Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo

Courtesy of Edinburgh Inspiring Capital
www.edinburgh-inspiringcapital.com

Edinburgh Festivals Calendar

Edinburgh's regular calendar of festivals and events is outlined below. There are actually many separate festivals covering a broad spectrum of performance styles and content. Click on the event logos to visit the organisers' official websites, or search for tickets online at Ticketmaster.

	Edinburgh's Ceilidh Culture March - April: Edinburgh’s annual traditional arts festival celebrates all aspects of Scottish traditional arts from music and song to dance and storytelling, as well as interactive workshops and the odd exhibition.
	Edinburgh International Science Festival April: Scotland's biggest and best celebration of science and technology. Shows, presentations, hands-on activities, and exhibitions to inspire and entertain.
	Beltane Fire Festival April: This festival takes place every 30th April on Calton Hill, in recognition of the ancient Celtic Beltane Festival. Celtic fires would have been lit by spiritual leaders, to celebrate the fertility of their animals and the blossoming of spring.
	Bank of Scotland Imaginate Festival May: World-class performing arts festival for children and young people in Scotland. Performances by leading theatre companies specially for children aged from 3 to 12.
	Festival of Museums May: A celebration of Scottish heritage, featuring showcase events at Scotland's regional and national museums.
	Royal Highland Show June: Scotland's largest outdoor event, with agricultural exhibitors and thousands of animals. Held at the Royal Highland Showground, Ingliston.
	Edinburgh International Film Festival June - August (varies): One of the longest running film festivals in the world. Film premiers, special events and parties celebrating British and foreign cinema.
	Taste of Edinburgh July: Food festival featuring cooking demonstrations and food sampling with some of the UK's best chefs.
	Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival July - August: The longest running jazz festival in the UK. An excellent mix of singers, future stars, big bands and acts drawn from the thriving Scottish scene.
	Edinburgh Art Festival July - September: Scotland's largest annual festival of visual art.
	Edinburgh Mela Festival August: Inter-cultural festival, celebrating ethnic minority arts and cultures. Music, dance, arts, food, childrens' activities, and the Mela bazaar.
	Edinburgh Festival Fringe August: The biggest names in showbiz and emerging performers cover all sorts of art forms such as theatre, comedy, children’s shows, dance, music, exhibitions, and street performers. Fringe Sunday (the second Sunday of the festival) is a free open-air event in Holyrood Park where you can see taster performances of Fringe shows.
	Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo August: Music, dance, and spectacular displays in the evening against the backdrop of Edinburgh Castle. Tickets should be booked well in advance, ideally around December of the preceeding year. Performances are in the open, so prepare for the weather! The late performance on a Saturday is followed by a fireworks display. 2011 sees the arrival of brand new stands and improved seating.
	Edinburgh International Television Festival August: The must-attend annual event for the television and media industry. Attend previews of films, workshops, lectures and debates with industry leaders.
	Edinburgh Interactive Entertainment Festival August: Festival celebrating the creative culture of interactive entertainment.
	Festival of Politics August: The award-winning festival where politics truly meets the people.
	Edinburgh International Festival August - September: This is the "main" Edinburgh festival, that first took place in 1947. Three weeks of high quality opera, classical music, theatre and dance, culminating in a spectacular fireworks concert in Princes Street Gardens.
	Edinburgh International Book Festival August: An international celebration of the written word. Writers from all over the world converge on Charlotte Square Gardens to talk about their work. There is an extensive programme of talks, readings, and discussions about "adult" works, and a parallel programme of events with childrens' writers and illustrators.
	Edinburgh Doors Open Day September: Explore some of Edinburgh's most architecturally, culturally and socially significant buildings. Doors Open Day offers visitors free access to properties that are either not usually open to the public, or would normally charge an entry fee.
	Scottish International Storytelling Festival October: Authentic live storytelling by Scottish and international storytellers.
	Scots Fiddle Festival November: Amazing concerts and recitals from a diverse range of fiddlers.
	Edinburgh's Christmas December: Celebrate Christmas in sparkling Edinburgh, beginning with the switching on of the Christmas lights.
	Edinburgh's Hogmanay December - January: Edinburgh's world-famous giant street party includes live music and dramatic fireworks. A mix of free and ticketed events.