What’s on in Helensburgh & Lomond

Stopgap Community Cinema CIC are keeping cinema alive in Helensburgh until the Tower reopens. Screenings take place in Annexe 1 of the Civic Centre.

Forthcoming in 2025 – tickets and timings will be available from from https://www.ticketebo.co.uk/stopgap-community-cinema-cic

A Celebration in Film for the Centenaries of the Invention of Television by JLB
Annexe 1, Helensburgh Civic Centre
Thursday 2 October 2025 Doors open 4:30pm film starts 5:30pm

Radiohead X Nosferatu A Symphony of Horror (1922)
Annexe 1 Helensburgh Civic Centre 38 E Clyde Street, Helensburgh
Thursday 16 October 2025 Event starts at 18:30

28 Years Later (15)
Annexe 1 Helensburgh Civic Centre 38 E Clyde Street, Helensburgh
Friday 31 October 2025 Event starts at 18:10

100 Years of Community Cinema Festival Singing in the Rain
Annexe 1 Helensburgh Civic Centre 3
21 November 2025 Event starts at 18:00

Jurassic World Rebirth (12)
Annexe 1 Helensburgh Civic Centre 3
4 December 2025 Event starts at 17:30

Superman 2025 (12A)
Annexe 1 Helensburgh Civic Centre 3
18 December 2025 Event starts at 17:30

Polar Express
Annexe 1 Helensburgh Civic Centre 3
23 December 2025 Event starts at 15:30

A Celebration in Film for the Centenaries of the Invention of Television by JLB
Annexe 1 Helensburgh Civic Centre
Monday 26 January 2026 Doors open 4:30pm film starts 5:30pm

This page will be updated as more events are announced

Please check with organisers – for most of these you will need to book in advance!

La Jupe Hogmanay Party
Cove Burgh Hall Hogmanay
Rosslea Hall Hogmanay Hoolie

The return of the traditional New Year Swim at Rhu Marina!

Are you ready to take the challenge? The New Year’s Dook registration is now open. The Dook takes place on New Year’s Day 2026 at 12 noon from the Lifeboat Station Rhu Marina.
The event is organised by the RNLI in conjunction with Rhu Marina. Registrations are online again this year at https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/rnli-helensburgh-new-years-dook-26-registration-1964318944842

Registrations will close on 30 December 2025. Registration is online only, there will be no registrations at the event. Dookers must read and accept the terms and conditions online when they register.

Howard Morrison, Lifeboat Operations Manager says, “We are delighted to be able to hold the New Year’s Day Dook again. It’s a great start to the New Year. As with last year, everyone must register online. You will not be able to register on the day. Please ensure you read and accept the terms and conditions. We have also introduced a Just Giving page for you to get support from your family, friends and colleagues.

We will give Dookers a wristband which will allow them to access the pontoons for the Dook at 12 noon. Registered Dookers should arrive at 11:30 am and go to ‘Check In’ where they will get their wristbands. Please come along ready changed for the Dook and bring a towel and dry, warm clothing to change into after your Dook. There are no changing, toilet, or shower facilities at the lifeboat station. When you have completed the Dook challenge and have changed into dry clothing our fundraising team will be there to serve a warming cup of hot soup, tea or coffee.

“Please come along and support our lifeboat crew to save lives at sea. Tickets for the Dook are strictly limited so register early to avoid disappointment. Whether you are a Dooker or just a spectator everyone is welcome. We look forward to seeing you.”

See the Helensburgh RNLI Facebook Page for more info.

Join Helensburgh Music Society for their seasonal programme of events, held at Helensburgh & Lomond Civic Centre:

Programme for the 2025/26 concert season
Sunday October 12th 2025 Maxwell String Quartet https://helensburghmusicsociety.org.uk/node/39
Saturday November 29th 2025 Lauren Zhang piano https://helensburghmusicsociety.org.uk/node/41
Sunday January 18th 2026 Chloé Piano Trio supported by The Tunnell Trust https://helensburghmusicsociety.org.uk/node/40
**Saturday February 7th 2026 Scottish Opera’s Opera Highlights Venue: Victoria Halls for this concert only, £20 for an adult ticket and £6 for under 26s https://helensburghmusicsociety.org.uk/node/42
Sunday March 22nd 2026 ADlibitum violin / accordian https://helensburghmusicsociety.org.uk/node/43

Single tickets: online (preferred) or card/cash on the door: Adults £15, Students £5, under 18s £1
Season ticket for 5 Concerts £50 Book online at https://helensburghmusicsociety.org.uk/booking

Helensburgh Music Society presents a series of 5 concerts each year, between October and March, in the form of performances by Professional Ensembles or Solo Recitals. Our concerts, in the Helensburgh and Lomond Civic Centre on Clyde Street, Helensburgh, are open to everyone. An evening out listening to beautiful music, and a chance to meet friends over an interval drink. Ticket prices are low, especially the season ticket. We encourage performers to talk to the audiences, introducing both themselves and the pieces of music they are playing, expanding on the programme notes so adding to the accessibility of the music. Each year the programme we present, features a variety of performers and instrumental combinations. We also include repertoire ranging from early music to established classical works as well as modern compositions and Jazz. Performers include Scottish based musicians as well as international musicians and ensembles, all of the very highest calibre. It is also an important aim of HMS to offer opportunities to outstanding young artists, especially those based in Scotland.

A series of events where the Sugar Boat kitchen team produce a menu of cuisine from around the world

Book online via https://www.sugarboat.co.uk/events/

20 November – Spain
22 January – Morocco

All concerts start at 7pm and last about an hour. Entry is free although there is a retiring collection to help pay for the series.

21 September 2025 – Lea Shaw (Mezzo-soprano) with Derek Clark (piano)
19 October 2025 – Mackintosh Ensemble present ‘Life Cycles’
26 October 2025 – 60th Anniversary Season Opening concert – Helensburgh Hymnfest
30 November 2025 – Anthony Moffat (Violin) with Derek Clark (piano) ‘ Vive la France!’
21 December 2025 – 7.30pm – ‘Come and Sing’ Christmas Concert
25 January 2026 – Mozart – Gran Partita K.361 (Serenade for 13 wind instruments)
22 February 2026 – Jamie MacDougall (tenor) 60 years in Song
15 March 2026 – Stainer’s ‘The Crucifixion’
29 March 2026 – Lomond School
26 April 2026 – Music for friends – Brahms Piano Quintet in F minor
31 May 2026 – Sean Nelis – Requiem
28 June 2026 – Kilted tenors

Stopgap Community Cinema CIC are keeping cinema alive in Helensburgh until the Tower reopens. Screenings take place in Annexe 1 of the Civic Centre.

Forthcoming in 2025 – tickets and timings will be available from from https://www.ticketebo.co.uk/stopgap-community-cinema-cic

A Celebration in Film for the Centenaries of the Invention of Television by JLB
Annexe 1, Helensburgh Civic Centre
Thursday 2 October 2025 Doors open 4:30pm film starts 5:30pm

Radiohead X Nosferatu A Symphony of Horror (1922)
Annexe 1 Helensburgh Civic Centre 38 E Clyde Street, Helensburgh
Thursday 16 October 2025 Event starts at 18:30

28 Years Later (15)
Annexe 1 Helensburgh Civic Centre 38 E Clyde Street, Helensburgh
Friday 31 October 2025 Event starts at 18:10

100 Years of Community Cinema Festival Singing in the Rain
Annexe 1 Helensburgh Civic Centre 3
21 November 2025 Event starts at 18:00

Jurassic World Rebirth (12)
Annexe 1 Helensburgh Civic Centre 3
4 December 2025 Event starts at 17:30

Superman 2025 (12A)
Annexe 1 Helensburgh Civic Centre 3
18 December 2025 Event starts at 17:30

Polar Express
Annexe 1 Helensburgh Civic Centre 3
23 December 2025 Event starts at 15:30

A Celebration in Film for the Centenaries of the Invention of Television by JLB
Annexe 1 Helensburgh Civic Centre
Monday 26 January 2026 Doors open 4:30pm film starts 5:30pm

Talks take place in the Marriage Room at Helensburgh and Lomond Civic Centre on East Clyde Street at 7:00 PM. The programme meetings are free to attend. Those who come along will be invited to make a modest donation.

25 September 2025 7pm – Stewart Noble: John Logie Baird
29 October 2025 – Bill Kean: Photography and the Fiddle. Bill is a regular contributor to the Scotsman Calendar, and was a music teacher.
26 November 2025 – Annual General Meeting; followed by John Urquhart: The Friends of Loch Lomond and The Trossachs.
28 January 2026 – Anne Urquhart: The Maid of The Loch and Loch Lomond Steamers.
25 February 2026 – Stewart Cunningham and Robert Ryan: The early 20th century photography of Helensburgh man Robert Thorburn.
25 March 2026 – Julian Hill: Rocks Round Helensburgh along the Highland Boundary.

RSGS Members and students are entitled to free entry, some tickets may be available on the door for cash only – all subject to availability. Part of the Royal Scottish Geographical Society Inspiring People talks programme. 7.30pm Victoria Halls Helensburgh

Andrew Barr: How to Map a Country 25th September, 2025 at 7:30pm
Writer and artist Andrew Redmond Barr presents The Atlas of Scotland, a creative project that uses hand drawn maps and illustrations to tell Scotland’s story, inviting us to reconnect with where we came from. The Atlas explores in detail how Scotland was made, its history, culture and its long standing as one of the ancient kingdoms of Europe. Taking you far beyond Scotland, it also delves into old European trade routes of Scottish merchants, the Scottish National Antarctic Expedition and much more.
https://www.rsgs.org/Event/andrew-barr-how-to-map-a-country-helensburgh

Louis Hall: Horseback in the Ligurian Alps 23rd October, 2025 at 7:30pm
Louis Hall is a writer, rider and explorer from Fife. In 2022 he and his Arabian horse, Sasha, set off from Siena, Italy heading West. What was intended to be a charity journey to the Atlantic Ocean, destination Cape Finisterre, became the challenge of a lifetime with the crossing of the Ligurian Alps as the defining moment of this ambitious trek to ‘the end of the land.’ Battling snowstorms, injury, untamed trails, wolves and freezing cold the journey pushed Louis and his horse to their limits. Louis shares this story in his debut book In Green, an awe-inspiring tale of adventure, grit and the deep bond between man, horse, and nature.
https://www.rsgs.org/Event/louis-hall-horseback-in-the-ligurian-alps-helensburgh

Luisa Hendry: The Geology of Scotland 27th November, 2025 at 7:30pm
Scotland offers some incredible landscapes, where the rocks reveal a complicated geological history; you can walk along a beach over lovely banded pink, grey and dark grey rocks that are up to three billion years old. Geologist Luisa spends her time sharing this world in an understandable way through social media platforms and her geology tour company. Her passion, enthusiasm and commitment to inspiring the next generation of engineers and geologists has had a significant impact within the geotechnical industry, and across wider communities.
https://www.rsgs.org/Event/luisa-hendry-the-geology-of-scotland-helensburgh

Booking not yet open:
January 29, Vicky Allan and Jackie Kemp – rivers,
February 26 John Goodlad – salt roads.
March 26 Jack Capener – experiences living with the last Inca.

Return of the Light – Deep Rest Yoga Workshop for Imbolc

Join Kerry McKay for this special yoga workshop to mark the return of the light in the new year. Imbolc is the Celtic festival that marks the first quiet signs of spring – the moment when the light begins to return and the inner flame starts to wake. In this workshop, we will honour that transition with rest, awareness and gentle renewal.

We’ll begin with a cup of tea and connection, then move into gentle movement to release tension from the body. From there, we settle into supported Restorative yoga poses – floor-based, spacious and grounding – before closing with a Yoga Nidra guided relaxation designed to invite light back into the breath, heart and body.

The practice is slow, held and spacious. A chance to let go of winter heaviness and open to what wants to grow in you as the year rebirths. Suitable for all, as long as you’re comfortable lying on the floor with plenty of supports.

Date: Sunday 1 February 2026 Time: 2:45 PM – 4:30 PM Location: Templeton Annex, Helensburgh and Lomond Civic Centre, G84 7PG Price: £23

Booking essential: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/kerrymckay/1792987

A series of talks held at Helensburgh Community Hub – Non members welcome, with a £3 donation appreciated.

2025-2026 Season

1 October Jim Glazzard: Tested in the fire: Exploring the world of Viking Age Silver workers through Experimental Archaeology
5 November Andy Jepson: Stobs Camp-Art and Creativity in a Barbed-Wire World.
3 December John Reid: The Romans in Scotland and the loss of the IXth Legion
4 February Dugie McInnes: Lumps, Bumps and Fairy Tales
4 March Edie Stewart: Once our hills were ringing: challenging notions of wildness in the contemporary and post medieval shieling landscape
1 April Joanna Richie: The Discovery of Anachronism through Archaeology

After selling out shows in 2025 – The Sound of Scotland with the Macdonald Bros returns in 2026 with a stunning new production which will take you on a musical journey celebrating Scotland’s greatest songs and artists. Join our outstanding live musicians The MacDonald Bros as they celebrate their 20th anniversary since bursting into the public eye on the X Factor.

This show truly highlights the brother’s multi-instrumental talents including accordion, fiddle, piano, guitars and Irish whistles as well as their unique Vocal Harmonies which has seen them referred to as “The Scottish Everly Bros”. These talented guys perform some of the biggest hits from The Proclaimers to Deacon Blue and from Runrig to The Bay City Rollers plus a whole lot more!

Joining the brothers on stage will be an amazing supporting cast of dancers, and stunning video footage accompanies every number – ensuring an unforgettable evening of Scottish music variety. The Sound of Scotland celebrates everything wonderful about Scotland and has been described as a Scottish Music Extravaganza – so get your tartan scarves at the ready! This production is truly one of the best shows touring Scottish Theatres in 2026!

Tickets https://liveargyll.co.uk/event/the-sound-of-scotland-with-the-macdonald-bros-2/

Join Helensburgh Music Society for their seasonal programme of events, held at Helensburgh & Lomond Civic Centre:

Programme for the 2025/26 concert season
Sunday October 12th 2025 Maxwell String Quartet https://helensburghmusicsociety.org.uk/node/39
Saturday November 29th 2025 Lauren Zhang piano https://helensburghmusicsociety.org.uk/node/41
Sunday January 18th 2026 Chloé Piano Trio supported by The Tunnell Trust https://helensburghmusicsociety.org.uk/node/40
**Saturday February 7th 2026 Scottish Opera’s Opera Highlights Venue: Victoria Halls for this concert only, £20 for an adult ticket and £6 for under 26s https://helensburghmusicsociety.org.uk/node/42
Sunday March 22nd 2026 ADlibitum violin / accordian https://helensburghmusicsociety.org.uk/node/43

Single tickets: online (preferred) or card/cash on the door: Adults £15, Students £5, under 18s £1
Season ticket for 5 Concerts £50 Book online at https://helensburghmusicsociety.org.uk/booking

Helensburgh Music Society presents a series of 5 concerts each year, between October and March, in the form of performances by Professional Ensembles or Solo Recitals. Our concerts, in the Helensburgh and Lomond Civic Centre on Clyde Street, Helensburgh, are open to everyone. An evening out listening to beautiful music, and a chance to meet friends over an interval drink. Ticket prices are low, especially the season ticket. We encourage performers to talk to the audiences, introducing both themselves and the pieces of music they are playing, expanding on the programme notes so adding to the accessibility of the music. Each year the programme we present, features a variety of performers and instrumental combinations. We also include repertoire ranging from early music to established classical works as well as modern compositions and Jazz. Performers include Scottish based musicians as well as international musicians and ensembles, all of the very highest calibre. It is also an important aim of HMS to offer opportunities to outstanding young artists, especially those based in Scotland.

Gareloch Riding for the Disabled Association (RDA) are hosting a Charity Ceilidh raising funds to go towards the general running of the charity (stabling, horse shoes, horse feed etc)

Saturday 14 February 2026 Geilston Hall Cardross
Ticketed event – £15 adult ticket £10 under 16s, 7pm for a 7:30 start
In support of Gareloch RDA
Email garelochrdaevents@gmail.com for tickets and more information

Details at https://www.facebook.com/GarelochRDA1

A gritty, comedic drama with a nostalgic yet rebellious tone. Fans of Still Game or Rab C Nesbit will appreciate this heartfelt exploration of family and tradition.

Two Tribes is a sharp, funny, and poignant look at family, loyalty, and the iconic Celtic-Rangers football rivalry in1980s Glasgow. Written by local playwright Alan Brady, this comedy-drama dives into the lives of the McCannfamily, where football fanatic and Elvis devotee Archie and his wife, Rita, are preparing for the double wedding of their two daughters. With tensions mounting over wedding plans, money troubles, and clashing dreams, Two Tribes explores the powerful pull of family bonds amid life’s upheavals.

Tickets https://liveargyll.co.uk/event/two-tribes-by-our-time-productions/

All concerts start at 7pm and last about an hour. Entry is free although there is a retiring collection to help pay for the series.

21 September 2025 – Lea Shaw (Mezzo-soprano) with Derek Clark (piano)
19 October 2025 – Mackintosh Ensemble present ‘Life Cycles’
26 October 2025 – 60th Anniversary Season Opening concert – Helensburgh Hymnfest
30 November 2025 – Anthony Moffat (Violin) with Derek Clark (piano) ‘ Vive la France!’
21 December 2025 – 7.30pm – ‘Come and Sing’ Christmas Concert
25 January 2026 – Mozart – Gran Partita K.361 (Serenade for 13 wind instruments)
22 February 2026 – Jamie MacDougall (tenor) 60 years in Song
15 March 2026 – Stainer’s ‘The Crucifixion’
29 March 2026 – Lomond School
26 April 2026 – Music for friends – Brahms Piano Quintet in F minor
31 May 2026 – Sean Nelis – Requiem
28 June 2026 – Kilted tenors

Talks take place in the Marriage Room at Helensburgh and Lomond Civic Centre on East Clyde Street at 7:00 PM. The programme meetings are free to attend. Those who come along will be invited to make a modest donation.

25 September 2025 7pm – Stewart Noble: John Logie Baird
29 October 2025 – Bill Kean: Photography and the Fiddle. Bill is a regular contributor to the Scotsman Calendar, and was a music teacher.
26 November 2025 – Annual General Meeting; followed by John Urquhart: The Friends of Loch Lomond and The Trossachs.
28 January 2026 – Anne Urquhart: The Maid of The Loch and Loch Lomond Steamers.
25 February 2026 – Stewart Cunningham and Robert Ryan: The early 20th century photography of Helensburgh man Robert Thorburn.
25 March 2026 – Julian Hill: Rocks Round Helensburgh along the Highland Boundary.

RSGS Members and students are entitled to free entry, some tickets may be available on the door for cash only – all subject to availability. Part of the Royal Scottish Geographical Society Inspiring People talks programme. 7.30pm Victoria Halls Helensburgh

Andrew Barr: How to Map a Country 25th September, 2025 at 7:30pm
Writer and artist Andrew Redmond Barr presents The Atlas of Scotland, a creative project that uses hand drawn maps and illustrations to tell Scotland’s story, inviting us to reconnect with where we came from. The Atlas explores in detail how Scotland was made, its history, culture and its long standing as one of the ancient kingdoms of Europe. Taking you far beyond Scotland, it also delves into old European trade routes of Scottish merchants, the Scottish National Antarctic Expedition and much more.
https://www.rsgs.org/Event/andrew-barr-how-to-map-a-country-helensburgh

Louis Hall: Horseback in the Ligurian Alps 23rd October, 2025 at 7:30pm
Louis Hall is a writer, rider and explorer from Fife. In 2022 he and his Arabian horse, Sasha, set off from Siena, Italy heading West. What was intended to be a charity journey to the Atlantic Ocean, destination Cape Finisterre, became the challenge of a lifetime with the crossing of the Ligurian Alps as the defining moment of this ambitious trek to ‘the end of the land.’ Battling snowstorms, injury, untamed trails, wolves and freezing cold the journey pushed Louis and his horse to their limits. Louis shares this story in his debut book In Green, an awe-inspiring tale of adventure, grit and the deep bond between man, horse, and nature.
https://www.rsgs.org/Event/louis-hall-horseback-in-the-ligurian-alps-helensburgh

Luisa Hendry: The Geology of Scotland 27th November, 2025 at 7:30pm
Scotland offers some incredible landscapes, where the rocks reveal a complicated geological history; you can walk along a beach over lovely banded pink, grey and dark grey rocks that are up to three billion years old. Geologist Luisa spends her time sharing this world in an understandable way through social media platforms and her geology tour company. Her passion, enthusiasm and commitment to inspiring the next generation of engineers and geologists has had a significant impact within the geotechnical industry, and across wider communities.
https://www.rsgs.org/Event/luisa-hendry-the-geology-of-scotland-helensburgh

Booking not yet open:
January 29, Vicky Allan and Jackie Kemp – rivers,
February 26 John Goodlad – salt roads.
March 26 Jack Capener – experiences living with the last Inca.

A series of talks held at Helensburgh Community Hub – Non members welcome, with a £3 donation appreciated.

2025-2026 Season

1 October Jim Glazzard: Tested in the fire: Exploring the world of Viking Age Silver workers through Experimental Archaeology
5 November Andy Jepson: Stobs Camp-Art and Creativity in a Barbed-Wire World.
3 December John Reid: The Romans in Scotland and the loss of the IXth Legion
4 February Dugie McInnes: Lumps, Bumps and Fairy Tales
4 March Edie Stewart: Once our hills were ringing: challenging notions of wildness in the contemporary and post medieval shieling landscape
1 April Joanna Richie: The Discovery of Anachronism through Archaeology

All concerts start at 7pm and last about an hour. Entry is free although there is a retiring collection to help pay for the series.

21 September 2025 – Lea Shaw (Mezzo-soprano) with Derek Clark (piano)
19 October 2025 – Mackintosh Ensemble present ‘Life Cycles’
26 October 2025 – 60th Anniversary Season Opening concert – Helensburgh Hymnfest
30 November 2025 – Anthony Moffat (Violin) with Derek Clark (piano) ‘ Vive la France!’
21 December 2025 – 7.30pm – ‘Come and Sing’ Christmas Concert
25 January 2026 – Mozart – Gran Partita K.361 (Serenade for 13 wind instruments)
22 February 2026 – Jamie MacDougall (tenor) 60 years in Song
15 March 2026 – Stainer’s ‘The Crucifixion’
29 March 2026 – Lomond School
26 April 2026 – Music for friends – Brahms Piano Quintet in F minor
31 May 2026 – Sean Nelis – Requiem
28 June 2026 – Kilted tenors