Save the Date: Scotland to Host Oban Lesbian+ Weekend
LGBTQ+ women and non-binary folks are invited to embark on an inclusive weekend of making new friends, exploring castles, kicking up their heels at ceilidhs, and tucking into fresh seafood in Oban, Scotland, in September 2025.
Oban is a resort town on the west coast of Scotland, offering many things to do, including wildlife watching, island hopping, and sampling the Scotch whiskey from Oban Distillery. It’s also the destination for Oban Lesbian+ Weekend.
Just 90 miles from Glasgow, Oban is famously called “Gateway to the Islands” and is known as the country’s seafood capital, so the festival brings these elements to queer women from all over the world, who come each year.
Instead of being a regular camping festival, guests can choose from wild camping, the exclusive seafront YHA, or a range of guest houses and hotels, mainly along the seafront—full of lesbians and queer women!
This coastal setting means beautiful scenery, boat trips full of LGBTQ+ women and non-binary people, wildlife, dolphins, paddleboarding, and exploring the nearest castle.
You can experience Oban’s world-class seafood at one of the hosted meals or get a £5 prawn sandwich or a £10 half lobster at the legendary Oban Seafood Hut, the green seafood shack on the pier, which proudly flies the progressive Pride flag.
Along with plenty of entertainment, Oban Lesbian+ Weekend offers something unique: the ceilidh (pron. kay-lee)—a Gaelic social event at which there is dancing, music new and old, singing, and storytelling.
OLW’s ceilidh is always a highlight and gets everyone—even the shyest of attendees—dancing with people they don’t know. Some have led to true love, including one couple who are now engaged who met during an OLW ceilidh dance.
If you don’t know the Gay Gordons (a traditional dance usually performed in a large circle of couples), don’t worry, their ceilidh caller (dance leader) and friendly crew will soon have you learning and laughing. Scotland is famous for being friendly and Scots are a very social bunch.
So expect lots of good cheer! Oban Lesbian+ Weekend has announced the Scottish entertainer, comedy actor, and DJ, Karen Dunbar, as their main host for OLW25!
Karen, who became famous for starring in the British sketch comedy show Chewin The Fat, will host the opening night and DJ at the closing cabaret party. She will bring her comedy humor and get everyone on the dance floor to dance to all the best floor fillers from the last four decades.
One of Scotland’s best-known comedy actors, Karen went on to star in her own show, The Karen Dunbar Show, which received 4 Golden Rose nominations.
And keeping the entertainment coming, this OLW25 will honor the popularity of ITV’s iconic prison drama, Bad Girls, with star Nicole Faraday performing and holding a prison workshop, followed by a Bad Girls prison-themed fancy dress and closing party. Queer women love a good prison drama, and Bad Girls is a classic—and the one we watched before we got hooked on Wentworth!
Of the 2025 event, OLW Founder Maz Gordon told Vacationer that women are already booking in advance to get the best deals. “Women coming from abroad have to plan ahead, but many living in the UK have realized that they get the best accommodation prices by booking early, as Oban is a tourist mecca, not just an unlikely new queer mecca.”
“It’s a 3-day festival, but women often arrive early and stay for a day extra or travel around Scotland visiting their new friends or flirtations,” says Gordon.
Unlike many queer events, the focus isn’t on drinking. Each year, OLW has a popular sober social, and although many like a scenic pint or a wee dram at the optional Oban Distillery Whiskey tour, most come for the beautiful scenery, the boat trips, and the chance to see dolphins, seals, and castles while making new LGBTQ+ connections.
For those who do want to let their hair down, there is a “lesbian booze cruise,” or there’s also a scenic cruise for non-drinkers with vocalist Emma Foreman blasting out soulful music against the backdrop of castles and lighthouses they cruise past.
But this truly is a queer event where Mother Nature is calling. Go bird watching or check out the seals. Wetsuits are available for those who wish to swim or paddleboard. Go hiking and wild food foraging for berries and mushrooms in Oban’s trails and forests. There are wetsuits you can borrow if you fancy a wild swim or learning to paddleboard. Foraging is also popular, as are the hikes around Oban for views over the islands.
Many women find it easier to meet each other on a hike than in a busy bar, and connections and even relationships are made by women who love to stay in touch and live all over the UK or the world.
Don’t be nervous about traveling solo. Gordon tells us that about 60 percent of women who book are single. “With friendly crew, ice breakers and a variety of ways to meet women on the dancefloor, or on a small group walk or dinner, women don’t stay solo for long,” she says. “Many also meet and form friendships through our Facebook group or mini events beforehand.
And a note on lesbian inclusion: Gordon says, “We’ve always been an inclusive event for all LGBTQ+ women and non-binary people. Women can bring a male guest, but not surprisingly, not a single ticket has been sold to a cis man yet. We feel that inclusivity and accessibility should be the norm, but we still need to say that we are inclusive.”
Overall, women find Oban Lesbian+ Weekend an exciting holiday experience, where our famous Scottish friendliness helps women make friends for life, or for some, long-term romance.”
Oban Lesbian+ Weekend is September 5—8, 2025. Early Bird tickets are now out with payment plans, so you can pay just £32 to secure your discounted ticket.
