Celebrate Scotland’s Community Land Festival in MSQ
Midsteeple Quarter is gearing up to celebrate community ownership as part of Scotland’s biggest ever Community Land Festival.
Our is among dozens of community-owned projects across the country highlighting the aspirations and benefits of local empowerment and action as part of the Festival, which runs from October 17 to November 2.
We will be holding our celebration event in The Standard, one of our community-owned buildings on Dumfries High Street, between 5pm and 7pm on Thursday October 30th.
It is the first time that a Community Land Festival has been celebrated in The Standard building, which our community benefit society has transformed from a neglected blight on the High Street into a place where people live, work and visit.
Midsteeple Quarter is a leading light in demonstrating the power of local action working to shape a better future by putting the needs of townspeople first - rather than those of absentee landlords - through community ownership.
Thanks to the support of our members - along with the wider community and funders - our society is now the custodian of The Standard and five other buildings in High Street.
The Community Land Festival is organised by Community Land Scotland and The Community Land Team. It developed initially from Community Land Week.
Community Land Scotland Assistant Development Manager and Festival Organiser, Meg Taintor, says: “Community Land Festival is all about people – the communities who make it happen, and the wider public who get to join in and experience what they’ve achieved.
“Now in its seventh year, this is the biggest yet. The Festival continues to feel fresh and exciting because each community brings its own creativity, energy, and ideas to the table.
“That sense of new energy and involvement is incredibly exciting and really shows how vibrant and growing the community land movement is across Scotland.”
The 2025 festival sees a huge range of community activities, including; workshops, play readings and Halloween dress-up parties. Some are using the Festival to celebrate with pumpkin trails, family days and woodland walks, while others are using it to spark conversations about future projects.
“To me, as organiser, that’s the heart of the Festival”, Meg continues, “communities coming together, celebrating what’s already been achieved, and inspiring one another to dream about what comes next.
“The Festival creates a sense of momentum and possibility that lasts far beyond a single festival event, and it’s incredible to witness communities connecting, and inspiring each other to take on new projects. It’s a chance to celebrate the diversity, resilience, and energy of communities across Scotland, and a reminder of the power of people working together to make their places stronger and better.”
