“Cut open a pomegranate and you’ll find a multitude of seeds; much the same can be said for this annual dance and arts festival…expect a fascinating cocktail of movement.“ THE LIST
In 2025 when we mark Edinburgh’s 900 years journey from the 12th Century City of David to the 21st City of Diversity, we are very proud to present the fourth edition of Pomegranates – Scotland’s festival of diversity in traditional dance at various venues across Edinburgh. Expect another ‘fascinating cocktail of movement’ from around the world and around the corner from the festival that has already made it to the #ListHot100 as one of the 100 most influential cultural events of 2024 across Scotland.
The festival season in 2025 starts on International Women’s Day (8 March) focusing on the role women played in Edinburgh’s rich trad dance history, including Mary, Queen of Scots and continues with our Ceilidh Plus on 21 March with a nod to St Patrick’s Day and the preview of the new Pomegranates exhibition Masks by Lorraine Pritchard on 5 April. It culminates in the long festival weekend 25-30 April 2025 at various venues across Edinburgh marking UNESCO’s International Day of Dance (29 April).
Every year the Pomegranates Festival celebrates Scottish traditional dance alongside diverse traditional dance practised by New Scots and cultural migrant communities across Scotland. It is the annual platform for our diverse 250+ individual and organisational members to teach, learn and perform. It also invites wider audiences to participate in a curated trail of exhibitions, films, workshops, masterclasses, talks, shows, walking tours and social dances. Overall, Pomegranates traces the intrinsic links of traditional dance with live music, film, fashion, poetry, art and heritage crafts.
This year’s festival themes are masks, trad dance and intangible cultural heritage. Feel the power of masks used in different dance traditions and reflect on the significance, beauty and mystery of masks and mask-making with traditional dance from antiquity to modern days. Expect a flair of mystery as our festival artists will don their dance masks and take on whole new personalities honouring their traditions and our global living heritage.
