St Machar’s Cathedral Second Flower Festival
August 7-9, 2026
Friday 7th and Saturday 8th 09.30-16.30
Sunday 9th 14.00-17.00
Entry by donation
Venue: St Machar’s Cathedral, Old Aberdeen is the historic heart of Old Aberdeen. Founded in 580 by an Irish priest Machar the building has evolved over the centuries and now has a thriving Church of Scotland congregation as well as welcoming over 60 000 visitors a year.
Flower Festival Aims
This August the Cathedral’s Eco Group is hosting its Second Flower Festival, showcasing locally grown blooms and foliage that will decorate the stone building and fill it with scent. It has sustainability at its heart.
Planning with their Education Officer Katherine Williams and local flower grower Rebeccah Stripling, the group is asking participating florists not to arrange with any floral foam and to avoid using single use plastic. Floral foam, invented in the 1950s is one of the first plastics and a well-documented source of microplastic pollution to marine life and humans. Even the biodegradable alternatives still contain nasty chemicals and degrade even quicker than the traditional product. They should only be put in landfill, never composted or allowed into water courses. The Eco group is keen to highlight the dangers to the environment of using foam. The festival showcases Scottish-grown flowers and highlights the large carbon footprint of imported blooms. Using local seasonal flowers greatly reduces the carbon footprint of cut flowers. The church is supporting Flowers Grown in Scotland members to provide the foliage and blooms.
August 7, 2026 at 12:30 PM ‘Floral Magic with Jam Jars’ Family Workshop
A fun and creative family workshop with seasonal flowers and jam jars, making beautiful arrangements together. Perfect for all ages, this hands-on event is all about getting crafty and enjoying some quality family time. Don’t miss out on the floral fun and the chance to make something special with your loved ones! All resources included in ticket price and refreshments available.
Family Tickets £10 (plus £1.55 Eventbrite fees) or in the Cathedral shop for £10 (up to 5 people with a max. of 2 adults). The shop accepts cash and card.
August 7, 2026 7PM Season led flower workshop SOLD OUT
Create a wonderful seasonal arrangement to take home with Beth Bruce-Gardner of Honeymoon Fern, Gloucestershire and Rebeccah Stripling of Maryfield Farm, Banchory. Learn how to use sustainable mechanics and cut your carbon footprint too.
Tickets on Eventbrite £15 ( plus Eventbrite fees) or £15 in the Cathedral shop.
Headline event
August 8, 2026 at 2:30 PM ‘A flowery afternoon’ Talk and demonstration by Shane Connolly MBE
A relaxed and inspiring afternoon for flower lovers at St. Machar's Cathedral with Shane Connolly MBE. He will share his passion and skills for sustainable floristry in a fun talk and floral demonstration. An ambassador for Sustainable Church Flowers, Shane received a Royal Warrant from HM The King and HM The Queen in 2024 and an MBE in 2025 for his contribution to sustainability in floristry.
Refreshments available Tickets: £15 (Eventbrite + £1.96 fee) or £15 in the Cathedral Shop.
August 9, 2026 from 2-4pm ‘Music and Flowers’ afternoon
A feast for the senses: beautiful music and stunning flowers in the historic St. Machar's Cathedral. Local musicians including Harps Accord led by Irene Watt and Roger Williams on organ and Erin Smith on violin will provide the perfect ambience to soak up the sights and scents of the floral displays.
Entry by donation. Tickets on Eventbrite or at the door on the day.
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/d/united-kingdom--aberdeen/st-machar-cathedral/