Let’s explore social events in Edinburgh, Scotland happening this week. Local events are a great way to meet new people and make new friends. Look through this page and consider going out and socializing during one of these social events.
Are you looking to take a break from your regular ventures, build friendships or develop emotional intelligence? Social events could just be just the thing you are missing. As they always say, one’s company, two’s a crowd, three’s a party. In these events, you will get to meet a whole new range of people, engage other cultures and understand different perspectives. You get opportunities to expand your circle through the interactions and conversations elicited. Whether you are looking to improve your social or work connections, this is it for you.
There are many events held across Edinburgh, Scotland. Events range from backyard outings, outdoor activity events, singles events, professional networking, meaningful discussions, and more. They are all varied and interesting covering your lifestyle and preference. If you find it hard to make connections or socialize in these events, here are a few tips to save your situation.
Local Groups’ Events in Edinburgh
December Social
◦ When: Tuesday, Dec 17th
◦ Where: The Newsroom Bar
It’s time for our annual Christmas/End of Year social!
We’ll be meeting at The Newsroom on Tuesday 17th December, 19:00 for informal socialising and drinks.
All are welcome to attend, even if you have never attended an EdinburghJS meetup before. It’s a great way to meet fellow developers!
Please RSVP so we have an idea of numbers for the venue.(…)
☘️ F*ck the Small Talk #8
◦ When: Tuesday, Dec 17th
◦ Where: Edinburgh
**🎟️ Sign up here: [epicllama.typeform.com/ftstedinburgh](https://epicllama.typeform.com/ftstedinburgh) 🎟️**
F\*ck the Small Talk has traveled the world from Berlin, Melbourne, London, Lisbon, to Mexico City, and is now in **Edinburgh**! 😎
**📦 WHAT’S THIS ABOUT?**
FTST is a one-of-a-kind social experience where strangers come together for an afternoon of meaningful, fun, and deep conversati(…)
Make friends & BlaBla Language Exchange Edinburgh
◦ When: Wednesday, Dec 18th
◦ Where: The Queens Arms
**⚠️⚠️⚠️ 🍹/🍔 You are asked to order a drink or something to eat BEFORE joining the group (MANDATORY) ⚠️⚠️⚠️**
Meet new people – Make international and local friends – Speak languages (mingle) – Have fun 😉
**👉 Any question or request?** **[Reach out to us on Instagram](www.instagram.com/blablalanguage) !**
**👉 Some guidelines for a delightful experience:**
\- 🍺🥤 You are asked to order a dr(…)
CHRISTMAS GET TOGETHER FOR DRINKS AND/OR FOOD
◦ When: Thursday, Dec 19th
◦ Where: Barony Bar
Christmas is coming! Once again we have space booked at the Barony Bar. Come along for a casual get together, have a drink or not, have some food or not. It’s always good fun to get together for a wee ‘social’ to celebrate the festive season! Both old (i.e. longstanding!) and newer members welcome. If you have not been for a while, it will be nice to see you again. Posting now (early I know!) to g(…)
Edinburgh Summerhall Writing Group (at The Gallery Bar)
◦ When: Tuesday, Dec 17th
◦ Where: MF Coffee Shop
Working on a poem, a novel, an article, or an essay? Whatever you are writing, this session is about helping each other stay focused and motivated. We will be following the Pomodoro Technique, which entails writing for 25 minutes, followed by a 5-minute break. We share our aims for the session at the beginning, and then debrief at the end. All writers welcome.
Sessions will be held in The Gallery(…)
Arthur’s Christmas on Tuesday afternoon – from Holyrood carpark
◦ When: Tuesday, Dec 17th
◦ Where: Information Kiosk, Holyrood Car Park
*Bring Xmas treats to share at the top… but not all mince pies please)* ❄️☃️🦌🎅🎄
*Then we’ll have a festive drink in the Kilderkin afterwards, with maybe a cheeky mulled wine or two*
—-
Join us for a hike up Arthur’s Seat to consolidate our level of fitness, however, a reasonable level of fitness is already required. You’ll need decent walking shoes/trainers or boots, and adequately warm (…)
French, Spanish & English Language Exchange
◦ When: Tuesday, Dec 17th
◦ Where: The Keller
*** Not necessarily suitable for beginners ***
Bonjour/hola!
Come and join us for some French, Spanish & English practice on a Tuesday evening after work. If you just want to just practise one language, that is absolutely fine! Native speakers of all 3 languages welcome and encouraged.
This meetup is also meant to be a cultural exchange as well as a language one so we welcome people from everyw(…)
Christmas Meal at Sora Lella!
◦ When: Saturday, Dec 21st
◦ Where: Sora Lella
Time to sample one of the most exciting vegan Christmas menus around at the amazing Roman restaurant Sora Lella.
Menu here – www.soralella.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Christmas-Menu-Digital-1.pdf
I’ve booked for 6 people. This is quite an exciting and exclusive meetup so please try not to cancel last minute, I really don’t want people to miss out or for us to only turn up with 5 people. As a(…)
Festive Get-Together 🎅
◦ When: Thursday, Dec 19th
◦ Where: Santosa Café + Wellness Centre
**Welcome to our in-person drop in meetings!**
ABOUT OUR PROJECT:
We host two friendly conversation groups every week. Our conversations are an opportunity for people who have moved here from overseas as well as locals to:
• meet others you might not usually meet
• expand your language skills
• share stories, experiences and ideas
• develop new insights
• build friendships
• gain confidence
• lea(…)
Shut Up & Write!
◦ When: Saturday, Dec 21st
◦ Where: Starbucks Coffee
Having trouble focusing/being productive, or do you simply need a change of scene from your usual writing environment? Come along to Shut Up & Write! for an hour of focused writing, in an informal and supportive atmosphere. This is for writers of any genre and you do not have to share your work.
Most people who come find it helpful to be in the company of other people with the same goal and it’s (…)
Shut Up & Write!
◦ When: Thursday, Dec 19th
◦ Where: Starbucks Coffee
Having trouble focusing/being productive, or do you simply need a change of scene from your usual writing environment? Come along to Shut Up & Write! on Thursdays for an hour of focused writing, in an informal and supportive atmosphere. This is for writers of any genre and you do not have to share your work.
Most people who come find it helpful to be in the company of other people with the same g(…)
Book Swap & Discussion Meet Up at Love Crumbs
◦ When: Wednesday, Dec 18th
◦ Where: Love Crumbs
Calling all book lovers! Join us for an evening of relaxed conversation and a casual book swap. This is a fantastic opportunity to meet new people who share your love for reading, talk about your favourite books, and discover new reads.
**What to Expect:**
* Bring one or more books you’d like to swap or share.
* Join lively discussions about your recent reads, all-time favourites, and recommenda(…)
Saturday 21st December 2024 – Scots Music Group Ceilidh
◦ When: Saturday, Dec 21st
◦ Where: St Brides Centre
Scots Music Group monthly great fun ceilidh at the St Brides Centre. Doors open 7pm, dancing from approx 7:30pm-11pm. Please BUY tickets on line www.scotsmusic.org/ in advance to avoid disappointment as these often sell out. Tickets £12/£8 in advance, £15/£10 cash only on the door
Any issues office open mid week: eMail: [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]), tel: 0131 555 7668 (offic(…)
Stockbridge Writers’ Den – Xmas Edition
◦ When: Monday, Dec 16th
◦ Where: The Antiquary Bar
This is a session for writers of any genre to get together and work on their novels, novellas, dramas, screenplays, odes and/or sonnets in an informal context – kicking off at the historic Antiquary Bar in Stockbridge.
Whether you’re well underway with your latest project or still waiting on the next big idea, this is a great way to meet other writers locally and make Monday evenings great again.(…)
Hub Board Gamers – Saturday @ Drumbrae Library Hub
◦ When: Saturday, Dec 21st
◦ Where: Drumbrae Library Hub
**THE GAMES**: A real mix: solo, co-op, light, Eurogames, heavier strategy. Check out the photo above to see the games available from the library’s collection, but there are always players who bring their own.
**THE GAMERS**: Players looking to try new games, gamers looking to find players for their games, or groups wanting a space to play in.
**THE SPACE**: We have large, well-lit tables with p(…)
Study Group
◦ When: Monday, Dec 16th
◦ Where: G37 Paterson’s Land, University of Edinburgh
Our weekly study group
It’s in room LG49 – COL
Paterson’s Land
Reading Doraemon
We’re on page 26
Laurence(…)
Dr. Paul Pub Quiz 🍻
◦ When: Thursday, Dec 19th
◦ Where: The Newsroom
Put your general knowledge to the test and join us for the Dr. Paul pub quiz!
We’ve got a table booked under ‘Anderson’ and the quiz starts shortly after 9, finishing around 10:45.
There are cash & booze prizes to be won, so let’s get quizzical!!!(…)
Gentle 5k and a drink – Leith Links.
◦ When: Tuesday, Dec 17th
◦ Where: Robert Burns Statue
Like to run? Keen to meet new people that don’t take themselves too seriously? Join us for a gentle run, followed by a drink and a chat at the pub.
This is our regular Tuesday night session. We’ll do a 5k loop which takes us around Leith Links and the Restalrig Railway Path, after which we’ll head to Malone’s on Constitution Street, just along from the starting point. Bag drop is permitted here i(…)
Edinburgh Christmas Bar Crawl
◦ When: Friday, Dec 20th
◦ Where: Pilgrim Bar
**WARNING!! THIS EVENT IS ONLY £10 IF YOU DO THE FOLLOWING**
1. Click attending on the meetup page
2. Buy a DISCOUNTED ticket on [our website](https://www.ontherocksbarcrawl.com/) with code “MEETUP24”
3. **Arrive before 19:30** (very strict cutoff time!) with your e-ticket
(If you don’t do ALL of these these thing it’ll set you back the princely sum of £30 on the door)
This year we are back aga(…)
Tips to meet people at social events
You can make more friends at one party by showing interest in them than in a month by trying to meet people online. Meeting new people and making genuine connections in local events can be fun and easy if you go with the right mindset.
When it comes to meeting new people, nothing beats showing up in the real world. But none of the tips will work if you are not coming from the right place. Keep an open mind when attending social events. Reframe strangers as potential friends, it will make it much easier to approach conversations and fully engage in them.
When choosing an event, keep an eye on interesting themes, something you can relate to. Meeting new people in the context of mutual interest increases your chances of being friends.
Research events with the types of people you want to meet. They could be people in your age group, your field of work, or a specific neighborhood. Do not be too strict though, loosen up a little bit from your expectations.
Go where people are intentionally looking to make friends such as networking events where it feels normal and expected to walk up and introduce yourself.
In this digital era, apps and websites are the most convenient solutions for finding out about local events. If you are not sure where to look for events happening in Edinburgh, you can try out Whatsoninedinburgh.co.uk, List.co.uk, or Frommers.com.
RELATED: How To Meet People in Edinburgh, Scotland
Surround Sound – Phoenix Gospel Choir
◦ When: Wednesday, Dec 18th
◦ Where: Community Church Edinburgh – King’s Hall
Immersive experience with the vibrant Phoenix Soul & Gospel Choir!
Einaudi’s Christmas Carols by Candlelight: ‘The Snowman’
◦ When: Friday, Dec 20th
◦ Where: The Parish Church of St Cuthbert
Sing along with Usher Hall emerging artists Ines Mayhew-Begg and Matthew Shiel for a festive evening of Christmas carolling at the piano
Triptic
◦ When: Saturday, Dec 21st
◦ Where: Stockbridge Parish Church
An exciting new trio from our friends Greg, Phil and Mario!
EDINBURGH ‘On My Land’ – Film showing and Q&A with filmmaker Mohamad Zwahre
◦ When: Tuesday, Dec 17th
◦ Where: Augustine Church
Premiere of documentary On My Land followed by Q&A with director, journalist and photographer from the West Bank, Palestine, Mohamad Zwahre
Edinburgh Connections Christmas Networking Drinks 2024
◦ When: Thursday, Dec 19th
◦ Where: Gusto Italian
Celebrate the holiday season with us at the Edinburgh Connections Christmas Networking Drinks! Join us for an evening of casual networking a
A Candlelit Christmas Concert
◦ When: Wednesday, Dec 18th
◦ Where: St Vincent’s Chapel: Scottish Episcopal Church
Join the aware winning vocal ensemble for an atmospheric evening filled with beautiful music and festive cheer.
A Candlelit Christmas Concert
◦ When: Thursday, Dec 19th
◦ Where: Morningside United Church
Join the aware winning vocal ensemble for an atmospheric evening filled with beautiful music and festive cheer.
Yin and therapeutic writing workshop
◦ When: Saturday, Dec 21st
◦ Where: The Salisbury Centre
Come join us for a relaxing writing workshop where we explore the calming energy of Yin through therapeutic writing exercises
Dr Bell’s Family Centre – Santa’s Little Elves party 2024! (0-12mths)
◦ When: Tuesday, Dec 17th
◦ Where: Dr Bells Family Centre
A fun filled party for ages 0-12mths
Gershwin’s Christmas Jazz Piano by Candlelight – ‘Rhapsody in White’
◦ When: Friday, Dec 20th
◦ Where: The Parish Church of St Cuthbert
Swinging, toe-tapping and festive tour of jazz piano alongside jazz improv after Christmas carols and films by our award-winning pianist
Sustainabuild Christmas Club-Edinburgh
◦ When: Tuesday, Dec 17th
◦ Where: Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh
Join us for an afternoon of in person networking and learning around biodiversity in the built environment.
A Public Reading: Charles Dickens: A Christmas Carol
◦ When: Friday, Dec 20th
◦ Where: Gladstone’s Land
Come join us for a lively public reading of Charles Dickens’ classic holiday tale, “A Christmas Carol”!
Salisbury Centre Winter Solstice Celebration Day
◦ When: Saturday, Dec 21st
◦ Where: The Salisbury Centre
Join us for the Winter Solstice: crafts, music, tarot, and a fire ceremony. Reflect, create, and welcome the return of the light!
The Chicken Coop Writing Group
◦ When: Tuesday, Dec 17th
◦ Where: 82 Commercial St
Join us on Tuesday, December 17 from 6-8 pm for an evening of writing at Lost in Leith Bar with Leith-based writer Naomi Head
JO MYLES SOUNDBATH FOR WINTER SOLSTICE
◦ When: Friday, Dec 20th
◦ Where: 16 Bellfield St
Join us for a relaxing and rejuvenating sound bath experience with Jo Myles!
Creativity For The Everyday
◦ When: Saturday, Dec 21st
◦ Where: The Salisbury Centre
Interdisciplinary arts workshop with The Norm Project collective.
The Auld Alliance – Christmas music from France and Scotland
◦ When: Saturday, Dec 21st
◦ Where: Canongate Kirk
A selection of Christmas music from France and Scotland, arranged for choir and organ. Featuring Dr John Kitchen on the organ.
S&P Christmas Party
◦ When: Monday, Dec 16th
◦ Where: Society Hall
Cone and join in the fun at this years Stay&Play Christmas party.
She Means Business Edinburgh December networking
◦ When: Friday, Dec 20th
◦ Where: Pam Millan Studio
Female only entrepreneur networking event. Expand your network, share your experiences and establish meaningful connections.
Make the Yuletide Gay: A Christmas Cabaret
◦ When: Saturday, Dec 21st
◦ Where: Greyfriars Hall
Celebrate the season with Make the Yuletide Gay on Dec 21. Drag, burlesque, cabaret & more – festive fun hosted by Alicia Tryde!
Events for Expats and Locals to meet
InterNations Edinburgh – Christmas Drinks at Abode Bar
◦ When: Friday, Dec 20th
◦ Where: Abode Café Bar
Come and celebrate InterNations Christmas Drinks in Leith!
We have a dedicated area reserved in this cute bar with a great vibe.
In their own words ‘ We have an exciting and unusual selection of over 20 wines by the glass, and our coffee is supplied by local roastery Machina Espresso. Whilst we don’t have a kitchen, we do have an array of delicious nibbles including cakes by local baker Kiwi Ba