glasgow's in both 2026 and 2027.
Aberdeen City Council
| Holiday | 2026 | 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| April holiday | Mon 20 April 2026 | Not yet published |
| May holiday | Mon 4 May 2026 | Mon 3 May 2027 |
| July holiday (trades) | Mon 13 July 2026 | Not yet published |
| September holiday | Mon 28 September 2026 | Not yet published |
The council describes these as traditional dates that it does not set, and says it is up to employers whether they recognise them. Council staff also had a holiday on Monday 15 June 2026, the World Cup bank holiday. The May holiday is the national early May bank holiday.
Dundee City Council
| Holiday | 2026 | 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| Spring holiday | Mon 6 April 2026 | Mon 5 April 2027 |
| May holiday | Mon 4 May 2026 | Mon 3 May 2027 |
| Victoria Day | Mon 25 May 2026 | Mon 31 May 2027 |
| Trades holiday | Mon 27 July 2026 | Mon 26 July 2027 |
| Autumn holiday | Mon 5 October 2026 | Mon 4 October 2027 |
Dundee publishes a fixed formula: the first Monday of April, the first and last Mondays of May, the fourth Monday of July and the first Monday of October. The 2027 dates follow that formula. Dundee's autumn holiday is in October, not September.
South Lanarkshire Council
| Holiday | 2026 | 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| Fair Monday | Mon 20 July 2026 | Not yet published |
| September weekend | Mon 28 September 2026 | Not yet published |
Council offices in Lanark close on Lanimer Day, Thursday 11 June 2026, instead of Fair Monday. For 2027, the council's school calendar gives pupils Friday 24 and Monday 27 September off for the September weekend.
East Lothian Council
| Holiday | 2026 | 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| Local holiday | Fri 11 September 2026 | Not yet published |
| Local holiday | Mon 14 September 2026 | Not yet published |
East Lothian takes its September weekend earlier than Glasgow or Edinburgh, as a Friday and Monday.
Argyll and Bute Council
| Holiday | 2026 | 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| September holiday | Mon 28 September 2026 | Not yet published |
Argyll and Bute also lists Good Friday and Easter Monday, 3 and 6 April 2026, as council holidays.
Angus Council: local holidays by town, 2026
Angus sets different local holidays for each town. Every town also has the May Day holiday on Monday 4 May and St Andrew's Day, observed on Friday 4 December 2026:
| Town | Spring | Summer | Autumn |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arbroath | Mon 13 Apr | Mon 27 Jul (St Tammas) | Mon 28 Sep |
| Brechin | Mon 13 Apr | Mon 27 Jul | Mon 28 Sep |
| Carnoustie | Mon 6 Apr | Mon 27 Jul | Mon 5 Oct |
| Forfar | Mon 13 Apr | Mon 27 Jul | Mon 28 Sep |
| Kirriemuir | Mon 6 Apr | Mon 27 Jul | Mon 5 Oct |
| Monifieth | Mon 6 Apr | Mon 27 Jul | Mon 5 Oct |
| Montrose | Mon 13 Apr | Mon 27 Jul | Mon 21 Sep |
Montrose also has the Shopkeepers' Midsummer holiday on Monday 22 June 2026. Angus Council has listed its 2027 council holidays, but not yet its town holidays.
Councils with no extra local holidays
Some councils list only the national holidays. For 2026, Stirling, West Lothian and East Dunbartonshire councils list New Year, Easter and Christmas closures but no separate spring, summer or autumn local holiday. Scottish Borders Council says it does not set local or trades holidays, which are organised by local chambers of trade or community councils. For any other area, use the council links on mygov.scot.
Fair, trades and spring holidays
- Glasgow Fair: the Fair fortnight starts on Saturday 18 July 2026 and Saturday 17 July 2027. Fair Monday, 20 July 2026, is widely taken in the west of Scotland, and South Lanarkshire Council lists it as a holiday.
- Edinburgh trades holidays: start on Saturday 4 July 2026 and Saturday 3 July 2027.
- Dundee trades holiday: Monday 27 July 2026 and Monday 26 July 2027, the fourth Monday of July.
- Aberdeen July holiday: Monday 13 July 2026, the first day of the city's trades fortnight.
- Spring holidays: Edinburgh and Aberdeen keep a spring holiday in April, on Monday 20 April 2026. Dundee's is the first Monday of April, which in 2026 was also Easter Monday.
- Victoria Day: kept in Edinburgh (Monday 18 May 2026) and Dundee (Monday 25 May 2026, the same day as the spring bank holiday).
Do you get local holidays off?
- No legal right: neither local holidays nor bank holidays have to be given as days off. It depends on your contract.
- Pay: there is no legal right to extra pay for working a local holiday. Enhanced rates only apply if your contract or a workplace agreement says so.
- Holiday allowance: where an employer does give local holidays, they normally count towards your 5.6 weeks of paid holiday. The Holiday Entitlement Calculator shows your total.
- Schools: council schools usually close for the September weekend, but often as a Friday and Monday, and school dates can differ from the council's office holidays.
For Scotland's national bank holidays, including St Andrew's Day on Monday 30 November 2026 and the 2 January holiday, see Scotland bank holidays 2026 and 2027. To count working days around a local holiday, use the Working Days Calculator.
Sources
- Glasgow City Council, City of Edinburgh Council, Aberdeen City Council and Dundee City Council, public holiday pages
- South Lanarkshire, East Lothian, Argyll and Bute, Angus, Stirling, West Lothian and East Dunbartonshire councils, public holiday pages
- Scottish Borders Council, public holidays
- Scottish Joint Industry Board, Local Public Holidays 2026 circular
- mygov.scot, Scotland bank holidays and council links
Scottish local holidays: frequently asked questions
Quick answers about local holidays in Scotland.
When is the September weekend 2026 in Glasgow?
Glasgow's autumn holiday, known as the September weekend, is Monday 28 September 2026. It is the last Monday in September, so in 2027 it is expected on Monday 27 September.
When is the September weekend 2026 in Edinburgh?
Edinburgh's autumn holiday is Monday 21 September 2026, a week before Glasgow's. In 2027 it is Monday 20 September.
Is the September weekend a bank holiday?
No. The September weekend is a local holiday set by each council, not a bank holiday. Banks and many businesses stay open, and you only get the day off if your employer recognises it.
When is Glasgow Fair 2026?
Glasgow Fair begins on Saturday 18 July 2026, the Saturday before the third Monday in July. Many workplaces in the west of Scotland take Fair Monday, 20 July 2026, as a holiday; South Lanarkshire Council lists Fair Monday as 20 July.
When is the Dundee trades holiday 2026?
Dundee's trades holiday is Monday 27 July 2026, the fourth Monday of July. In 2027 it is Monday 26 July.
Do I get paid for local holidays in Scotland?
Only if your contract says so. There is no legal right to have a local holiday off or to be paid extra for working it. If your employer gives local holidays, they usually count towards your 5.6 weeks of paid holiday.
What is the difference between a local holiday and a bank holiday?
Bank holidays are set nationally and close banks across Scotland. Local holidays are set by councils or by local custom, vary from town to town, and are mainly followed by council services, schools and local employers.