Festival at St Mary’s: Free Recitals
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Start date
August 7, 2026 1:00 pm
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End date
August 31, 2026
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St Mary's Cathedral
23 Palmerston Place, Edinburgh, EH12 5AW
Festival at St Mary’s presents a wide programme of free recitals at St Mary’s Episcopal Cathedral from 7 to 31 August 2026. The series covers lunchtime classical music, piano afternoons, original compositions, and Sunday organ recitals inside the West End cathedral.
Different musicians appear across the month, with most lunchtime concerts starting at 1pm and lasting around 50 minutes.
Key Event Details
| Event | Festival at St Mary’s: Free Recitals |
| Date(s) | 7 to 31 August 2026 |
| Time | Recitals at 1pm, 3.30pm, and selected Sundays at 5pm |
| Location | St Mary’s Episcopal Cathedral, Palmerston Place |
| Entry | Free |
| Event type | Classical and original music recitals |
What To Expect
The Lunchtime Recitals cover performers and ensembles using piano, guitar, harp, accordion, voice, wind, and strings. Piano Afternoons run from 13 to 22 August at 3.30pm, bringing pianists from the UK and Europe to the cathedral’s Steinway.
Afternoon Originals takes place from 25 to 29 August at 3.30pm, with new music ranging from clàrsach and solo guitar to electronics and string quartet. Organ recitals are scheduled for Sundays 9, 16, and 23 August at 5pm.
Entry and Practical Information
The recital programme is free, although visitors can support the cathedral and its music programme through donations. Individual performers and dates are listed on the official Festival at St Mary’s page.
Location and Getting There
The concerts take place at St Mary’s Episcopal Cathedral on Palmerston Place. Haymarket station and the West End tram stop are both within a short walk, and several bus routes stop on nearby Shandwick Place.
Our Tips
- Check the daily performer before travelling because the style and instruments change throughout the festival.
- Arrive a little early for central seating, particularly for organ and piano recitals.
- Remember that the cathedral remains an active place of worship and other services continue around the festival.
The full recital calendar is available from St Mary’s Episcopal Cathedral.