10 things to do and see when you visit the
Capital City of Scotland
Edinburgh
- The Festival City
Festivals - what Edinburgh does best. The Edinburgh Festival
is a generic term used to describe the cultural explosion which
takes place in the city in August each year. It is in fact made
up of a variety of festivals and events including the International
Festival, The Fringe, Book Festival, Film Festival, Military
Tattoo, Jazz festival and Edinburgh Mela.
Later in the year, the city comes alive during
the Winter festivals which feature the month-long Edinburgh's
Christmas and culminates with the world famous Hogmanay celebrations.
Spring time sees Ceilidh Culture, the Easter
Festival and the Science festival providing the entertainment
while the Children's Festival starts the summer with playful
exuberance.
As home to the most vibrant calendar of international
festivals and events, you can be sure that there's always something
to tempt you during a stay in Edinburgh.
Blues
and Jazz Festival in Edinburgh
Whether you like your jazz cool and contemporary or are strictly
old school, the 2006 Jazz and Blues Festival will be a celebration
of all things jazz and will bring some of the world's best performers
to Edinburgh.
The festival will will bring jazz to parks,
concert halls, Spiegeltents and bars throughout the city.
Edinburgh Tattoo
Organisers of the Edinburgh Military Tattoo are promising a
2006 event that will top even last year's fabulous spectacle.
Plans so far include the largest gathering of
pipes and drums ever to grace the Esplanade of Edinburgh Castle
and the appearance of two of the finest military bands in the
world; the Regimental Bands of The Scots Guards and The Coldstream
Guards.
South Africa is set to add colour and energy
to next year's proceedings. Accompanying the pipes and drums
of The Cape Town Highlanders will be fifty South African Highland
Dancers and, in their first visit to these shores, the Cape
Minstrels, complete with their traditional musicians and singers.
Overseas contributions will also come from the
ever-popular New Zealand Army Band, who previously appeared
at the Queen's Golden Jubilee Tattoo in 2002 as well as the
return, by popular demand, of the awesome Top Secret Drum Corps
from Basel in Switzerland.
And next year, for the very first time at the
Edinburgh Tattoo, the grand finale will feature award-winning
music from Disney's worldwide phenomenon The Lion King.
Edinburgh Book
Festival
The Edinburgh Book Festival is a vibrant meeting place where
people of all ages come face to face with some of the greatest
writers and thinkers on the planet.
In 2006 there will be hundreds of events and
activities to choose from. See your favourite author; take part
in a heated debate; stretch your imagination in a creative workshop;
attend a book reading with a world-class writer; browse the
bookshops; watch a storybook character come to life; learn a
new skill in a masterclass and much, much more.
Admission to the Edinburgh International Book
Festival at Charlotte Square Gardens is free for everyone. Pop
in, see an event, relax with a book and a glass of wine or simply
soak up the festival atmosphere.
Edinburgh Fringe
Festival
The 2006 Edinburgh Fringe Festival promises to be bigger and
better than ever.
To give you an idea of what that means, last
year's Fringe presented 1,800 shows in almost 250 venues.
As this is the 60th anniversary Edinburgh Fringe
we can look forward to a mind-blowing variety of entertainment
and a heady mix of new talent and established names.
Edinburgh International Festival
The Edinburgh International Festival is an annual feast of classical
music, opera, theatre and dance. The 2006 event will be Brian
McMaster's last festival after fifteen highly successful years
as Director, so expect a dazzling programme as the maestro bows
out.
Edinburgh International
Film Festival
This is one film festival where the films are the stars, so
expect some real cinematic treats from every corner of the globe.
In previous years, Edinburgh film festival goers have been able
to get an insight into the production process with talks by
directors, enjoy advance screenings of rough cuts of new films
and indulge in some serious star spotting at glamorous galas
and premieres.
Last year's festival opened with Richard E.
Grant's autobiographical Wah-Wah and, although next year's film
festival programme will be a closely guarded secret until its
launch in Summer 2006, word is that you can expect some real
treats.
Edinburgh Mela Festival
Scotland's biggest intercultural festival is back, and promises
to be a dazzling display of international and local talent.
Savour tastes from across the globe at the many
food stalls, enjoy dazzling dance, fablous theatre and a whole
load of musical styles as some of the best performers around
hit town, or simply or browse the many craft stalls. Whatever
you're into, whatever your tastes, the Edinburgh Mela makes
a great day out.
Christmas in Edinburgh
Get into the Christmas sprit as Edinburgh makes it a December
to remember with fabulous festive celebrations and a month long
Christmas party!
From the glittering lights of George Street to the Edinburgh
Eye, it's a spectacular seasonal treat. Explore the German market
for unusal gift ideas, tasty treats and warming mulled wine
or take to the ice at Winter Wonderland. Whatever your age,
Edinburgh's Christmas is a magical way to make the most of the
season of good will.
Hogmanay Edinburgh
2006
From 29 December until 1 January Edinburgh's Hogmanay brings
Edinburgh's streets alive with non-stop entertainment and enjoyment.
Major international artists will perform on
four stages as part of the Royal Bank Street Party on Saturday
31 December. The party's 100,000 revellers are guaranteed a
sizzling line-up (which in 2005 included Texas, KT Tunstall
and El Presidente).
In 2005 the Night Afore International on 30
December saw the largest celebration of Caledonian and Catalonian
culture ever experienced in Scotland, featuring a 150 strong
human tower, 250 Catalan street theatre performers and a riotous
Catalan Parade.
Elsewhere the Hogmanay 06 programme includes
firm favourites such as the spectacular torchlight procession
on the 29th December and the One o’ Clock Run on New Year’s
Day.
The Concorde Experience - Museum
of Flight Edinburgh
Visit The Concorde Experience at the Museum of Flight in East
Fortune. Discover the story of supersonic air travel and step
on board to experience the glamour of this famous aircraft.
Visit the Edinburgh Clubs
– There are enough to go round ….
The Diamond Dice - Club Night
Hip hop, R&B and grime night from DJs Vito, U-Turn and Anemate
and open mic MC battles for anyone who wants to step up to the
plate.
Motherfunk - Club Night
Gino, Fryer and Spectrum serve up the freshest funk old and
new.
Code Blue, Club Night
Punk rock classics with fistfuls of emo and ska chucked into
the pot for good measure.
Radar - Club Night
A new mix of current rock, indie, Britpop, punk and alternative
dance.
Split - Club Night
Drum & bass, electro and break beat with Shadowskill, the
Dropout DJs, Dogma and a smattering of very talented local guests.
Drum & bass and breaks collective Edinburgh Bassed take
care over the main room every other week
