On the evening of 16 May 2026, the Wiener Stadthalle in Vienna will do what only Eurovision can do: fill an arena with the combined flags, costumes, and overwhelming collective enthusiasm of 35 nations, then somehow make it feel simultaneously like the most chaotic and most precisely choreographed event on European television. The 70th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest — the contest that began in 1956 as an experiment in post-war European unity and became, against all reasonable expectations, the longest-running international television programme in history — arrives in Vienna after Austria won the previous year with an operatic…

Scotland in the spring of 2026 is busier, more celebrated, and more confident in its identity than at almost any point in living memory. The Inverness Castle Experience has opened its doors — transforming Scotland’s most iconic Highland castle into a world-class cultural destination. The Paisley Museum is preparing for its relaunch, housing the world’s most significant collection of Paisley shawls. The Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh’s historic Palm Houses have reopened after four years of conservation. And Glasgow prepares to host the Commonwealth Games from 23 July to 2 August — bringing the global athletic community to Scotland’s largest city.…