Inverness Entertainment

It may be capital of the Highlands, but Inverness will never be confused with entertainment capitals such as London or Paris. There isnt a great deal to choose from in this small city after dark, but at least you can head down to the local for a pint or two before heading out for a bit of nightclub action, Inverness-style. Midweek, its mostly couples and locals out on the town, keeping the atmosphere quiet and relaxing. When the weekend rolls around, Inverness kicks into gear as the more energetic young crowd takes over. All enclosed public bars are now non-smoking, and only a few places have outside seating areas.

Nightlife

One thing this city does well is pubs. Although they wont be quite as authentically charming as the more isolated pubs in the rural areas, they still do an excellent job of creating a quintessential Highlander ambience. Caste Street is the hub of the Inverness nightlife scene, where you can find everything from traditional pubs to trendy cocktail lounges. Gs Nightclub is the popular place for partying while Bakoo, Hootenannys and Johnny Foxes are also hot spots for music and dancing.

For something more laid-back, head over to Academy Street, where you can find the locals sipping a pint of Scottish real ale at the Phoenix pub or chilling out in leather sofas to the sounds of jazz at Bar Pivo or Barbazza. Just remember that Inverness has a midnight curfew. You wont be able to enter a bar or club after that time, so make sure youre already inside or your night will be over.

Theatre and music

Theres not much in the way of cultural performance art in Inverness, but the city does have a few venues where you can catch live music most nights of the week. For a taste of local music, Hootenannys offers the best selection of predominantly Celtic entertainment. Johnny Foxes is another great venue, with live folk music most nights and since its an Irish pub, you can come and enjoy the craic. The Ironworks is the place to check out hot bands from around Britain and Europe. They keep a lively schedule of up-and-coming rock and pop bands.

Festivals

Inverness has its share of festivals and annual events which draw in the crowds. Most of them naturally centre on the citys native Highlander culture. Highlights include:

• The Inverness Music Festival brings a wide range of music to the city to help usher in the spring (February).
• Inverness Highland Games is one of the premier events of the year as contestants from all over the world compete in traditional Highland sports such as hurling. Its an amazing spectacle (July).
• The Marymas Fair is a traditional event which has been held since 1590 to crown the Marymas Queen. This colourful event features craft stalls, entertainment and a fascinating horse and carriage procession (August).
• Blas Traditional Music Festival brings the sounds of the Highlands and other regions of Scotland to the city and at other venues around the Highlands (September).
• Inverness Hogmanay Festival helps celebrate the Christmas season with fun events along the River Ness and around Inverness Castle (December).