March in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire

March is the month the North East starts to wake up. The evenings stretch out, the first daffodils come up in the city’s parks, and there’s a big jazz festival in town and Saturday farmers’ markets out in the shire. Here’s what to look forward to in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire in March, year after year.

Aberdeen Jazz Festival fills two weeks in the middle of March, and it’s one of the best reasons to be in the city this month. Gigs spread right across Aberdeen, from the Music Hall and Cowdray Hall to the Lemon Tree, The Tunnels and smaller pubs and community venues, with jazz, blues and funk alongside family events, workshops and talks. The programme changes every year, so have a look at what’s on and book ahead for the bigger shows.

Scotland’s Snowdrop Festival runs from late January into early March, so in the first days of the month the woodland floors are still white with them. Not long after, the daffodils take over. Aberdeen is known for its spring flowers, and Duthie Park, Seaton Park and Hazlehead are lovely places to see them.

If the weather turns, the David Welch Winter Gardens in Duthie Park are free to visit and open all year, with glasshouses full of plants from warmer parts of the world. Aberdeen Art Gallery on Schoolhill is free too, and its exhibitions change through the year, so there’s usually something new to see.

Saturday mornings are made for the farmers’ markets, where local growers, bakers and makers set up in the town squares. Huntly and Stonehaven hold theirs on the first Saturday of the month, and Peterhead has its producers’ market the same day. Inverurie is on the second Saturday, Banchory on the third and Ellon on the fourth. March is also when the market in Aberchirder starts up again for the season, on the third Saturday. In the city, Aberdeen Country Fair takes over Belmont Street on the last Saturday of the month. Bring a bag and go early.

There’s always plenty on at the city’s stages, with touring musicals and plays at His Majesty’s Theatre, big names at the Music Hall and P&J Live, and smaller gigs and comedy at the Lemon Tree and the Tivoli. Aberdeen Performing Arts and the venues’ own websites have the month’s programme.