🧭 58 Can’t-Miss Events in Fife This Weekend

Good morning, Fifers! The sun’s sticking around this week, but I’m secretly hoping for a bit of rain, my plants could definitely use it!

Here’s what else is coming your way today:

• Fife’s New Trains Start This Weekend

• Bruce Festival Returns to Fife Later This Month

• Over £1 Million in Funding Boosts Levenmouth Projects

• 58 Events to Check Out This Weekend

Let’s jump in, there’s plenty to talk about!

— Duncan

TOP STORIES AROUND THE KINGDOM

🚆 Fife’s New Trains Start This Weekend

One of the most common complaints in Fife is the lack of frequent train services, especially during peak times and school holidays, when carriages get uncomfortably packed. So it’s welcome news that ScotRail is rolling out major timetable improvements, with a particular focus on boosting services in Fife.

Back in April, ScotRail confirmed several key changes, and now the time has come, the new timetable goes live this Sunday, 18th May. Here’s what to expect:

• 🚉 More Frequent Leven Services: Leven will now enjoy two trains per hour throughout the day, with the second service running via Dunfermline and Cowdenbeath.

• 🔁 Better Connections to Dundee: Improved timings from Leven will create smoother connections at Kirkcaldy, making the journey to Dundee more seamless.

• 🌙 Late-Night Service to Tain (Trial): A late-night service from Inverness to Tain is being reintroduced as a trial, supporting evening travel in the Highlands.

• ☀️ Direct Morning Service: Inverness → Edinburgh: A new morning train will connect Inverness directly to Edinburgh, replacing the previous Glasgow-bound service — perfect for commuters and tourists alike.

• 🚄 East Kilbride to Glasgow Central: Services between East Kilbride and Glasgow Central are being reintroduced following modernisation work on the line.

These changes come on the back of ScotRail also unexpectedly scrapping peak fares from September and relaxing their alcohol ban. A rare trio of wins for train travellers in Fife! Read more about the changes here.

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LOCAL HEADLINES YOU NEED TO KNOW

• 🎬 Filming has begun on the new BBC gameshow Race Against the Tide at St Andrews’ West Sands beach. Hosted by comedian Iain Stirling, contestants race against the incoming tide to build huge sand sculptures.

• 🌟 Abbotsford Care home in East Wemyss has celebrated its highest rating after an unannounced inspection by the Care Inspectorate. The home received an excellent grade for supporting residents’ wellbeing, praised for its compassionate care, meaningful activities, and strong clinical support.

• ☕ Tesco’s Cupar cafe will close on May 24 to make way for more shelf space. Despite calls from locals who value it as a social spot, the space will be used to expand product offerings.

• 🏆 Glenrothes football coach Lee Robertson has been named Grassroots Hero for his work with local youth and charity football projects in Malawi.

• 🏨 The popular Adamson Hotel near Dunfermline, with 39 bedrooms, a restaurant, bar, and beer garden, is up for sale at £1.75 million.

• 🌸 Fife farmer Alex Nelson is thriving with her seasonal flower business, Jack Blooms, growing peonies and dahlias on her family farm near Strathmiglo to send throughout the UK.

• 🐱 Dozens of cat stencils popping up across Fife were revealed as a secret viral campaign by Your Ford Centre. Inspired by the Ford Puma Gen-E’s ‘puddle lights,’ the team stencilled over 100 cats to promote the new electric SUV.

• 🚧 Plans to increase homes at the controversial Aberdour Hillside School site to 186 are set for councillor approval next week. The development includes a new school campus and 46 affordable homes.

• 💰 Halbeath Retail Park in Dunfermline has been sold for around £23 million. The new owners plan to push ahead with an extension to include an M&S Foodhall and Lidl store.

• ⚡ Electricity Asset Services plans new site in Lochgelly Industrial Park, proposing eight industrial units, a storage shed, renewable energy tech, plus staff facilities including a gym.

AROUND FIFE

Each week, we highlight positive news stories, hidden gems, and local experiences to explore.

💰 Over £1 Million in Funding Boosts Levenmouth Projects

Big news for Levenmouth! Three exciting local projects have just been awarded over £1 million in grant funding from the Levenmouth Reconnected Programme (LRP). This fund, backed by Fife Council and the Scottish Government, is all about making the most of the newly reopened Levenmouth Rail Link.

The biggest slice, £770,000, goes to improving the Leven Promenade Active Travel Route, making walking, cycling, and wheeling along the beach and coastal path easier and safer. This is the next step in linking Leven Station to the town and beyond.

Next up, the Methilhill Community Children’s Initiative got £140,611 to expand into a new community centre, offering more space and activities for local families. And finally, £161,172 will help the BRAG Club@the Hub turn the Together Levenmouth Community Hub into a bigger, more welcoming spot with fresh spaces for events and support services.

Small Grant applications are still open for projects that boost Levenmouth and make the most of the new rail link; businesses, charities, and community groups are all welcome to apply.

⚔️ Dunfermline Gears Up for Bigger, Bolder Bruce Festival 2025

Here at the Fife Insider, we love a good reenactment, and The Bruce Festival really scratches that itch. Returning to Pittencrieff Park in Dunfermline for its second year, the festival builds on 2024’s hugely popular debut, which marked Robert the Bruce’s 750th birthday. This time around, it’s set to be even bigger, with around 20,000 people expected to flock to the park for a weekend of medieval family fun. Best of all? It’s still completely free to attend!

Running on Saturday 31st May and Sunday 1st June, visitors can enjoy:

• 🏇 Jousting

• ⚔️ Mock Battles

• 🦅 Falconry

• 🛠️ Medieval Crafts

• 📖 Storytelling

• 🧒 Kids’ Arena (stone-lifting & skill training)

• 🎭 Magic from Court Jesters

• 🪑 Stocks for "wrongdoers"

• 🍖 Food & Drink Stalls

• 🎉 And more!

Check out all the details here.

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WHAT’S ON IN FIFE?

✨ Featured Event

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🎶 Live Music & Concerts

 📍 The Rising – Tribute band to Springsteen and the E Street Band.
📅 Fri, 16th May | 🕢 7:00pm | 📍 PJ Molloys, Dunfermline | 🎟️ £22

📍 Puddles Pity Party – The golden-voiced, 7-foot-tall sad clown returns for one night only before touring with Weird Al!
📅 Fri, 16 May | 🕢 7:30pm | 📍 Rothes Halls, Glenrothes | 🎟️ £27

📍 Stuart Bell – Returning for another set at the FSC.
📅 Fri, 16th May | 🕣 8:00pm | 📍 Fire Station Creative, Dunfermline | 🎟️ Free

📍 Country & Western Night – A return of the monthly country & western night.
📅 Fri, 16th May | 🕣 8:00pm | 📍 Kinglassie Miners Welfare, Kinglassie | 🎟️ £6

📍 Andy Chung – The Kirkcaldy folk music legend returns for a free evening of live music.
📅 Fri, 16th May | 🕣 8:30pm | 📍 The Harbour Bar, Kirkcaldy | 🎟️ Free

📍 Letham Nights: Matt Carmichael – One of Scotland’s leading jazz-folk trailblazers performs live with his quartet.
📅 Sat, 17th May | 🕖 7:00pm | 📍 Letham Village Hall, Letham | 🎟️ £19.67

📍 Fife Traditional Singing Festival – Old Songs & Bothy Ballads concert featuring singers from Scotland, England & Ireland in a celebration of folk tradition.
📅 Sat, 17th May | 🕑 7:30pm | 📍 Falkland Community Hall, Falkland | 🎟️ £13.70

📍 Rock Therapy – Old school classic hard rock covers from the 70s, 80s and 90s.
📅 Sat, 17th May | 🕣 8:00pm | 📍 Fire Station Creative, Dunfermline | 🎟️ Free

📍 The Burnt Oot Blues Band – A night of Rock & Blues classics.
📅 Sat, 17th May | 🕣 8:00pm | 📍 The Wheatsheaf Inn, Kirkcaldy | 🎟️ Free

📍 Just Beatles – Beatles tribute band playing all the hits.
📅 Sun, 18th May | 🕣 2:00pm | 📍 Backstage at the Green, Kinross | 🎟️ £27.50

📍 My Darling Clementine – Country music duo.
📅 Sun, 18th May | 🕣 2:00pm | 📍 The Larick Centre, Tayport | 🎟️ £15

🎭 Theatre & Stage

📍 The Last Resort – St Leonards students perform Chris Owen’s nostalgic play set in a declining 1980s British seaside resort.
📅 Fri, 16th May | 🕢 7:30pm | 📍 Byre Theatre, St Andrews | 🎟️ £12

📍 My Favourite Things: Rodgers & Hammerstein 80th Anniversary Concert – Musical celebration filmed at Theatre Royal Drury Lane with a 40-piece orchestra.
📅 Sat, 17th May | 🕖 7:00pm | 📍 Adam Smith Theatre, Kirkcaldy | 🎟️ £8.50

📍 Peter and the Wolf on Tour – An interactive, theatrical concert for all ages featuring Prokofiev’s classic, performed by a lively wind quintet.
📅 Sun, 18th May | 🕐 1:00pm & 3:00pm | 📍 Laidlaw Music Centre, St Andrews | 🎟️ £10.50

📍 Die Walküre – A powerful Wagner opera screening from the Royal Opera, with gods, love, rebellion, and rave reviews. Sung in German with subtitles.
📅 Sun, 18th May | 🕑 2:00pm | 📍 Byre Theatre, St Andrews | 🎟️ £20

🎬 Entertainment

📍 Lochore Walking Festival – Join the first-ever Lochore Walking Festival for a week of free, guided walks across Fife.
📅 Mon, 12th – Sun, 18th May | 🕙 Programme | 📍 Fife | 🎟️ Free

📍 Seagrass Spotter Session – Identify seagrass, and contribute to marine restoration using the Seagrass Spotter app.
 📅 Fri, 16th May | 🕤 9:30am | 📍 Beacon Leisure Centre, Burntisland | 🎟️ Free

📍 North Queensferry to Aberdour Guided Walk – Join Fife Coast and Countryside Trust staff for a scenic walk along the coast.
📅 Fri, 16th May | 🕙 10:00am | 📍 Battery Road Car Park, North Queensferry | 🎟️ Free

📍 Black Bag – A tense spy thriller starring Cate Blanchett and Michael Fassbender. When loyalty is tested, which comes first: love or country?
📅 Fri, 16th May | 🕖 7:00pm | 📍 Adam Smith Theatre, Kirkcaldy | 🎟️ £8.50

📍 RRS Discovery Talk – The history of the RRS Discovery, from its construction in Dundee for Antarctic research to its role in early 20th-century expeditions.
📅 Fri, 16th May | 🕢 7:30pm | 📍 Crail Kirk Hall, Crail | 🎟️ Free

📍 Scottish Supermoto Championship – Thrilling races with pitbikes, MiniGP bikes, and Supermotos on dirt, jumps, and tarmac.
📅 Sat, 17th – Sun, 18th May | 🕙 10:00am | 📍 East of Scotland Kart Club, Crail | 🎟️ Free

📍 Led Cycle Ride: Ferry Toll to Blackness – A scenic group cycle over the Forth Road Bridge to picturesque Blackness and back.
📅 Sat, 17th May | 🕥 10:30am | 📍 Ferrytoll Park & Ride, Inverkeithing | 🎟️ Free

📍 50 Years Of Car Racing at Knockhill – Celebrate 5 decades of Scottish motorsport with racing, classic car parades, and demos including a Formula 5000 and F1 car.
📅 Sat, 17th – Sun, 18th May | 🕥 10:30am | 📍 Knockhill Racing Circuit, Saline | 🎟️ £20

📍 AIA Seasonal Coffee Mornings – Community café with tea, coffee, home-baking, book swap, craft table, and more.
📅 Sat, 17th May | 🕥 10:30am | 📍 Dreel Halls, Anstruther | 🎟️ £3.50

📍 Mentally Healthy – A free wellbeing event with talks on mental health and wild swimming.
📅 Sat, 17th May | 🕚 11:00am & 1:00pm | 📍 Methil Heritage Centre, Methil | 🎟️ Free

📍 The King of Kings – A moving retelling of the greatest story ever told, seen through the eyes of a child.
📅 Sat, 17th May | 🕚 11:00am | 📍 Adam Smith Theatre, Kirkcaldy | 🎟️ £5

📍 Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit – Join the duo for veg-filled chaos and a mysterious beast.
📅 Sat, 17th May | 🕑 2:00pm | 📍 Adam Smith Theatre, Kirkcaldy | 🎟️ £5

📍 Quiz, Pie and Pint Night – Enjoy a fun quiz night with friends and family! Teams up to 6.
📅 Sat, 17th May | 🕖 7:00pm | 📍 The Simpson Institute, Upper Largo | 🎟️ £10

📍 Psychic Night – Join internationally known and much-loved psychic medium Anne Clark for an evening of spirit connection and mediumship.
📅 Sat, 17th May | 🕖 7:00pm | 📍 Auchtertool Village Hall, Auchtertool | 🎟️ £10

📍 Norway Day Ceilidh Dance – Celebrate Norway Day with ceilidh dancing, snacks, raffle & tombola with Burntisland’s twin town Flekkefjord.
📅 Sat, 17th May | 🕑 7:30pm | 📍 Burntisland Parish Church, Burntisland | 🎟️ £14.25

📍 Make it to Munich – An inspiring documentary about a young footballer’s recovery and 1200km cycle to Euro 2024.
📅 Sat, 17th May | 🕢 7:30pm | 📍 Byre Theatre, St Andrews | 🎟️ £10

📍 Classic Car Meet & Greet – Join Fife Classic Car Group to admire and celebrate classic cars 30+ years old at monthly meetups.
📅 Sun, 18th May | 🕙 10:00am | 📍 Fife Heritage Railway, Leven | 🎟️ Free

📍 May Ceilidh at Culross Stables – Spring into some traditional Scottish fun with easy, inclusive Ceilidh dancing.
📅 Sun, 18th May | 🕓 4:00pm | 📍 The Stables, Culross | 🎟️ Donation

📍 Introduction to Mindfulness – A free, welcoming session with coach Craig Gilbert on using mindfulness in daily life.
📅 Mon, 19th May | 🕑 2:00pm | 📍 Dalgety Bay Library, Dalgety Bay | 🎟️ Free

📍 Pint Of Science 2025 – Three nights of fascinating science talks, demos, and live experiments in a relaxed pub setting.
📅 Mon, 19th – Wed, 21st May | 🕖 7:00pm | 📍 Sandy’s Bar @ The Union, St Andrews | 🎟️ £5

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Family & Kids

📍 Bookbug’s Big Bedtime Party – Enjoy free, fun, and friendly sessions for babies, toddlers, and pre-schoolers!
📅 Fri, 16th May | 🕑 10:30am | 📍 Lochgelly Centre, Lochgelly | 🎟️ Free

📍 Gaelic and Scots Bookbug – Enjoy free, fun, and friendly sessions for babies, toddlers, and pre-schoolers! Sing, rhyme, and share stories with your little ones.
📅 Fri, 16th May | 🕑 1:30pm | 📍 Kirkcaldy Galleries, Kirkcaldy | 🎟️ Free

📍 Glee Challenge Regional Finals – The top 9 primary school choirs from Fife compete for a place in the National Final in this high-energy night of music and fun.
📅 Fri, 16th May | 🕕 6:15pm | 📍 Alhambra Theatre, Dunfermline | 🎟️ £14

📍 Bookbug – Enjoy free, fun, and friendly sessions for babies, toddlers, and pre-schoolers! Sing, rhyme, and share stories with your little ones.
📅 Sat, 17th May | 🕑 10:15am | 📍 Willie Clarke Centre, Lochore Meadows | 🎟️ Free

📍 Bounce In The Park – Scotland’s biggest inflatable theme park with massive inflatables, obstacle courses, giant slides, and more!
📅 Sat, 17th – Sun, 18th May | 🕛 12:00pm | 📍 Dunfermline Public Park, Dunfermline | 🎟️ £10 per child

📍 Reformation Regent – Step back to the 1570s at Aberdour Castle and meet James Douglas, 4th Earl of Morton, Regent of Scotland.
📅 Sat, 17th – Sun, 18th May | 🕛 12:00pm | 📍 Aberdour Castle, Aberdour | 🎟️ Castle Entry

📍 International Museum Day: Family Events – Explore museum life with hands-on activities, curator meet & greets, and more!
📅 Sun, 18th May | 🕙 10:00am | 📍 R&A World Golf Museum, St Andrews | 🎟️ Museum Entry

📍 Bookbug – Enjoy free, fun, and friendly sessions for babies, toddlers, and pre-schoolers! Sing, rhyme, and share stories with your little ones.
📅 Mon, 19th May | 🕑 10:30am | 📍 Rothes Halls, Glenrothes | 🎟️ Free

🥗 Food & Drink

📍 Dunfermline Gin Festival – Experience the best of gin, music, and fun at this annual charity event!
📅 Fri, 16th – Sat, 17th May | 🕑 7:00pm | 📍 Glen Pavilion, Pittencrieff Park, Dunfermline | 🎟️ £25.90

🛒 Markets

📍 Artisan Fridays Market – A lively weekly food market offering hot & cold food on Kirkcaldy High Street.
📅 Fri, 16th May | 🕘 9:00am | 📍 Kirkcaldy High Street, Kirkcaldy | 🎟️ Free

📍 Cupar Market – A vibrant local market with fresh produce, handmade crafts, food, homewares, and Scottish-made goods from independent producers.
📅 Sat, 17th May | 🕙 10:00am | 📍 Crossgate, Cupar | 🎟️ Free

📍 Culross Community Market – Enjoy a fantastic day of local shopping, delicious food, and live music in the historic village of Culross.
📅 Sun, 18th May | 🕛 12:00pm | 📍 Culross Green, Culross | 🎟️ Free

🎨 Exhibitions

📍 Unearthed – Step back in time to discover how Scotland was formed, explore prehistoric creatures, and uncover treasures from Fife’s past.
📅 Sat, 8th February – Sat, 27th September | 🕒 10:30am | 📍 St Andrews Museum, St Andrews | 🎟️ Free

📍 Jack Vettriano Exhibition 2025 – A stunning collection of Jack Vettriano prints, including rare and sold-out pieces, at Affordable Arts!
📅 Tue, 4th March – Tue, 28th October | 🕙 10:00am | 📍 Affordable Arts, Methil | 🎟️ Free

📍 Hag: Knowledge, Power & Alchemy through Craft – An inspiring exhibition celebrating the creativity, strength, and mastery of 13 Scottish women craft artists.
📅 Sat, 8th March – Sun, 8th June | 🕙 Various times | 📍 Carnegie Library & Galleries, Dunfermline | 🎟️ Free

📍 Cupar Museum and Heritage Centre – Explore Cupar’s rich history with exhibitions celebrating 250 years of Cupar Curling Club, a newly restored portrait of Charles Lees, famous creative locals, and the story of an 1870s dress that made its way to New Zealand.
📅 Wed, 16th April – Fri, 31st October | 🕒 2pm (Wed, Fri & Sun) | 📍 Cupar Railway Station, Cupar | 🎟️ Free

📍 Bunker Shots: Stories of Golf and Conflict – Discover the surprising connections between golf and conflict, including the impact of war on golfers and their equipment.
📅 Fri, 18th April - Tue, 31st March | 🕘 9:15am | 📍 The R&A World Golf Museum, St Andrews | 🎟️ £17.50

📍 Fife Flyers British Championship 40th Anniversary Exhibition – Relive the dramatic victory of the 1985 British Champions with memorabilia, photos, and more.
📅 Wed, 30th April - Sun, 8th June | 🕘 10am (Mon - Sat) & 12pm (Sun) | 📍 Kirkcaldy Galleries, Kirkcaldy | 🎟️ Free

📍 Yolandé Kenny: Watercolours of Our Beautiful Fife Coast – Watercolours capturing the charm of Fife's coastline, from local wildlife to the ebb and flow of coastal life.
📅 Tue, 29th Apr – Wed, 28th May | 🕒 10am (Mon - Sat) & 11am (Sun) | 📍 The Scottish Fisheries Museum, Anstruther | 🎟️ Free

📍 The Wonder Store – An exhibition curated by Robert & David Mach, inspired by the old Wonder Store in Methil, showcasing artworks by various renowned artists.
📅 Fri, 2nd May - Sat, 27th Jun | 🕚 Varies | 📍 Methil Heritage Centre, Methil | 🎟️ Free

🧶 Arts & Crafts

📍 Raku and Alternative Firings – Raku workshop including western-style raku glaze firings, naked raku, horse hair, feather firings, and saggar firings.
📅 Sat, 17th May | 🕤 9:30am | 📍 Forgan Arts Centre, Newport-on-Tay | 🎟️ £95

📍 Sewing Patchwork Workshop – Learn patchwork techniques in this beginner/intermediate quilting class. Create a quilted mat to take home.
📅 Sat, 17th May | 🕑 10:00am | 📍 Sew Yarn Crafty & Studio, Dunfermline | 🎟️ £75

📍 Gifts from the Land: Making Earth Pigments – Explore creating natural earth pigments and painting with them, guided by artist Siobhan McLaughlin.
📅 Sat, 17th May | 🕑 12:00pm | 📍 St Andrews Botanic Garden, St Andrews | 🎟️ £65

📍 Cast ON at Kirkcaldy Galleries – A cosy, free fortnightly knitting & crochet meetup for all skill levels.
📅 Sat, 17th May | 🕜 1:30pm | 📍 Kirkcaldy Galleries, Kirkcaldy | 🎟️ Free

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Cheers,

Duncan

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