Edinburgh City Guide - events

Edinburgh Festival
Widely hailed to be one of the most important celebrations of the arts in the world, the Edinburgh International Festival is now more than 50 years old, and is held every year during the summer months. Artists, performers, musicians, writers and anyone else wishing to partake flood the city from all over the world, and it is well advised to book accommodation beforehand. Almost every public venue in the city turns into a theatre or gallery during the summer, and visitors often find it difficult to choose what to see and do. A short stroll down the Royal Mile will reveal a crowd of performers giving free previews of their shows to help visitors make up their minds. The Military Tattoo takes place as part of the festival every year at the Edinburgh Castle and is so popular that it is sold out to over 217,000 people in advance and is synonymous with the festival.
Venue: The Hub, Castle Hill
Date: 14 August to 6 September 2009
Website: www.eif.co.uk

Hogmanay
Hogmanay is Edinburgh's famous New Year's celebration, when the entire city becomes one huge party. In fact, it is so popular that entry to the city is open only to those with advance tickets. Over the years the organisation of Hogmanay has become increasingly professional, and a slick festival-style event, attracting major international musicians and bands who perform in the castle or the city's botanical gardens. Visitors are well advised to book tickets and accommodation beforehand, due to the sheer size of this event.
Venue: The Hub, Castle Hill
Date: New Year's Eve
Website: www.edinburghshogmanay.org

Edinburgh Fringe Festival
Part of the greater Edinburgh International Festival, the Fringe Festival is one of the world's largest and most famous art festivals, which had its beginning when unofficial theatre groups set up their shows around the fringes of the main festival in 1947. Unlike the official festival, performers do not need to undergo a selection process to take part, and as a result it attracts a huge diversity of entertainers with hundreds of shows expressing a wide range of cultural and artistic performances.
Venue: Various
Date: 7-31 August 2009
Website: www.edfringe.com

Edinburgh International Science Festival
Every Easter the city becomes a gigantic laboratory of discovery, exploration and entertainment, as non-stop shows, demonstrations, hands-on activities, workshops and exhibitions are presented to educate and astonish all ages. The Edinburgh International Science Festival is designed to encourage discovery about the sciences and amazing technological events, such as outer space, our planet, the inner body and modern gadgets. Kids can become who or what they want to be, climb inside an enormous, snotty nostril and try to break world records, while adults can explore the chances of survival of the human race in the 21st century.
Venue: Various
Date: 3 - 17 April 2010
Website: www.sciencefestival.co.uk

. Edinburgh Mela
The Mela (meaning 'get-together' or 'celebration' in Sanskrit) is Scotland's biggest intercultural festival and was founded by Edinburgh's Pakistani, Indian and Bangladeshi communities to celebrate the city's cultural diversity, with the emphasis on South Asia. It presents a dazzling display of music, dance, art and crafts, fashion, food, sports and activities for the whole family.
Venue: Pilrig Park
Date: 7 - 9 August 2009
Website: www.edinburgh-mela.co.uk

Edinburgh International Book Festival
Every year the gardens are transformed into an enchanting tented village that is home to the biggest and most animated literary event in the world. The International Book Festival has a varied programme for adults and children, including debates and discussions, writing workshops, book signing and story telling, and gives book lovers the chance to meet their favourite authors, discover new writers and buy books.
Venue: Charlotte Square Gardens
Date: 15-31 August 2009
Website: www.edbookfest.co.uk

Scottish International Storytelling Festival
A celebration of live oral storytelling where Scottish and international storytellers share an exciting array of folk and fairy tales from around the world. Events for adults and children take place at top visitor attractions in and around Edinburgh, including Edinburgh Castle, Trinity House and the Scottish Storytelling Centre.
Venue:
Date: October to November 2009 TBA
Website: www.scottishstorytellingcentre.co.uk

T in the Park
Scotland's biggest music festival, T in The Park, attracts party animals from across the United Kingdom every year for three days of unrivalled musical madness. Always serving up only the finest musical acts and sought after bands, the festival guarantees world class entertainment around the clock. Boasting that the festival becomes Scotland's sixth biggest city over the weekend, the event organisers promise that this years headliners, will be just as good as the last.
Venue: Balado
Date: 8 - 11 July 2010
Website: www.tinthepark.com