A Celebration Across Scotland
17 October – 2 November 2025
The 2025 Community Land Festival brought together communities across Scotland to celebrate the power and potential of community ownership. This annual event highlights how local people can take charge of land and buildings, and the positive impact this has on community life, wellbeing, and connection. The Festival also inspires new groups to engage, demonstrating the many ways communities can come together to celebrate their achievements and share their spaces with others.
Participation and Reach
This year, 35 groups hosted events, including 16 first-time participants, drawing 3,675 attendees and supported by 378 volunteers and staff. A total of £10,200 was distributed in bursaries to help groups deliver their events. Each group was supported with printed, tailored posters and flyers to promote their activities locally, alongside a template press release and national and regional PR coverage. An extensive social media campaign amplified their stories and drew visitors from near and far.
Groups were also asked to rate the support they received from Community Land Scotland on a scale of 1 to 10 (with 10 being the best). Across all responses, the average score was an outstanding 9.77, reflecting the value groups placed on tailored guidance, promotional support, and the Festival framework in helping them deliver successful events.
Events That Inspired
The events themselves were as diverse as the communities hosting them. Families carved pumpkins and explored spooky walks; community gardens opened their gates for workshops, honey tastings, and music; woodland trails offered bat walks, storytelling, and lantern-making; and open days in community halls showcased arts, crafts, films, and local history. Some events were intimate, bringing neighbours together over afternoon teas and quizzes, while others drew large crowds to celebrate milestones such as anniversaries, building acquisitions, or memorial openings.
Groups reported overwhelmingly positive feedback from participants. Children and adults alike enjoyed hands-on activities, cultural performances, and the chance to connect with their neighbours.
One group noted, “People made gravestones and crosses, served amazing hotdogs and hot chocolate, we had children and adult ‘scarers’ and some people even made a full coffin! The feedback has been great and everyone really enjoyed themselves.”
Another shared, “We were delighted to see so many generations of family coming out together to celebrate the event. So much effort and creativity had gone into the pumpkins and no two were the same. Just brilliant!”
Challenges and Resilience
While many events ran smoothly, groups faced challenges common to volunteer-led activities. Weather, timing, and staffing pressures were frequent hurdles, alongside the logistics of multi-site events and planning for uncertain attendance. Some groups noted the need for continued funding to sustain posts or cover costs. Yet, despite these obstacles, communities demonstrated creativity, adaptability, and resilience, ensuring their events were successful, memorable, and deeply valued by attendees.
A few groups were ultimately unable to participate this year. Two withdrew due to limited volunteer capacity, and another could not take part because the cost of insurance for an event in their historic building was prohibitive. These examples highlight the ongoing need for bursary support, practical guidance, and resources to help communities overcome barriers and bring their ideas to life.
The Festival’s Impact
The following report shares the story of this year’s Festival. It presents headline numbers and outcomes, highlights the variety of events across Scotland, and showcases the creativity, determination, and community spirit that make the Community Land Festival such a vital celebration of shared ownership.
You can click the button below to read the full report in PDF format, or use the links at the bottom of the page to navigate through the report online.
