Posts Tagged ‘Edinburgh’

Superb Summer Festivals in Edinburgh ? and don?t forget the Tattoo!

Edinburgh features four major cultural annual events annually between June and August, and after a couple of unappetising summers which put a number of potential visitors off this one promises to be a scorcher, hopefully persuading millions of visitors to return to Scotland’s capital city.

In chronological order first up is the Edinburgh International Film Festival which runs from the 17th to 28th June; only the second time in its 62 year history that it will take place in June. Although not as prestigious as Cannes or the Sundance Film Festivals the shindig in Edinburgh gives filmgoers the chance to experience international premieres and also put questions to leading actors, directors and producers from the world of film at the film study part of the Festival named Scene by Scene.

Just a month later it’s the turn of musicians to take centre stage for the Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival which runs from the 31st July to 9th August. Large, small, indoor and outdoor venues all over the city are taken over to showcase the best artists of this musical genre, packing 120 concerts into the ten day festival. The climax of the 2009 event will see Jools Holland and his Rhythm & Blues Orchestra take to the stage at the Edinburgh Playhouse for the grand finale. They will be joined onstage by special guest star Dave Edmunds and talented vocalists Ruby Turner & Louise Marshall. But, before that the Mardi Gras – billed as ‘an explosion of music excitement’ – will rock the historic Grassmarket, a popular entertainment and shopping district situated in the shadow of Edinburgh Castle.

Flights to Edinburgh during August will be carrying many participants and spectators on their way to the Edinburgh Military Tattoo, Renowned for drawing visitors from all over the world since it was first staged in 1950, the 2009 event will host a triple celebration. Not only will The Tattoo celebrate the 250th anniversary of the birth of Scotland’s national bard, Robert ‘Rabbie’ Burns, it will host Scotland’s first ever Homecoming Festival, and also celebrate its own 60th staging of the event.

The last big event of the summer is the Edinburgh Fringe Festival which starts on the same day as the Tattoo, but extending to the end of August. A hotbed of British comedy, many well-known comics and actors, and those unknowns hoping to break it big, put on a variety of performances all over the city.

The information contained within this article is the opinion of the author and is intended purely for information and interest purposes only. It should not be used to make any decisions or take any actions. Any links are included for information purposes only.

Superb Summer Festivals in Edinburgh – and don’t forget the Tattoo!

Edinburgh features four major cultural annual events annually between June and August, and after a couple of unappetising summers which put a number of potential visitors off this one promises to be a scorcher, hopefully persuading millions of visitors to return to Scotlandâ??s capital city.

In chronological order first up is the Edinburgh International Film Festival which runs from the 17th to 28th June; only the second time in its 62 year history that it will take place in June. Although not as prestigious as Cannes or the Sundance Film Festivals the shindig in Edinburgh gives filmgoers the chance to experience international premieres and also put questions to leading actors, directors and producers from the world of film at the film study part of the Festival named Scene by Scene.

Just a month later itâ??s the turn of musicians to take centre stage for the Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival which runs from the 31st July to 9th August. Large, small, indoor and outdoor venues all over the city are taken over to showcase the best artists of this musical genre, packing 120 concerts into the ten day festival. The climax of the 2009 event will see Jools Holland and his Rhythm & Blues Orchestra take to the stage at the Edinburgh Playhouse for the grand finale. They will be joined onstage by special guest star Dave Edmunds and talented vocalists Ruby Turner & Louise Marshall. But, before that the Mardi Gras – billed as â??an explosion of music excitementâ?? – will rock the historic Grassmarket, a popular entertainment and shopping district situated in the shadow of Edinburgh Castle.

Flights to Edinburgh during August will be carrying many participants and spectators on their way to the Edinburgh Military Tattoo, Renowned for drawing visitors from all over the world since it was first staged in 1950, the 2009 event will host a triple celebration. Not only will The Tattoo celebrate the 250th anniversary of the birth of Scotlandâ??s national bard, Robert â??Rabbieâ?? Burns, it will host Scotlandâ??s first ever Homecoming Festival, and also celebrate its own 60th staging of the event.

The last big event of the summer is the Edinburgh Fringe Festival which starts on the same day as the Tattoo, but extending to the end of August. A hotbed of British comedy, many well-known comics and actors, and those unknowns hoping to break it big, put on a variety of performances all over the city.

The information contained within this article is the opinion of the author and is intended purely for information and interest purposes only. It should not be used to make any decisions or take any actions. Any links are included for information purposes only.

Enjoy The Festivities of Edinburgh

  A common misconception with regard to the ‘Edinburgh Festival’ is that the festival is simply one large event, under one name. However, the Edinburgh Festival is, in fact, comprised of many different festivals – ranging from the Jazz and Blues Festival and the International Festival, to perhaps the most famous of the events – the Festival Fringe. Festival-goers have a range of events to pick from when visiting Scotland’s capital city during the summer months.

Another thing to keep in mind is that while the majority of the events within the Edinburgh Festival take place during August of each year, some festivals begin much earlier, while others run well into September. So, it’s important to do a bit of research regarding the festivals you’re interested in, taking special note of when each event is being held.

One of the earliest festivals under the ‘Edinburgh Festival’ umbrella is the International Film Festival. Running in June of each year, the Film Festival draws thousands of film fans to experience some of the industry’s freshest works.

The Edinburgh International Film Festival is the world’s oldest continually-running film festival, having started in 1947. The event is famous for hosting initial screenings of renowned blockbusters such as Steven Spielberg’s ET and a number of Woody Allen Films, and continues to run a wide programme with international premieres and retrospectives.

Another recently added feature of the Film Festival includes a film study section – called ‘Scene by Scene’ – which has hosted celebrities such as Steve Martin and the Coen Brothers. The event is now viewed as on-par with the world-famous film festivals held in Cannes and Berlin and the diversity of the festival ensures that there is something for everyone to enjoy – this is especially true if you consider yourself to be somewhat of a film fanatic. The 2009 Edinburgh Film Festival will run from June 17 – 28.

If you’re planning to attend the International Film Festival – or any of the other events for that matter – then you’ll want to ensure you make travel and hotel arrangements well in advance. Some half a million visitors flock to the city each summer for the festival events, making it more difficult to secure flights to Edinburgh – and hotel reservations – at a reasonable date.

So, it can be worthwhile planning in advance for your summer trip this year, especially if you want to experience one of the most world-renowned arts attractions.