Duns Play Fest 2027 – Duns, Scotland

Overview

Duns Play Fest 2027 will bring nine days of live theatre, new writing, storytelling, workshops, spoken word, music, dance and community performances to Duns in the Scottish Borders from Friday 30 April to Saturday 8 May 2027. Established as a celebration of new theatre and dramatic writing, the festival has grown into a multi-venue cultural event that attracts performers, writers, theatre-makers and audiences to the historic Borders town. The festival is centred on DunsPlayFest and its main festival hub, Duns Volunteer Hall, where the building is transformed into a lively theatre venue with performance spaces, a café, bar and areas for audiences to meet between shows.

Duns Play Fest is particularly focused on giving new and emerging writers and performers opportunities to develop and present their work alongside more established artists. The programme has traditionally included full productions, premieres, rehearsed readings, workshops, talks, cabaret, spoken-word performances, dance theatre, circus and community events, creating a varied festival rather than a programme devoted solely to conventional stage plays. The organisers describe the event as a festival where theatre is made accessible to a broad audience while also providing a platform for early-career artists and local creative talent.

What Makes Duns Play Fest Special

One of the defining characteristics of Duns Play Fest is its emphasis on brand-new theatre and the development of new writing. Rather than simply presenting a programme of established productions, the festival creates opportunities for playwrights and theatre companies to test new ideas, stage rehearsed readings, develop performances and meet audiences in an intimate setting. This gives visitors the chance to experience work at different stages of development, from early readings and workshops through to fully produced performances. The festival also works with emerging artists and offers mentorship, training and practical experience for people beginning careers in theatre and technical production.

The setting is another important part of the experience. Duns is a small historic town in the Scottish Borders rather than a major theatre destination, and the festival uses that scale to create a close relationship between artists, local residents and visitors. The main hub at Duns Volunteer Hall becomes a social meeting point throughout the festival, while performances and activities can extend into other community and historic locations around the town. The organisers have also developed family-focused programming and events connected with Duns Castle, making the festival suitable for visitors travelling as couples, groups or families.

Theatre, Performances & Creative Programme

The exact 2027 programme is still being developed, so individual plays, performers and show times should be checked closer to the festival. The organisers have already confirmed that programming for DunsPlayFest 2027 is underway and are inviting work for consideration. Previous editions have demonstrated the broad range visitors can expect, with programmes including play premieres, rehearsed readings, radio plays, workshops, spoken-word and storytelling events, singer-songwriters, dance theatre, circus, community theatre and other live performances.

The festival’s longer-term development plans also indicate an ambition to continue expanding its programme of new writing and live performance. Its published targets for 2027 include around 87 performances, 50 new playwriting projects, approximately 15 professional theatre groups and around 130 paid performers, although these figures are development targets rather than a final 2027 programme announcement. This gives an indication of the scale and creative direction planned for the festival while visitors should wait for the official programme before relying on specific performance details.

Family Events

Family programming is an important part of Duns Play Fest, and the festival traditionally includes a dedicated free Family Day during the May Bank Holiday Monday. The event takes place at Duns Castle and combines theatre workshops, family-friendly performances, circus activities and opportunities for children and young people to participate in creative activities. Previous editions have also featured work by Borders Youth Theatre, face painting and other family entertainment, turning the day into a substantial community event rather than simply a children’s performance.

For families visiting Duns in 2027, the Family Day can provide an opportunity to experience the festival in a more informal outdoor environment while also exploring the grounds around Duns Castle. The exact 2027 programme should be checked when released because individual performers, workshops and activity times can change from year to year, but the organisers have already confirmed that they are looking forward to welcoming families again in 2027.

Date & Schedule

Duns Play Fest 2027 is scheduled to take place from Friday 30 April through Saturday 8 May 2027, creating a nine-day festival period in the Scottish Borders. The published 2026 festival material already identifies these dates for the 2027 edition, while the official festival website describes DunsPlayFest as a nine-day event held around the beginning of May.

A complete 2027 daily programme has not yet been published, so visitors should not assume that the schedule of individual performances will follow the exact timetable of previous years. Once programming is announced, the official festival channels should provide the individual show dates, times, venues, ticket requirements and workshop information. The festival has also stated that early-bird full festival passes for 2027 are expected to go on sale from 1 December 2026.

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Main Festival Venues

The main hub of Duns Play Fest is Duns Volunteer Hall on Langtongate, Duns. During the festival, the hall is transformed into a dedicated performance environment with two stages as well as a café, bar and lounge area. Its central role allows visitors to move between different performances and spend time around other festival-goers without needing to travel between large distances.

Other festival activity can take place around Duns, including Duns Castle Estate, Duns Park, Duns Parish Church and other community locations. The festival’s development plans have also identified additional village halls and venues in the surrounding area as part of its longer-term programme expansion. This multi-venue approach means that visitors can experience both traditional performance spaces and distinctive Borders locations during their stay.

Event History

Duns Play Fest was established in 2019 by local actor, writer and festival director John McEwen in partnership with Duns Players. The idea developed from a playwriting workshop held in the Scottish Borders by Playwrights’ Studio Scotland in 2017, after which several newly developed plays were staged by Duns Players. The organisers saw an opportunity to build a wider festival around this activity and created the first live DunsPlayFest with support from Creative Scotland, Awards for All and other organisations and individuals.

The festival’s development was interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, with the planned 2020 edition cancelled shortly before opening. In 2021 the festival moved online as restrictions continued, allowing the organisers to experiment with digital ways of presenting theatre. From 2022 onwards the festival returned to live programming and expanded considerably, developing into a larger event with performances, workshops, community activities and opportunities for emerging artists. The festival is now run as a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation and continues to operate with a board of trustees, a voluntary steering committee and a wider network of artists, partners and volunteers.

Getting to Duns

Duns is located in Berwickshire in the Scottish Borders, making it accessible for visitors exploring the wider Borders region as well as travellers coming from Edinburgh and northern England.

By car, the town is connected to the surrounding Borders road network and is a practical destination for visitors who want to combine the festival with a short break in the countryside. Because performances can take place at several venues and some activities are outside the main hall, travelling by car can also be convenient for visitors planning to explore the surrounding area.

Visitors travelling by public transport should check the latest bus connections before travelling because services to smaller Borders towns can vary according to day and timetable.

Edinburgh and Berwick-upon-Tweed are useful wider transport points for reaching the Scottish Borders, while visitors arriving from England can also approach Duns through the Berwickshire and Northumberland road network. Once in Duns, the compact town centre makes many festival locations relatively easy to reach on foot.

Where to Stay Nearby

Duns itself and the surrounding Scottish Borders offer a mixture of guesthouses, bed-and-breakfast accommodation, self-catering properties, country hotels and rural stays. Staying in Duns can be particularly convenient for visitors planning to attend several performances because the main festival hub and other venues are concentrated around the town.

Accommodation can become more limited during busy festival periods, however, so visitors travelling for several days may also wish to consider accommodation in nearby Borders communities and towns.

A longer stay also allows visitors to combine Duns Play Fest with the wider attractions of the Scottish Borders. The region is known for historic houses, castles, countryside, walking routes and small market towns, making it possible to turn a festival visit into a broader cultural and countryside break rather than travelling only for individual performances.

Things to Do Before or After the Festival

Visitors can use their trip to explore the wider Duns area and the surrounding Scottish Borders before or after attending performances. The region has a strong concentration of historic properties and landscapes, with attractions around Duns including Duns Castle, Manderston House and the surrounding countryside.

The Scottish Borders also provides opportunities for walking, cycling, exploring historic towns and visiting cultural attractions. Travellers arriving from Edinburgh can combine the festival with a wider Borders itinerary, while those approaching from the north of England can include Berwick-upon-Tweed and other nearby destinations. The combination of theatre and the rural setting is one of the reasons Duns Play Fest can work particularly well as part of a short spring trip to southern Scotland.

Restaurants & Dining in Duns

Duns and the surrounding Berwickshire area offer a selection of cafés, pubs and restaurants where visitors can eat between performances. Because the festival is centred around a compact town, visitors attending several shows in one day can plan meals around the performance timetable rather than travelling long distances between venues.

The festival hub itself also includes a café and bar area, providing an additional place for visitors to meet and relax during the event.

For visitors staying several days, it is worth exploring dining options across the wider Scottish Borders rather than relying entirely on the immediate festival area. Advance reservations can be useful for popular restaurants and pubs during busy festival periods, particularly for evening meals after performances.

Ticket Information

Duns Play Fest offers several ways to attend the festival, including full festival passes, individual show tickets and day passes. The full festival pass is designed for visitors who want to experience the programme across the festival and has traditionally included admission to the closing dance and ceilidh.

The organisers also offer youth passes for young people aged 14–18 and separate workshop tickets, while the festival’s family days have traditionally been free.

For 2027, the official festival website states that early-bird full festival passes will go on sale on 1 December 2026. Individual show tickets, day passes and workshop information should be checked when the 2027 programme is released, as availability and prices can vary according to the event. Visitors planning to attend multiple performances may find a festival pass particularly relevant because it is intended to provide access across the programme, subject to the festival’s published booking conditions.

Official Event Information

The official Duns Play Fest website is the best source for the confirmed 2027 programme, ticket releases, individual performance information, venue details and festival updates. The organisers are already programming the 2027 edition and have confirmed that early-bird full festival passes will become available from December 2026.

Official website: https://www.dunsplayfest.org.uk/