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Aberdeen this week
Issue date: Thursday 14 May 2026
Covering: Thursday 14 May 2026 to Wednesday 20 May 2026
This week has a proper city-centre feel: a big food-and-drink festival starts today, there are strong theatre and music choices through the weekend, and a family fundraiser brings a useful reason to head for the beach. Keep an eye on the weather, but there are enough indoor options here to make plans without gambling everything on sunshine.
Top 5 upcoming events
1. Aberdeen Cocktail Week: Spring 2026
Runs Thursday 14 to Sunday 24 May across 27 venues, with wristband cocktails from £6. It is over-18s only, but it is one of the city-centre happenings most likely to change where people head after work this week.
2. Mean Girls
Final Aberdeen performances run at His Majesty’s Theatre until Saturday 16 May, with tickets listed from £24.50. A good pick if you want a bright, familiar musical before it leaves town.
3. RNLI Aberdeen Mayday Mile event
Saturday 16 May, 10am to 2pm, on the beach between the Scot Surf trailer and the tunnel at Accommodation Road. Expect a community walk-or-run challenge, lifeboat volunteers, Stormy Stan and a £1 Yellow Welly Trail quiz.
4. A Play, A Pie and A Pint - Kenmure Street
Starts at the Lemon Tree on Tuesday 19 May and continues into the weekend. The lunchtime format keeps it compact, with weekday tickets listed from £13.50 for a new verbatim drama about community resistance.
5. Midge Ure: A Man of Two Worlds
Wednesday 20 May, 7pm, at the Music Hall. Limited availability was listed at checking, with tickets from £43.50 for the Ultravox frontman’s new live concept tour.
Food & drink
New opening or opening update: BrewDog Aberdeen Castlegate: the 5-9 Union Street bar has reopened, with its official page listing a 50% off pre-booked food and drinks offer running to Friday 15 May.
Deal 1: Social Monkey dining deal: from £29 for two courses for two, with options including wine or a boozy lunch. The itison deal is listed as valid until 31 August, subject to booking rules.
Deal 2: Resting Brunch Face pancakes: £20 for pancake stacks and hot drinks for two at Trinity Centre, valid seven days until 31 May, with walk-ins only listed.
Family-friendly picks
- ASN relaxed Lego session and board games at Ninja HQ: Saturday 16 May, 11.45am to 12.30pm, at Trinity Centre, for ages 5+. The listing notes wheelchair access and tickets available.
- Codona’s Outdoor Fully Loaded Deal: £24.99pp online for unlimited amusement park rides, Pirate Island adventure golf, a third activity and a meal; buy before 6pm the day before visiting.
Music, theatre and culture quick list
- Skipinnish: Saturday 16 May, 7pm, at the Music Hall, with tickets listed at £40.
- Tom Stade: Naughty By Nature: Friday 15 May, 7pm, at the Lemon Tree; age 16+, tickets listed at £24.20.
- Lost In Music: Friday 15 May, 7.30pm, at the Music Hall, with limited availability listed.
- James Grant: Saturday 16 May, 8pm, at the Lemon Tree Lounge; limited availability was listed at checking.
- Aberdeen Sinfonietta - Bruch’s First Violin Concerto: Sunday 17 May, 7.30pm, at the Music Hall, with standard tickets listed at £15 and under-16 tickets at £0.
Shopping and offers
- Official Scotland Shop at Trinity Centre: a new Team Scotland merchandise shop is due to open this May, with shirts, scarves, flags and World Cup supporter kit planned.
- The Great British Bake Off Musical Preview at Union Square: AOC Productions bring preview performances to the centre from Wednesday 20 May to Saturday 23 May.
- Bon Accord offers: current listings include Holland & Barrett buy one get one half price in store, plus Di Maggio’s £5 after 5pm pizza or pasta offer.
Small business spotlight
LoLo+Co Boutique: the local mother-and-daughter womenswear boutique is showing its spring 2026 collections online, including new-in pieces from Varley and French Connection; one for a calmer browse if you are shopping for warmer-weather layers.
Looking ahead
- Light the Blue: Aberdeen Performing Arts’ youth-led multi-artform festival returns in June, with young creatives, family work and emerging artists at the centre of the programme.
- Aberdeen Highland Games 2026: Sunday 21 June at Hazlehead Park, 10am to 5.30pm; a big summer diary date for pipes, dancing, stalls and family time outdoors.
- Granite City Festival 2026: Saturday 27 June at Hazlehead Park, with early-bird tickets listed for the 18+ electronic music festival.
Quick weather note
The current Met Office Aberdeen forecast points to a chilly, breezy start with showers, then a drier Saturday before more cloud and occasional rain chances return. Keep a hood or compact brolly handy, especially for Thursday, Friday and any beach plans.