🧭 Europe's Longest Street Fair Returns to Fife

Good morning, Fifers!

Here’s what's coming your way today:

• Europe's Longest Street Fair Returns to Fife

• Name a Fife Bin Lorry

• 42 Events to See This Week

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

— Duncan

LOCAL HEADLINES YOU NEED TO KNOW

• 🍽️ Dunfermline Foodbank has received a £50,000 funding boost from the Postcode Community Trust to help meet rising demand, with thousands of emergency food parcels being distributed as cost of living pressures continue to impact local families.

• 🚖 Taxi fares across Fife are set to rise from May 25th, with daytime starting fares increasing to £3.78 and higher night rates introduced, as councils aim to reflect rising costs for drivers and keep the industry viable.

• 🔥 Fife Council and Scottish Fire and Rescue Service are urging residents to safely charge, use and recycle electrical items, warning of rising fire risks linked to lithium-ion batteries and promoting simple steps to prevent dangerous incidents at home.

• 🚧 Network Rail has postponed the planned 14-month closure of Thornton’s main bridge after strong community backlash, admitting mistakes in consultation and committing to rework proposals with local input before moving forward.

• 🚆 ScotRail has reported over 800,000 passenger journeys across the Easter weekend, marking a 4% increase on last year as demand for rail travel continues to grow.

• ⛳ St Andrews Links Trust has highlighted the historic and ongoing importance of managing gorse (“whin”) bushes, balancing their role in shaping course strategy and biodiversity with careful modern maintenance to preserve the iconic links landscape.

• ⛽ Fife Council and emergency services say they are managing rising fuel costs by using national procurement frameworks, reserves, and shifts towards electric vehicles, with no immediate impact expected on frontline services despite ongoing price pressures.

• 🚛 The 1st Fordell Scouts have launched a fun fundraiser inviting the public to name West Fife bin lorries, with £5 entries helping raise £40,000 for a new all-weather outdoor facility and headquarters. Enter here.

• 🪨 A community archaeology dig at Falkland Stewardship Trust in partnership with the University of Aberdeen will return to East Lomond in July 2026, offering paid volunteer excavation slots to explore Iron Age and Pictish remains following recent discoveries.

TODAY’S TOP STORY

🎡 Europe's Longest Street Fair Returns to Fife

The Links Market returns to Kirkcaldy this week, bringing Europe’s longest-running street fair back to the town’s Esplanade from Wednesday 15th to Monday 20th. The fair will open at 2pm on Wednesday, with more than 100 rides on offer ranging from traditional carousels to high-speed thrill rides. Food stalls and side attractions will operate until 10pm on opening day, then from 1pm daily thereafter.

To accommodate the event, the Esplanade will be closed from Charlotte Street to the Morrisons supermarket. The road will reopen at 4pm on Wednesday 22nd, once the fair has been fully dismantled. Pedestrian access will remain in place throughout, and four additional taxi bays have been added to the High Street rank to support visitor transport.

This will be the first Links Market without evening parking in the now-demolished Esplanade multi-storey car park, so plan accordingly. Alternative car parking is available at locations across the town centre, and the barriers around the former car park site have been pulled back from the main road to help with traffic flow during the market.

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WHAT’S ON IN FIFE?

Please remember to double-check details with venues before travelling, as events can occasionally be cancelled or rescheduled at short notice, and some will require prebooked tickets.

Tuesday, 14th April

Storytelling & Badge Making - Spring stories and badge making with local storyteller Sheila Kinninmonth.
📁 Family | 🕢 1pm | 📍 St Andrews Heritage Museum | 🎟️ Museum Admission

The Sacred Art of Tibet - Discover how Tibet became home to a rich artistic tradition inspired by the teachings of Buddhism!
📁 Talk | 🕢 2pm | 📍 Cupar Corn Exchange | 🎟️ £10

2026 Neil Smith Lecture: Glen Coulthard - This lecture will provide a reconstructed history of Red Power radicalisation and Indigenous-Marxist cross-fertilisation.
📁 Talk | 🕢 4pm | 📍 Parliament Hall, St Andrews | 🎟️ Free

Wednesday, 15th April

The Three Little Pigs - It’s time to get blown away in this brand-new musical adventure of The Three Little Pigs!
📁 Family | 🕢 2pm | 📍 Adam Smith Theatre, Kirkcaldy | 🎟️ £15.50

Re-Presenting King James VI - Dr Anna Groundwater of the National Museum of Scotland will present a lecture on King James VI.
📁 Talk | 🕢 2pm | 📍 Dunfermline Carnegie Library & Galleries | 🎟️ £8.50

World Art Day Crafternoon: Origami Art - A chance for families to get creative in a relaxed and informal way.
📁 Family | 🕢 2pm | 📍 R&A World Golf Museum, St Andrews | 🎟️ Free

Wednesday Night Slides - 1/10th scale Electric RWD Drift cars only, and must be running Buzz Break or DS Racing LF4 tyres.
📁 Entertainment | 🕢 6:30pm | 📍 Parkgate Community Centre, Rosyth | 🎟️ £5+

Jackalope Ensemble (Piano Quartet) - They will play Frank Bridge, Fantasy Piano Quartet; Enescu, Piano Quartet No.2; Fauré, Piano Quartet No1 in C minor.
📁 Music | 🕢 7:30pm | 📍 Kirkcaldy Old Kirk | 🎟️ £18

The Shoregate Session - Everything from traditional tunes through to songs ancient and modern.
📁 Music | 🕢 8pm | 📍 The Shoregate, Crail | 🎟️ Free

Martin Stephenson & The Daintees - British rock/folk/pop band combining elements of rockabilly, show tunes, rootsy pop, straight-ahead rock and punk.
📁 Music | 🕢 8pm | 📍 Backstage at the Green, Kinross | 🎟️ £29.70

Thursday, 16th April

Family-Friendly Litter-Picking - Get involved with our family-friendly Spring Clean Scotland event with Rubbish Rangers at Ravenscraig Park.
📁 Family | 🕢 10:30am | 📍 Ravenscraig Park, Kirkcaldy | 🎟️ Free

Draw With Yer MAW - Explore charcoal drawings in a ‘Masters At Work’ (yer MAW) drawing class – where you can become the master.
📁 Art | 🕢 11:30am | 📍 Methil Heritage Centre | 🎟️ Free

Soil Health and Compost Workshop - Explore the role of soil in any productive garden and highlight the importance of testing your soil before adjusting nutrient levels.
📁 Workshop | 🕢 1pm | 📍 Greener Kirkcaldy | 🎟️ Free

Repeat Printing Drop-In - Try acetate printing, where you make a design print it and then reuse the ink to create a new design.
📁 Family | 🕢 1:30pm | 📍 Scottish Fisheries Museum, Anstruther | 🎟️ Free

K-Pop Live: The Theatre Show - Step into the dazzling world of K-Pop where every comeback hits harder.
📁 Music | 🕢 6pm | 📍 Rothes Halls, Glenrothes | 🎟️ £30

Historical Symposium - Evening of fascinating short historical talks on the history of St Andrews.
📁 Talk | 🕢 6:30pm | 📍 St Andrews Town Hall | 🎟️ £5

Stuart McPherson: Crisps and a Lie Down - Critically-acclaimed new show about settling down, growing up and how he's being controlled by his step-dog.
📁 Comedy | 🕢 7pm | 📍 King's Theatre, Kirkcaldy | 🎟️ £14

The Band - Fife premiere for this hit musical featuring the music of Take That.
📁 Stage | 🕢 7:15pm | 📍 Lochgelly Centre | 🎟️ £17.50+

The Bates Motel - Born out of the lockdown and a love of Americana Rock and Alt Country.
📁 Music | 🕢 8pm | 📍 Backstage at the Green, Kinross | 🎟️ £26.40

Friday, 17th April

Spring Visits 2026 - Meet our friendly animals at Hillview Animal Park.
📁 Family | 🕢 10am & 1pm | 📍 Hillview Animal Park | 🎟️ £11.55

Lyne Burn Bugs and Bulbs - Fun workshop finding out about bugs and beasties and planting bulbs.
📁 Family | 🕢 11am | 📍 Touch Community Garden, Dunfermline | 🎟️ Free

Hayley Matthews Art Paint & Sip: Cherry Blossom - Paint, sip, create! No experience necessary! All art materials and refreshments provided. BYOB! 
📁 Art | 🕢 6pm | 📍 St Peter’s Church, Kirkcaldy | 🎟️ £35

Desperate Improv! - Meet the contestants of the newest hot reality show!
📁 Stage | 🕢 6:20pm & 7:40pm | 📍 University of St Andrews Students' Association | 🎟️ £3+

Darren McGarvey: Trauma Industrial Complex - McGarvey dissects how personal suffering is repackaged, exploring the fine line between awareness and exploitation.
📁 Talk | 🕢 7pm | 📍 King's Theatre, Kirkcaldy | 🎟️ £16

Wrest - Scottish folk rock band, formed in 2017.
📁 Music | 🕢 7pm | 📍 PJ Molloys, Dunfermline | 🎟️ £24.75

The Band - Fife premiere for this hit musical featuring the music of Take That.
📁 Stage | 🕢 7:15pm | 📍 Lochgelly Centre | 🎟️ £17.50+

Simon & Garfunkel: Through the Years - The world’s most authentic tribute to Simon & Garfunkel.
📁 Music | 🕢 7:30pm | 📍 Rothes Halls, Glenrothes | 🎟️ £30+

The Burleigh Blues Band - Four-piece with a soulful, funky take on new and old standards.
📁 Music | 🕢 7:30pm | 📍 Fire Station Creative, Dunfermline | 🎟️ £13.70

Susie McCabe: Best Behaviour - The Billy Connolly Spirit of Glasgow award winner Susie McCabe is back!
📁 Comedy | 🕢 7:30pm | 📍 Alhambra Theatre, Dunfermline | 🎟️ £18

Moving Pictures - The ultimate Rush tribute.
📁 Music | 🕢 7:30pm | 📍 Carnegie Hall, Dunfermline | 🎟️ £21.50+

SlayOff! Who Will Rule the Stage? - Bands, singers, drag artists, burlesque performers, and more, all going head-to-head in a Battle of the Bands–style showdown.
📁 Stage | 🕢 7:30pm | 📍 Adam Smith Theatre, Kirkcaldy | 🎟️ £16.50

Twist & Shout - Sing and dance along with an all-star West End cast.
📁 Music | 🕢 7:30pm | 📍 Adam Smith Theatre, Kirkcaldy | 🎟️ £29.50

The Petty Heartbreakers - A celebration of the great Tom Petty.
📁 Music | 🕢 8pm | 📍 Backstage at the Green, Kinross | 🎟️ £28.60

Multi-Day Festivals & Events

Sands 26: International Film Festival - Exciting showcase of international cinema as well as film-related events and workshops.
📅 Fri, 17th - Sun, 19th April | 🕢 Varies | 📍 St Andrews | 🎟️ Varies

Kirkcaldy Links Market - Europe's Longest Street Fair and Scotland's oldest, will return to the Esplanade for 2026
📅 Wed, 15th - Mon, 20th April | 🕢 Varies | 📍 Esplanade, Kirkcaldy | 🎟️ Free

Hayley Matthews Art Exhibition ’Wild!’ - A vibrant new collection of original paintings and prints by self-taught artist Hayley Matthews. 
📅 Tue, 7th April - Thu, 25th June | 🕢 Varies | 📍 Lochgelly Centre | 🎟️ Free

Pins and Needles Exhibition - The exhibition showcases previously unseen or rarely-seen items from the museum’s textile collection.
📅 Thu, 9th April - Sun, 23rd August | 🕢 10am-4pm (Mon-Sat) & 11am-4pm (Sun) | 📍 Scottish Fisheries Museum, Anstruther | 🎟️ Museum Admission

Living Colour: Celebrating 200 Years of the Royal Scottish Academy - Experience the incredible range of RSA artists represented in this specially curated show from OnFife’s collections.
📅 Sat, 28th March - Sat, 5th September | 🕢 10:30am-4pm (Mon-Sat) | 📍 St Andrews Museum | 🎟️ Free

Unearthed - Step back in time to where it all began in our latest family-friendly exhibition.
📅 Sat, 21st March - Sun, 6th September | 🕢 Varies | 📍 Dunfermline Carnegie Library & Galleries | 🎟️ Free

Dear Earth - An exhibition exploring how artists are responding to the increased fragility of the world around us.
📅 Sat, 21st March - Sun, 13th September | 🕢 Varies | 📍 Kirkcaldy Galleries | 🎟️ Free

Carnegie and the RSA: A Celebration of the Carnegie Travelling Scholarship - This exhibition celebrates the wide-ranging impact of the Royal Scottish Academy’s Carnegie Travelling Scholarship as part of RSA 200: Celebrating Together.
📅 Mon, 23rd March - Sun, 13th December | 🕢 Varies | 📍 Andrew Carnegie Birthplace Museum | 🎟️ Free

Kirkcaldy Boot & Mart - Indoor and outdoor market held every Saturday, Sunday and Wednesday.
📅 Sat, 10th January - Wed, 16th December | 🕢 9am (Wed, Sat, & Sun) | 📍 6 Michelson Drive, Kirkcaldy | 🎟️ Free

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THANKS FOR READING

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Cheers,

Duncan