What's On in Glasgow

Glasgow 2026: Boxing — The SEC Centre crackles with raw energy as Commonwealth Games boxing takes centre stage across three sessions — morning, afternoon, and a prime-time evening bout from 7:00pm that promises to be the most atmospheric of the lot. There is nothing quite like watching elite fighters from across the Commonwealth go head-to-head in a packed arena, the crowd roaring with every combination. Check the website for tickets and session details — this is unmissable Games action.

OMD — Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark take to the open air at the breathtaking Kelvingrove Bandstand at 6:30pm, and if that is not a perfect summer Friday evening then nothing is. Synth-pop legends responsible for Enola Gay and Electricity, OMD have lost none of their power or their knack for a chorus that lodges itself somewhere deep in your chest. Check the website for tickets, and bring a jacket — the atmosphere will keep you warm regardless.

Lost Map Summer Party - Hot Chip (DJ), Pictish Trail, The Bug Club — Galvanizers Yard at SWG3 hosts one of the most exciting bills of the summer, with Hot Chip throwing down a DJ set alongside beloved Scottish indie troubadour Pictish Trail and the wonderfully idiosyncratic Bug Club from 6:00pm. Lost Map Records parties are the stuff of legend — expect something genuinely joyful, a little weird, and absolutely worth every second. Check the website for tickets before this one sells out entirely.

Big Fun Presents BookBug — Queens Park Arena becomes a haven for little ones at 11:45am as the beloved BookBug programme gets the Big Fun treatment — think stories, songs, and the kind of shared magic that reminds you why reading aloud matters. Tickets start from nothing and top out at £8, making this an utterly accessible Friday morning adventure for families with young children. Pair it with a soft play session next door and you have got yourself a genuinely lovely afternoon sorted.

Commonwealth Games The Official Bollywood Party — Manuka throws open its doors at 10:00pm for the official Bollywood party of the Commonwealth Games — a glorious, high-energy celebration that feels entirely in the spirit of a Games gathering nations together. Expect pulsing Bollywood beats, a floor packed with people who are absolutely here to have the time of their lives, and an atmosphere unlike anything else happening in the city tonight. Tickets are £10, which for a night this celebratory feels like an absolute steal.

Trad Friday Sessions @ Blackfriars — As the afternoon settles into early evening, Blackfriars of Bell Street on Merchant City's doorstep is the place to be for a free-spirited session of traditional Scottish music from 4:00pm. These sessions are the real deal — informal, convivial, and rooted in a living musical tradition that Glasgow does better than almost anywhere. Check the website for details, wander in, order something from the bar, and let the fiddles and flutes do the rest.