What happens on the day
More than 100 attractions line the closed-off Esplanade, from traditional carousels and waltzers to high-speed thrill rides, with candy floss, doughnuts and burger vans in between. The fair opens at 2pm on its first day, a Wednesday, and then runs from early afternoon each day into the evening, finishing on the Monday. Walking the full length, with the Firth of Forth on one side, is half the fun. It gets busy at weekends and after school, and the lights and music make evenings especially lively.
How it began
The Links Market takes its name from the Links area of Kirkcaldy, where markets were held in medieval times, and its origins are commonly traced back to the early fourteenth century. What began as a trading market for livestock and goods gradually turned into a pleasure fair, and by the twentieth century the showmen’s families were coming back year after year. It was paused during the pandemic and returned to great relief locally, and many travelling show families still regard it as a key date in their calendar.
Tips for the day
Entry is free; you pay per ride, so bring cash as well as cards, as some stalls prefer it. Set a budget with children before you start. Weekday afternoons are calmer for little ones, while evenings suit teenagers and thrill-seekers. The seafront can be breezy, so pack a warm layer, and agree a meeting point in case anyone gets separated in the crowds.
Taking part
Start with the latest fair announcement, then work out which rides suit your party. An open street fair isn’t one attraction with one set of rules, so before you join a queue, ask each operator about its current charge, any rider restrictions and whether a child needs an accompanying adult. That’s especially handy when your family includes both determined thrill-seekers and someone who just wants the lights and a snack. There’s room for both kinds of visit.
Take a first stroll along the stretch of fair you plan to use before blowing the whole budget at the first tempting stall. Agree a few priorities with the children, then check the actual prices together. An old online ride list won’t tell you which attractions will be back, and operators don’t all take the same payment methods, so ask before you commit.
Fife Council’s traffic notice gives a good sense of the event’s scale on the Esplanade, but the page we checked is explicitly for 2025, so its opening time and closure dates aren’t a 2027 programme. Use the new council notice for travel, and let the showpeople themselves tell you about the rides they’re running that year.
Practical bits
Getting there and home
Kirkcaldy is on the Fife Circle and the line from Edinburgh to Dundee and Aberdeen, so the train is easy. From the station, walk down through the town centre to the seafront. The Esplanade between Charlotte Street and the supermarket at the southern end is closed to traffic for several days before and after the fair, with diversions in place. The Esplanade multi-storey car park stays open until shortly after the market closes.
Access and families
Plan your route between the station, the town centre and the part of the fair you want, rather than heading vaguely for the waterfront. The council’s previous traffic notice says pedestrian and emergency access was kept open while the Esplanade was closed to ordinary traffic. That explains how things worked, but it isn’t a current map of crossing points, drop-offs or accessible toilets. If your trip depends on those details, ask the council for the next market’s access information.
For a quieter indoor break, Kirkcaldy Galleries publishes unusually helpful visitor information. The entrance has ramped access, a lift serves the upper exhibition spaces, and accessible toilets and a Changing Places facility are listed. It also lends sensory support items, including ear defenders and fidget toys. Check availability and opening before you count on it as your retreat from the fairground din.
Agree a meeting point away from any moving ride queue, and give older children a clear plan for getting back to it. A landmark you can see from one end of a busy fair may be hidden from the other. For anyone who tires easily, a shorter visit with a set turnaround point can beat trekking the whole waterfront.
Questions people ask
Are the council’s 2025 dates the next Links Market dates?
No, that notice is explicitly historical. Wait for the new announcement before booking travel around exact dates or opening times.
Does one ticket cover every fairground ride?
No. Check charges and conditions with each operator before queuing; one attraction’s arrangements won’t apply across the fair.
Where can I find indoor access information nearby?
OnFife publishes ramp, lift, toilet and sensory-support details for Kirkcaldy Galleries. Check opening and availability before you go.
Is Ravenscraig Castle always open?
Check Historic Environment Scotland’s latest notice. Temporary closures can affect access even when the ruins are visible from outside.
Plan your trip
Stay the night
Search places to stay in and around Kirkcaldy. Add your dates once the next one is confirmed. Rooms near popular events go early, so check cancellation terms.
Find a place to stay on Booking.comNearest station: Kirkcaldy
Kirkcaldy station is roughly a 15-minute walk from the Esplanade; the Esplanade is closed to traffic for the fair, with paid parking at the nearby multi-storey.
Check trains on TrainlineBooking.com and Trainline links are affiliate links. What that means.
Where it is
The pin shows the approximate area. Open in OpenStreetMap
Make a weekend of it
Kirkcaldy Galleries pairs art exhibitions with museum displays on the town’s industrial and social history. The café looks out towards the War Memorial Gardens, making it a welcome indoor counterpoint to the Esplanade’s hubbub. Pick exhibitions from the current OnFife programme, since displays advertised now may finish before the next fair, and check its public-holiday opening advice too.
Ravenscraig Castle is the outdoor alternative. Historic Environment Scotland describes a fortified royal residence begun for Mary of Gueldres in 1460 and later completed by the Sinclairs, its formidable walls reflecting the rise of gunpowder artillery. Read the latest access notice before you go, as temporary closures can affect entry; being able to see the castle from outside doesn’t mean every part is open.
There’s more to the promenade than the fair, too. Fife Council points to public art, the Sir Sandford Fleming sundial, local heritage interpretation and patterns recalling Kirkcaldy’s linoleum industry. Look out for them where they’re not hidden by the fair, or come back outside market hours for a clearer view. The fair sits on top of a working town and waterfront, and making time for one gallery or historic stop makes the outing about Kirkcaldy as well as its rides.
Odd things nearby
- Burntisland Highland Games 4 miles away, 19 July 2027
- Beltane Fire Festival 11 miles away, 30 April 2027
- Loony Dook 12 miles away, 1 January 2027
Also in April
- Hungerford Hocktide (Tutti Day) Hungerford, Berkshire
- Beltane Fire Festival Calton Hill, Edinburgh
- Hastings Traditional Jack in the Green Hastings, East Sussex
- Minehead Hobby Horse Minehead, Somerset
Featured in Odd Things to Do Near Edinburgh.
About this guide
Check before you go. Check Fife Council’s news page for the confirmed 2027 dates and road closures, which are usually published in early spring.
About the date. Ran Wednesday 16 to Monday 21 April 2025 and Wednesday 15 to Monday 20 April 2026; no 2027 dates seen yet.
Researched from the sources below and last checked on . We haven’t visited every event or tested every journey, and the organiser’s own information always wins.
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