Dunbar Town House Museum and Gallery

04/09/2026

Next week we will be hosting the last of the our John Bellany talks and are looking forward to welcoming you along. 'I don’t borrow – I steal': John Bellany & the Art of Visual Quotation.

Bill Hare will explore Bellany’s technique of incorporating visual references from European art history into his own distinctive style, creating rich, multi-layered works. Bill Hare is an Honorary Fellow in art history at the University of Edinburgh. The talk will be held on Thursday 10th September 2026, from 2pm - 3pm in the Star Room. Free entry but please phone or email using the details below to book a ticket as spaces will be limited.

Tel: Museum 01620 820690 [Thursday to Saturday]; Email: [email protected]

03/09/2026

We will be open as usual over the September weekend public holiday 🌞✨🌊

SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT

Due to the September Weekend observed by East Lothian Council, all of our libraries, museums, services and council offices will be closed next week from Friday 11 September to Monday 14 September inclusive.

You can still use our digital resources like PressReader and Borrowbox while we're shut but you can't visit our libraries during those dates so remember to get ahead of the curve and check out enough books to see you through!

03/09/2026

We're getting excited about our Free Crafts event on Sat 5 Sept. All are very welcome! The crafts can be tailored to be nice and simple for young visitors, and more advanced for seasoned creatives! There'll also be non-craft table-top activities relating to Prestongrange, literature on the manufacturing here, and the opportunity to chat to our friendly staff about the site's industries. Something for everyone- see you there! 😀😀😀

28/08/2026

East Lothian Archaeology & Heritage Fortnight is organised annually by East Lothian Council Archaeology Service and runs from 29th August until 13th September as part of Archaeology Scotland’s Scottish Archaeology Month.

There is a fantastic programme this year with nearly 60 exciting events, including talks, guided walks, re-enactments, exhibitions and workshops, or tune in online to a series of presentations. Follow the link below to explore the programme of events.

Come along and celebrate East Lothian’s fascinating history and archaeology.
Find out more - https://ow.ly/l5zn50ZGpmT

John Gray Centre

26/08/2026

Can you help East Lothian Council Museums Service and the Local History Centre at John Gray Centre with this exhibition call out?

📣REQUEST FOR HELP WITH EXHIBITION ITEMS:
Do you hold any items or objects relating to the old cinemas in the county?📽
If you don't mind lending them to the Library & Museum Service for a special exhibition (see poster), please email [email protected].
We would appreciate items like actual posters, photographs, lights or other equipment, costumes, and even old cinema chairs. 🙏
Let's create some community nostalgia!🎬

26/08/2026

Run in partnership with , the Visual Artist and Craft Makers Awards (VACMA) are available for individual artists and makers, based or resident in East Lothian.�
The purpose of these bursaries is to support visual artists and craft makers in their creative and professional development.

🚨 Please note: This year, East Lothian will take part in the second round of funding. The deadline for this is 5pm on 2nd February 2027.

VACMA offers two levels of bursaries:
* £1000
* £500
For this round, rather than being funded based on your experience, the artist is allowed to choose which level of funding they need for their project.

More information and application forms will be available on our website very soon. Please stay tuned for updates.

21/08/2026

Not long to go until Heritage and Archaeology fortnight!

DDHS are hosting a drop-in event at Dunbar Town House as part of their place names exhibition.

✍️ Meet the author
📍 Wednesday 2 September
✨ 2-3pm

‘What does it mean? …Place-names in and around Dunbar’ is based on the online publication, ‘Place-names of East Lothian: A journey through time’, researched by Dunbar History Society member Liz Curtis. The exhibition presents a selection of names from North Berwick to Dunglass and is supported by artefacts and historical images. A ‘meet the author’ session will be held on Wednesday 2 September from 2-3 pm when Liz will be available to discuss her research.

Free, no booking required.

It’s not long to go now until East Lothian Archaeology & Heritage Fortnight, 29 August – 13 September. We can’t wait! There are loads of events throughout East Lothian, from guided walks and talks to workshops and exhibitions. Have a look at the programme here: https://www.johngraycentre.org/about/archaeology/archaeology-events/east-lothian-archaeology-heritage-fortnight/
Join us in this celebration of East Lothian’s rich and fascinating heritage!

12/08/2026

We are looking forward to our new exhibition opening at the weekend!

🌊 Making Waves: LesleyMay Miller
🌊 Saturday 15 August - Sunday 27 September
🌊 Wednesday - Sunday 1-5pm
🌊 Free entry

Making Waves showcases the remarkable work of Dunbar resident LesleyMay Miller (b.1934), a sculptor, painter, photographer, printmaker and poet.

A graduate of Edinburgh College of Art at the University of Edinburgh, she has spent decades exploring diverse media, inspired by nature, world cultures and her extensive travels, including a cycling journey to India in 1982. This exhibition brings together ceramic sculpture, paintings, prints, etchings, poetry and handmade artist’s books, revealing her eclectic creative vision. At its heart is a powerful book commemorating the 1919 HMY Iolaire disaster, off Stornoway, which also inspired a short film premiering here.

Through this collection, LesleyMay shares a lifetime of creativity and curiosity.

12/08/2026

❤️ Heart of Dunbar Festival 2026 – what’s on around our town

There is so much happening across Dunbar from 15–23 August, so save this post and start planning! 👇

📅 Saturday 15 August

🎉 Parade & Fun Day
📍 Parade leaves Dunbar Swimming Pool at 11.30am
Route: Swimming Pool → High Street → West Port → Countess Crescent → Bleachingfield

🎪 Fun Day at Bleachingfield – 12–4pm
Royal Court, community performances, bouncy castle, face painting, stalls, family activities, food trucks, Beat the Robot, table tennis, races and much more.
FREE | No booking required

📅 Sunday 16 August

🏃 Hub to Horizon – 9–11.30am
📍 Sports + Fitness HUB, East Links Family Park
FREE | Age 16+
Booking: https://bookwhen.com/sportsfitnesshub/e/ev-spar2-20260816090000

🐶 Heart of Dunbar Festival presents Bark in the Park Dog Show – 10.30am–12.30pm
📍 Lauderdale Park
£5 per dog
Tickets: https://www.skiddle.com/e/42487847

🏖️ Sandcastles, Stones and Surf – 1.30–3.30pm
📍 Belhaven Beach & Belhaven Surf Centre
FREE | All ages | No booking required
Build a sandcastle individually or as a team for the chance to win a prize.

🎯 Dunbar Pétanque – Come and Try – 2–4pm
📍 Lauderdale Park
FREE | No booking required

🏄 SUP Dragon Race – 4–8pm
📍 Belhaven Surf Centre
£40 per team of 4 | Age 7+
More info: [email protected]

⛪ St Anne’s Church Service – 4pm
📍 St Anne’s Church, Westgate
FREE | No booking required

📅 Monday 17 August

🧘 Kosa Yoga – Community Beach Yoga – 9.30–10.30am
📍 Belhaven Beach
FREE | No booking required

🥌 Wee Bite and Blether – Indoor Kurling – 1.30–3pm
📍 West Barns Village Hall
FREE | No booking required

📅 Tuesday 18 August

🎳 Bowling Try Out Session – 6–7.30pm
📍 West Barns Bowling Club
FREE | Ages 7+ | No booking required

⚓ Dunbar Sea Cadets Open Evening – 7pm
📍 Dunbar Harbour
Bad weather venue: Sea Cadets Unit, North Road
FREE | No booking required

🎶 Station Yard Micropub – Sea Shanty Night – 7.30–9.30pm
📍 Station Yard, Station Road
FREE | No booking required

📅 Wednesday 19 August

🧸 West Barns Playgroup – Play Session – 10–11.50am
📍 West Barns Village Hall
£3.50 first child | £1 each additional child | Baby Club £1 donation

🧠 Family Friendly Quiz – 4–6pm
📍 Station Yard, Station Road
£10 per team | Maximum 6 per team

🏹 Archery Try Out Session – 6–7.30pm
📍 Dunbar Grammar School Field
£5 adults | £3 juniors

🌿 A Summer Evening in the Garden – 6.30pm
📍 Belhaven Community Garden
FREE | No booking required

🍷📚 Taste W**e & Talk Books at Heart of Dunbar Festival – 8–9.30pm
📍 Wishing Tree by the Sea
£25 per person | 18+
Italian nibbles, three wines and a discussion of The Eight Mountains.
Booking: https://www.winewednesdaysnorthberwick.com/

📅 Thursday 20 August

🐠 Little Fishes – 9.30–11.30am
📍 Dunbar Parish Church Hall
£2 donation
For children up to age 4 with parents/carers. Numbers are restricted for health and safety reasons.
More info: www.dunbarparishchurch.org

🏑 Dunbar Club & Community Sports Hub – Come and Try – 6–8pm
📍 Hallhill
FREE | All ages | No booking required
Try hockey, rugby, golf, tennis, badminton and more.

📅 Friday 21 August

☕ Coffee Plus – 2–3.30pm
📍 Dunbar Parish Church Hall
FREE | Donations welcome | No booking required

🎵 Stellar Anderson Project – 6–8pm
📍 Station Yard, Station Road
FREE | No booking required

🏓 Beat the Robot – 7–9pm
📍 Bleachingfield Centre
FREE | All ages | No booking required

🍽️ Barbarella BEETS Big Community Dinner for Heart of Dunbar Festival Supper Club – 7pm
📍 Lauderdale Park
Five-course grazing meal with live music.
£40 adult | £17.50 child | Family (2 adults + 2 children) £110 | BYOB £2.50 per person
Tickets: https://www.skiddle.com/whats-on/Edinburgh/Lauderdale-Park-Dunbar/Barbarella-Beets-Supper-Club/42614149/

📅 Saturday 22 August

🎨 Dunbar Art Route – Eco Printing – 10am–12 noon
📍 Lauderdale Park
Printing with plants on watercolour paper.

🎨 Free Warhammer Painting Workshop – 10am–4pm
📍 Lynxhead Art, High Street
FREE | No booking required

✏️ Harbour Sketching – 10.30am
📍 Dunbar Harbour – meet at the propeller on Harbour Side
Drawing materials provided.

🎬 Heart of Dunbar Festival presents a Family Movie Event - Pix in the Stix – Encanto – 4–6pm
📍 Lauderdale Park
£3 per person | £10 family of 4
Bring your picnic blanket and enjoy Encanto.
Tickets: https://www.skiddle.com/e/42581856

🎶 CANCELLED 😢 DUE TO LOW TICKET SALES
SoundWaves – Cloud House

🎸 Mark McCluskey – 8–10pm
📍 Station Yard
Covers and a sprinkling of folk music.
No booking required

📅 Sunday 23 August

🪩 Heart of Dunbar Festival presents Big Bairns Little Bairns Mixtape – 11am–1pm
📍 Lauderdale Park
£6 children | £3 adults
Daytime disco packed with music for grown-ups and wee ones.
Tickets: https://www.skiddle.com/e/42487517

🛍️ August Dunbar Food & Craft Market – 11am–4pm
📍 Lauderdale Park
FREE | No booking required
Local food, makers, crafts and stalls with plenty of festival atmosphere.

🎶 Makers Market x SoundWaves – 1–4pm
📍 Lauderdale Park
FREE | No booking required
Local stallholders, food, crafts, family fun and live music.

💃 Heart of Dunbar Festival present Hoolie in the Park – 5–7pm
📍 Lauderdale Park
£5 per person
Bring your dancing shoes for the family ceilidh to close the festival!
Tickets: https://www.skiddle.com/e/42581841

🎤 Dunbar Gospel Singing – 6–7pm
📍 Dunbar Day Centre
FREE | No booking required

❤️ What a week for Dunbar!

From the parade and family fun to sport, art, food, markets, live music, dancing and community events, there really is something for everyone.

Save this post, share it with your pals and make sure you don’t miss your favourites!