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Edinburgh Arts, Events and Entertainment

Arts and Entertainment:

Scottish Chamber Orchestra (Dance, Music and Theatre) Usher Hall, Lothian Road, Edinburgh, EH1 2EA 0131 228 1155 Usher Hall Admission charged

Playhouse Theatre 0131/557-2590 Edinburgh’s largest theater, the 3,100-seat Playhouse Theatre, 18-22 Greenside Place Bus: 7, 14, was built in 1929.

Queen’s Hall 0131/668-2019 The Queen’s Hall, Clerk Street (0131/668-2019; Bus: 3, 33, 31), is home to the Scottish Chamber Orchestra and a major venue for the Edinburgh Festival…

King’s Theatre 2 Leven Street, Edinburgh, EH3 9LQ Tel: 0131 529 6000 Fax: 0131 662 1199 Bus: 10, 11), presents a wide repertoire of classical entertainment. more info

Edinburgh Folk Club 077-8896-0732 In addition to pubs that sometimes feature folk music, the Edinburgh Folk Club offers Wednesday performances at changing venues from September to June.

Festival Theatre 0131/662-1112 for administration Opened in 1994 on the eastern edge of Edinburgh, near the old campus of the university, the Festival Theatre, 13-29 Nicolson St. (0131/662-1112)

Queen’s Hall Clerk Street Edinburgh, EH8 9JG Tel: 0131 668 2019 Fax: 0131 668 2656

Open Eye Gallery 5-79 Cumberland Street, Edinburgh, EH3 6RD Tel: 0131 557 1020 Fax: 0131 557 1020 more info

The Dean Gallery Belford Road, Edinburgh, EH4 3DR 0131 624 6200

Motherwell Theatre Civic Centre Windmillhill Street, Motherwell, ML1 1TW Tel: 01698 267515 Fax: 01698 268806

Royal Lyceum Theatre Grindlay Street, Edinburgh, EH3 9AX Tel: 0131 248 4848 Fax: 0131 228 3955 The highly respected resident company of the Royal Lyceum Theatre, Grindlay Street Bus: 11, 15

Nightlife:

Abbotsford 3 Rose St., New Town 0131/225-1894 Bus: 3, 31, 33 An ever-changing selection of five real ales, bar lunches, and Victorian atmosphere.

Bow Bar 0131/226-7667 Near Edinburgh Castle 80 West Bow Bus: 2, 12

Cask And Barrel 115 Broughton St., New Town 0131/556-3132 Is a busy pub in which to sample hand-pulled ales at the horseshoe bar, reflected in a collection of brewery mirrors.

Cloisters 26 Brougham St. Tollcross, West End 0131/221-9997 Is a West End pub specializing in real ales, malt whiskies, and good food, all at reasonable prices.

** Royal Circle Bar** 0131/556-1884 17 W. Register St. Bus: 3, 31, 33 Edinburgh’s most famous pub.

Carlton Highland Hotel 0131/556-7277 Bus: 3, 31, 33 Some hotels regularly feature traditional Scottish music. You can check with the Carlton Highland Hotel on North Bridge

Family Fun Attractions

Museum of Childhood: 0131/529-4142 42 High St. Mon-Sat 10am-5pm; during the Edinburgh Festival, also Sun 2-5pm Free Admission The world’s first museum devoted solely to the history of childhood is located just opposite the John Knox House. Contents of its four floors range from antique toys to games to exhibits on health, education, and costumes, plus video presentations and a small activity area. Because of the youthful crowd it naturally attracts, on weekends and school holidays it can be “the noisiest museum in town.”

Edinburgh Zoo: 134 Corstorphine Rd. 0131/334-9171 Apr-Sept daily 9am-6pm; Oct and Mar Mon-Sat 9am-4:30pm, Sun 9:30am-5; Nov-Feb Mon-Sat 9am-4:30pm Bus: 2, 26, 69, 85, or 86 Admission charged. April to September, a penguin parade is held daily at 2pm. This zoo is Scotland’s largest animal collection, 10 minutes from Edinburgh’s city center on 80 acres of hillside parkland offering unrivaled views from the Pentlands to the Firth of Forth. It contains more than 1,500 animals, including many endangered species: snow leopards, white rhinos, pygmy hippos, and many more. The zoo boasts the largest penguin colony in Europe, with four species, plus the world’s largest penguin enclosure.

Edinburgh Castle: Castlehill, at the western end of the Royal Mile 0131/225-9846 Apr-Sept daily 9:30am-5:15pm; Oct-Mar daily 9:30am-4:15pm Admission charged No place in Scotland is filled with as much history, legend, and lore as Edinburgh Castle, one of the highlights of a visit to Scotland. It is believed the ancient city grew up on the seat of a dead volcano, Castle Rock. In the 11th century Malcolm III (Canmore) and his Saxon queen, later venerated as St. Margaret, founded a castle on this spot. The only fragment left of their castle-in fact, the oldest structure in Edinburgh-is St. Margaret’s Chapel, built in the Norman style, the oblong structure dating principally from the 12th century. Children will enjoy the climb and the adventure of exploring the site. They will also like seeing the cannon. Among the batteries of cannons that protected the castle is Mons Meg, a 15th-century cannon weighing more than 5 tons.

Events & Entertainment

January

*New Years celebration starting New Year’s Eve for 3 days

Edinburgh Hogmanay*

Hogmanay, the Scottish celebration of the New Year, is marked with concerts, street parties and a massive bonfire on Calton Hill. It features street theater; lively processions, illuminated by firebrands; and the burning of a long boat. By 1997, the crush to attend Europe’s largest winter festival forced the city to limit numbers, the consequence being that access to the city center after 8pm on New Year’s Eve is by ticket only. For details, call 0131/473-3800.

*January 25

Burns Night*

The celebration of the birthday of Scotland’s national poet on January 25 traditional supper of haggis, neeps (turnips), and tatties (potatoes), accompanied by a wee dram of whisky, while listening to recitals from the works of Scotland’s Bard, Robert “Rabbie” Burns, whose birthday is being celebrated. Burns suppers are held in hotels and restaurants all over the city.

*April

Edinburgh Science Fair*

Lectures and events covering all branches of science and technology, held in over 40 centers city-wide.

*May

Museum Week*

Annual events to publicize Edinburgh museums, with a series of art workshops, guided walks and exhibitions.

Scottish International Children’s Festival

the largest festival of the performing arts in the United Kingdom for children and young people. Public performances Friday – Sunday. Telephone 0131 225 8050

Come to Britain’s Biggest Performing Arts Festival for Children and enjoy:

A unique live theatre experience!

Cultural Diversity

Performances from the best theatre companies from Germany, Denmark, England and Scotland

Dance Workshops And Story Sessions

*June

Royal Highland Show*

Includes a huge variety of events, such as pedigree livestock judging; show jumping; and agricultural displays over a period of five days.

*August

Edinburgh International Festival*

The Hub, Castle Hill, Edinburgh EH1 7ND

0131/473-2000

open Monday to Friday 9:30am to 5:30pm.

The highlight of Edinburgh’s year comes in the last weeks of August during the various festivals. Since its inception in 1947, I The International Festival has grown into one of the world’s largest and most important arts festivals. The festival has attracted artists and companies of the highest international standard in all fields of the arts, including music, opera, dance, theater, poetry, and prose.

Edinburgh Festival Fringe

180 High St.

Edinburgh EH1 1BW

0131/226-5257

This festival began unofficially at the same time as the Edinburgh International Festival and grew in tandem to become the largest such event in the world. Over 500 amateur and professional groups present every possible kind of avant-garde performance in venues all around the city.

The Edinburgh Military Tattoo

Tickets and mail-order bookings are available from the Edinburgh Military Tattoo, Tattoo Office, 32 Market St., Edinburgh EH1 1QB 0131/225-1188

takes place on the Esplanade of Edinburgh Castle. The show is an extravaganza of daredevil displays, regimental drill, and swirling bagpipes and ends with a single piper playing a lament on the battlefields. The Tattoo features the precision marching of not only the British Army’s Scottish regiments but also performers from some 30 countries, including bands, dancers, drill teams, gymnasts, and motorcyclists, even horses, camels, elephants, and police dogs. The music ranges from ethnic to pop and from military to jazz.

Edinburgh International Film Festival

88 Lothian Rd., Edinburgh EH3 9BZ

0131/228-4051.

This is the worlds longest running film festival. It features both mainstream and independent new releases, with interviews, discussions, and debate. It occurs at the same time as the Military Tattoo.

Jazz and Blues Festival Also at the same time as the Military Tattoo. This festival runs the gamut of jazz forms.

Edinburgh Book Festival

Scottish Book Centre

137 Dundee St.

Edinburgh EH11 1BG

0131/228-5444

occurs annually. The festival occupies a tented village in Charlotte Square and attracts a wide spectrum of visitors.

*September

Fireworks Concert*

A fantastic fireworks display against the backdrop of Edinburgh Castle, accompanied by classical music.

Open Doors Day

Cockburn Association

Trunks Close

55 High Street EH1 15R

0121 557 8686

Some of the finest private homes in Edinburgh are opened to the public on one day of the year, in September.

*Late November

Edinburgh Capital Christmas*

One of Europe’s finest Christmas festivals with a month-long programme bringing warmth and festive cheer to Edinburgh as the city transforms itself into a magical winter wonderland with lots of activity centred around the world-renowned Princes Street Gardens.

*December 31-January 1

Highland Gathering*

An annual indoor music extravaganza catering for 25,000 people, this unprecedented event is designed to compliment the City’s traditional Hogmanay happenings, the Winter Festival, and the existing yearly New Year’s Eve celebrations.

*Arts and Entertainment

Scottish Chamber Orchestra*

Usher Hall, Lothian Road, Edinburgh, EH1 2EA

0131 228 1155

Usher Hall.

Playhouse Theatre

0131/557-2590

18-22 Greenside Place Bus: 7, 14

Edinburgh’s largest theater, the 3,100-seat Playhouse Theatre, was built in 1929.

Queen’s Hall

0131/668-2019

The Queen’s Hall, Clerk Street (0131/668-2019; Bus: 3, 33, 31), is home to the Scottish Chamber Orchestra and a major venue for the Edinburgh Festival.

King’s Theatre

2 Leven Street, Edinburgh, EH3 9LQ

Tel: 0131 529 6000

Bus: 10, 11

presents a wide repertoire of classical entertainment.

Edinburgh Folk Club

077-8896-0732

In addition to pubs that sometimes feature folk music, the Edinburgh Folk Club offers Wednesday performances at changing venues from September to June.

Festival Theatre

13-29 Nicolson St.

0131/662-1112 for administration

Opened in 1994 on the eastern edge of Edinburgh, near the old campus of the university,

Motherwell Theatre

Civic Centre

Windmillhill Street, Motherwell, ML1 1TW

Tel: 01698 267515

Fax: 01698 268806

Royal Lyceum Theatre

Grindlay Street, Edinburgh, EH3 9AX

Grindlay Street Bus: 11, 15

Tel: 0131 248 4848

A highly respected resident company.

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