Excitement as first acts announced for inaugural Culture Night Stirling: Carnival of the Wolf
Stirling Council is thrilled to announce the first acts of a new innovative cultural festival that will transform Stirling and the surrounding areas on Friday 1st May 2026.
Article Source: Stirling Council
Last Updated: 12 March 2026 9:52
Culture Night Stirling will bring venues and unexpected spaces to life through an exciting variety of *free events.
The inaugural theme for the festival, ‘Carnival of the Wolf’, draws inspiration from one of Stirling’s most enduring legends – the tale of a pack of wolves whose howls alerted the people of Stirling to an attempted Viking invasion.
This legendary story will be reimagined across the city and the wider area through performance, music, art, and spectacle. Expect: live music, aerial dance and immersive performance; cabaret and standup comedy; bold theatrical drumming performances; a historical crime tour that brings Stirling’s darker stories to life; pop-up performances, workshops, installations, food and drink experiences, and much more.
As part of the initial programme announcement, we are delighted to confirm that Tolbooth Stirling will host a major headline act and homecoming performance by internationally acclaimed DJ and producer Sam Gellaitry, who will headline Culture Night Stirling with a special one-off DJ set, returning to his hometown to perform after touring internationally and working with the likes of PinkPantheress and Kaytranada.
The first wave of the programme release showcases the scale and diversity of Culture Night Stirling and is available by visiting: www.yourstirling.com/whats-on/culturenight.
Further additions to the bumper line-up will be revealed in the coming weeks – register online for all the updates.
Stirling Council Leader, Cllr Susan McGill, said: “Culture Night Stirling is a unique addition to Stirling and Scotland’s events calendar, and the initial programme announcement is an exciting milestone as we build-up to this new festival.
“The ‘Carnival of the Wolf’ will celebrate Stirling’s spirit, creativity and thriving cultural scene, delivering something distinctive, bold and vibrant for visitors and locals, from exciting contemporary performances to grassroots community events.
“There will be something for everyone, it will all be free and it will be happening all over the city and in places you wouldn’t expect. You may even see a wolf or two on your travels…But don’t worry they are all friendly!
“It’s for one night only, so get Friday 1 May 2026 in your diary, sign-up for all the updates and we’ll see you here for this amazing cultural celebration.”
To mark the milestone, Stirling Council is also unveiling a striking new wolf illustration specially commissioned for Culture Night Stirling 2026.
Created by Superelectric, Stirling based freelance Graphic Designer and Illustrator Staci Jo Rowlison, the illustration offers a fresh, contemporary interpretation of the city’s legendary wolves and will feature prominently across Culture Night Stirling marketing materials.
A big supporter of the arts, Staci has supported many creative organisations and projects in Stirling over the years.
Today’s initial programme launch comes hot on the heels of Stirling being chosen to host BBC Radio 2 in the Park Stirling between 7 and 9 August.
Cllr McGill added: “It’s fair to say there is a real buzz around Stirling just now with all these major festival announcements and it’s going to be a year packed full of exciting activities for the area.
“We can’t wait to welcome the world to Stirling for Culture Night and our other festivals and events. With so many world class attractions and authentic experiences to offer visitors, we hope people will come not just for Culture Night Stirling – boosting our evening economy – but will stay over the May bank holiday weekend.”
For more information on Culture Night Stirling, which will take place in venues across the city centre and the wider area, can be found by visiting: www.yourstirling.com
Culture Night Stirling is being delivered with support from EventScotland.
*while all events are free to attend, some will be ticketed with a nominal booking fee.
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