For those with a thirst for adventure and an appetite for the extraordinary, Big Burns Supper 2025 is offering one of the most unique and immersive celebrations of Scottish tradition ever seen: the Underwater Burns Supper.
Hosted in a custom-built underwater venue, this bold and playful reinterpretation of the classic Burns Supper will take place at the depths of Dumfries, bringing together professional performers to deliver a dining experience that promises to be like no other.
Graham Main, Executive Producer and founder of Big Burns Supper, said:
“We are excited to bring something so original and daring to Big Burns Supper. The Underwater Burns Supper really reflects the festival’s spirit of curiosity and fun while honouring Scotland’s national poet in a way he would surely have enjoyed—by breaking all the rules!”
But the creativity doesn’t stop there. This year’s line-up offers a variety of quirky twists on the Burns Supper tradition, including the Burns Supper on a Bus, a roving feast where attendees can enjoy haggis, neeps, and tatties while touring the streets of Dumfries on a vintage red bus. For families, the Family Burns Supper presents a more relaxed, kid-friendly version of the event, allowing everyone to enjoy a slice of Scottish culture.
A Festival Full of Wonder
Returning after a year’s hiatus, Big Burns Supper 2025 promises to deliver one of the most exciting and eclectic programmes to date, featuring over 150 events across Dumfries from January 17th to February 2nd. The festival, which is the UK’s largest winter fringe event and the world’s biggest Burns Night celebration, will blend tradition with bold new experiences across three weekends of winter magic.
Highlights of the 2025 Programme Include:
Wet Wet Wet – Kicking off Burns Weekend on Friday, January 24th at Loreburn Hall, the legendary pop band will perform their chart-topping hits, including “Love is All Around.” They will be supported by local legends, The Lutra’s
Eddi Reader will join local artists as the festival’s Burns Night Live event will be broadcast live from the Loreburn Hall to the thousands of Big Burns Supper fans across the world. For the first time, festival goers can get stuck into a Burns Supper while the event is beamed internationally.
Tom McGuire & The Brassholes – A Glasgow-based funk-soul powerhouse, known for their energetic live performances, playing at the Festival Club on February 1st.
The East Pointers – The award-winning folk/pop trio from Canada, famous for their electrifying live performances, will grace the stage with their innovative sound.
Julian Taylor – Nominated for two JUNO Awards, this Canadian singer-songwriter of Mohawk and Caribbean descent will deliver a soulful performance on February 1st.
Cinelli Brothers – The UK Blues Band of the Year 2024, blending soul, blues, and rock, performing throughout the festival.
Bombskare – Scotland’s premier ska band, bringing their high-energy live show to Festival Club on January 21st.
Belfast Community Gospel Choir – Northern Ireland’s vibrant and multicultural gospel group, performing at Loreburn Hall on January 26th.
Clubland Classical by Funktion and Kaleidoscope Orchestra – A unique fusion of classical music with drum n bass, trance, and grime, lighting up Loreburn Hall on February 1st.
Edinburgh Gay Men’s Chorus – Scotland’s premier LGBTQ+ choir, performing a diverse repertoire at Theatre Royal on February 1st.
In addition to these headline acts, the festival will feature the iconic Dumfries Carnival with 800 participants, a lantern procession with over 2,000 glowing creations, and an on-street audience of 10,000 people, all under the theme of the 1950s. The festival also offers a vibrant programme of street theatre, local music on outdoor stages, and a Ceilidh Weekend for traditional dance lovers.
Dumfries Carnival weekend will see lots of free and affordable events geared towards families, as well as the launch of Northern Lights which will be a three day, free festival of light which will be announced in the coming weeks.
Festival Venues and Fringe Offerings
Big Burns Supper’s events will span over 25 venues across Dumfries & Galloway, including the Burns Night Live broadcast to a global audience from eight different stages. The Dumfries Fringe will host international artists, with a late-night cabaret programme at Theatre Royal and shows at seven other local venues.
Other programme highlights include:
The Girobabies – Glasgow-based funk-soul grunge band known for their dystopian sound, performing on January 25th.
Emily Barker – Australian acclaimed singer-songwriter behind the theme music for Wallander and The Shadow Line, performing on January 20th.
From unique Burns Suppers and high-profile music performances to street festivals and family-friendly theatre, Big Burns Supper 2025 is ready to bring its legendary celebration of Robert Burns back to Dumfries in spectacular fashion.
Big Burns Supper
Big Burns Supper is the UK’s largest Winter Fringe Festival with over 150 events
each year, and the biggest Burns Night celebration in the world. The festival takes place in Dumfries and features a heady mixture of cabaret, comedy, music and entertainment in over 30 different venues as the town goes bonkers for three weekends of winter magic. If you are going to check out Dumfries this is the time to do it, with events including Burns Night Live, which is streamed live to the world. Big Burns Supper is also the home of Dumfries Carnival, one of Scotland’s largest community events.
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