Dunkeld & Birnam Unplugged

Unplugged is a local celebration of community climate action with live music, workshops and events for everyone - to inspire, inform and for everyone to get involved.

A weeklong festival, Unplugged began in 2016 after the vibrant Live Earth community festival and concert in 2015 which was held ahead of the Paris climate negotiations.

This year Dunkeld & Birnam Unplugged will be held from 25th September to 2nd October to squeeze all the events and action in! This aligns with the Climate Fringe Festival running across Scotland throughout September. It is also the same week as #ScottishClimateWeek led by Scottish Government and the #GreatBigGreenWeek across the rest of the UK too!
Check out events across Scotland for #ClimateFringeFestival at climatefringe.org
Once again Unplugged is supported by amazing volunteers and individuals, businesses and groups contributing across the community to showcase what is happening locally, what everyone can get involved with and what can be done to tackle the climate emergency. Thank you to all.

Lots of the favourite events are back - including SwapShop kicking off on Friday 30th September, back due to popular demand - and with a move to a larger space for even more swapping.

Commuters who choose the bus or train to commute that week will be thanked and rewarded with more delicious Dunkeld & Birnam baking through the fantastic #CakesforCommuters initiative. Thanks to our wonderful bakers at Livvi’s Little Lunchbox and Chattan Tearoom- #CakesforCommuters appeared at Scottish Bus Week this Spring and now has even more fans!

A new feature this year will be the hosting of #BigCommunityChats – extending the #ClimateCafe space to drink, chat and act to a bigger space, more contributors, cake and chat. The kick off session on food will be a chance to learn more about the new local #Foodshare to reduce waste.

These will be held through the week in early evening slots, with a focus in each on five different topics - nature, fashion, transport, energy and food. An open space for chat, updates and insights into action and potential projects across our community from local people and invited guests. A chance to find out more, share views, ideas for action, to get involved and support others too.

In this cost of living and climate crisis, Unplugged will explore every opportunity to reduce bills as well as to reduce, reuse and recycle materials - with launch of a local pop up Repair Café as well as SwapShop. Martin from the HEAT Project, who has given so much valuable support to reduce energy use and costs locally, will be here for free energy advice slots during the week.

Smaller #PopUpClimateCafés will also be on around the community throughout the week, with a juicing day at the Orchard on Sunday 25th September to get us off to a sweet and juicy start!

#LiveMusic and #Stories&Science will be hosted at The Taybank and The Atholl Arms - bringing everyone together in such a beautiful natural setting to celebrate our community and world.
Thank you to all those featured for your contributions and to both these fantastic venues for continuing to lend such kind and valued support.
We will sadly miss our dear friend Hari who died recently. Hari was a committed Climate Cafe and Unplugged volunteer - helping to start, shape both the Climate Café and Unplugged over several years. He loved the music throughout Unplugged and always led the dancing!
In celebration of Hari’s wonderful contribution and friendship, it is fantastic to bring back even more music this year, including a Ceilidh on Saturday 1st October.
Watch out for our wonderful community climate bunting on display which has been from Paris to Glasgow and brings together contributions from hundreds of local people across generations.

Throughout Unplugged take part in a new creative opportunity to pledge your action and wishes, led by one of our younger climate leaders, Ruby.

Check out the full line up for Unplugged online via The Bridge, by following #DBUnplugged & #ClimateCafe on social media and on facebook.

Ahead of and during Unplugged, pick up leaflets with the full Programme from across the community venues, at Big Apple Day and the Birnam Games.
Thank you to everyone involved in participating in, planning, hosting, contributing and delivering Unplugged - for your time and commitment to celebrate and inspire community climate action.

And thank you to all those who are leading change by example in our community every day - from food sharing, community growing, co-working, energy saving, repairing and electric taxis to supporting local producers, services and skills - this is inspiring action way beyond our local area.

As Project Drawdown's Dr. Jonathan Foley said in his recent interview with Radio New Zealand.

"Everybody can be involved in climate change in a positive very can-do kind of way.”
“It’s not game over, it’s game on."