Aberdeen Entertainment

A wonderful range of first rate restaurants and a vibrant nightlife, combined with a thriving cultural calendar and shops in abundance all help make Scotlands third largest city a prime entertainment destination. To round off a day in Aberdeen, the variety of nightlife is surprisingly wide. A visit during a festival or highland gathering will produce a particularly good choice of evening entertainment, but no matter what the time of year there is a great deal to entertain both young and old. Aberdeen is home to great nightclubs and cinemas, as well as an acclaimed theatre, His Majestys Theatre.

Nightlife

At night Aberdeen really comes to life with a vibrant nightlife second to none. It boasts a great range of venues ranging from cool clubs to traditional pubs packed with atmosphere and everything in between. With a student population of more than 20,000, the city has much to offer in the way of entertainment and caters for all tastes in arts, culture and leisure. For those that favour a quiet drink and fine conversation, there is a whole host of different venues for you to relax in, from trendy wine bars and jazz clubs to cosy caf bars and student hangouts.

The majority of nightlife venues are concentrated in the city centre and easily located. Here you can find a wonderful blend of old-style bars and more modern clubs. The Old Mill Inn is one of the more traditional bars that focuses on food and features the best of the local produce, making for a more family-orientated atmosphere. The Howff caters for a wider variety of patrons with a variety of liqueurs from Spanish to Italian and also serves food.

Theatre and music

The Aberdeen Arts Centre boasts a 350-seat theatre that is used by professional and amateur groups staging everything from poetry readings and plays to musical concerts of different styles. The 19th-century Music Hall on Union Street is a lavishly gilded 1,282-seat theatre that features concerts by the Scottish National Orchestra, the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, touring international orchestras and pop bands.
His Majestys Theatre on Rosemount Viaduct was built in 1906 and is the only theatre worldwide built entirely of granite. The 1,445-seat theatre features a late Victorian interior and hosts operas, dance performances, dramas, classical concerts, musicals and comedy shows year-round. Lemon Tree on 5 W North Street is a mixed venue with a 150-seat theatre staging dance recitals, theatrical performances and stand-up comedy.

Aberdeen offers a varied mix of music for music fans, and regularly draws major touring shows by some of the biggest names around. For dedicated clubbers there is a good selection of dance floors in and around the city centre, pumping up sounds of hip hop, dance, chart classics, indie, rock, Latin beats, soul, cheesy pop and lots more. The Music Hall has been the heart of entertainment in the city for more than 180 years and hosts more than 200 performances a year ranging from pop to country to contemporary concerts.

Festivals

There are a number of annual festivals that are unique to the city, with highlights including:

• The Aberdeen Country Fair is held on the last Saturday of every month at Belmont St and the Academy Shopping Centre, where around 20,000 consumers come to sample local produce, delicacies and treats.
• The Triptych festival (April) is a mix of gigs and DJ sets in Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen, which has been staged since 2001. Films are also on the programme, along with a variety of workshops that allow visitors to look into the music industry.
• Aberdeens Highland Games (June), held in Hazlehead Park, feature a range of events and competitions showing off the skills of sports-people, dancers and musicians from all over Scotland.
• The Aberdeen International Football Festival (July) gives young boys and girls from around the world a chance to battle it out at the citys Seaton Park.
• The International Youth Festival (August) is widely regarded as one of Aberdeens most prominent cultural events, where around 1,000 young people come together from the worlds finest youth orchestras, bands, dance and theatre groups.
• Techfest (September) is a unique festival of technology and science. It is held across Aberdeen in several venues, including the Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre.
• The Festival for Older People (Sep to Oct) features a wide range of events, activities and entertainment for the citys retired population. These include concerts, tea dances, a film festival, art exhibitions, tai chi, dance and tours.
• The Traditional German Christmas Market (December) is held at Aberdeens Castlegate Square. More than 30 traditional wooden chalets shipped in from Hamburg in Germany offer a great selection of traditional German gifts, foods and crafts.