Edinburgh Open Workshop Festive Make 2026

Edinburgh Open Workshop is running two festive making sessions at 35-41 Assembly Street in Leith on Saturday 28 November and Saturday 12 December. Both days follow the same split: a family session in the morning and adult workshops running through the day. The family one runs from 10am to 1pm, and the adult sessions go from 10am to 1pm and 2pm to 5pm.

The family session is built to be accessible for all ages, with new making activities starting every half hour, so you can drop in and out rather than committing to one long project. While you're there, the Travelling Gallery brings its touring contemporary art exhibition into the space, so there's something to look at between making. The adult workshops are a different thing entirely, led by experienced local makers who'll guide you through the process.

Both sessions are part of the Leith Creative Trail, which is now in its fifth year and brings together 33 venues and hundreds of artists and makers across Leith. The trail is coordinated by Edinburgh Open Workshop, with funding from the City of Edinburgh Council's Local Events Open Fund. EOW director Natasha Lee-Walsh puts it simply: "There is something special about making things yourself, particularly at Christmas."

Funding also plays a part in keeping it open. The family session is supported by the Fair Saturday Edinburgh Community Engagement Fund, which helps make creative activities accessible to local families. That's why the Family Festive Make is free, while the Adult Festive Make is £50 per workshop. Both run on Saturday 28 November and Saturday 12 December at Edinburgh Open Workshop, 35-41 Assembly Street, Leith, EH6 7BQ.