Scotland’s defining electronic festival bows out of the capital with a million-pound send-off and big plans for 2027.
Terminal V has thrown its final party in Edinburgh, ending a nine-year residency that transformed Scotland’s electronic music scene. The farewell edition at the Royal Highland Centre on 18th and 19th April brought tens of thousands through six reimagined stages, a £1 million site overhaul, and over 100 artists spanning the full spectrum of underground sound.
Quarter-million legacy
Since 2017, more than 250,000 people have passed through Terminal V’s doors in Edinburgh. The festival climbed to number one in Scotland, fifth in the UK, and 34th globally in DJ Mag’s Top 100 Festivals poll. It also snagged Best UK Festival at the DJ Mag Best of British Awards in 2023. This final chapter featured Sara Landry’s UK festival-exclusive ETERNALISM show, plus sets from Klangkuenstler, Mall Grab, Robert Hood, and Ben Hemsley.
New continent, new home
Co-founder Derek Martin described the moment as bittersweet: “Edinburgh gave us the platform to realise our vision. This might be the end of one era but we are excited about what is coming next.” That includes a new Scottish location in 2027 to mark the festival’s 10th anniversary, plus the imminent launch of Terminal V Australia—a bold international leap following successful expansions to Croatia and London’s 15,000-capacity Drumsheds.
Simon McGrath, co-founder, set the tone for what’s ahead: “The standard of this weekend is the benchmark we’ll take with us. What comes next will be bigger and more ambitious than anything we’ve done before.” Edinburgh’s chapter may be closed, but Terminal V is just getting started.
