After a sell out success welcoming more than 2,000 coffee aficionados old and new last year, Glasgow Coffee Festival is going even bigger this year.
Now in its 12th year, the festival will return to the Briggait on April 18th and 19th, expanding for the first time into the newly-opened neighbouring Clydeside Halls. The expansion means the festival will have the capacity to double the number of vendors and increase capacity by almost 40 per cent, with almost 3,000 tickets available across the weekend.
Founder Lisa Lawson believes the event comes at the perfect time to provide a much-needed boost for the sector.
She said: “The past year has been an incredibly tough time for both the coffee and hospitality industries. Costs are rising across the board, margins are tightening and many independents are under a real pressure.
“Expanding the festival this year felt important. By doubling the number of vendors and opening the doors to more people than ever before, we’re creating space for the industry to come together, support one another and celebrate the quality and creativity that defines the Scottish coffee scene.
“Glasgow’s coffee community continues to show real resilience. Despite the hardships the industry faces, people are choosing to do things sustainably and with passion. I think that’s something worth celebrating.”
The move marks a major step forward for Scotland’s largest celebration of speciality coffee with organisers promising a lively weekend packed with expert-led talks, workshops, tastings and competitions from specialists across the industry. It is believed to be the world’s most sustainable coffee festival, with single use cups banned since 2017.
This year’s event will bring the city’s hottest coffee talent together, with national UK coffee competitions, including the SCA UK Brewers Cup Championship.
Established in 2014 by Dear Green founder Lisa Lawson, the festival has grown from a grassroots gathering into a key fixture in the UK speciality coffee calendar.
She added: “The festival has helped to support independent roasters and cafes while showcasing Glasgow as genuinely one of Europe’s most exciting cities for specialty coffee.
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“Aside from showcasing the best coffee professionals and businesses in the industry, sustainability will once again sit at the heart of the festival, with the event designed to minimise waste at every stage and remaining entirely single-use cup free. But it’s also designed to help coffee businesses raise their profile and build a long-term sustainable business.”
The 2026 Glasgow Coffee Festival has already secured headline partners including leading espresso machine manufacturers, La Marzocco, pioneering Scottish dairy, Mossgiel Organic Farm, and award winning specialty roasters, Dear Green.
Tickets are on sale now and are expected to sell out quickly. To learn more and to book your tickets before they sell out, visit glasgowcoffeefestival.com.
