Edinburgh Thistle Hotel
Edinburgh Thistle Hotel
59 Manor Place Edinburgh Scotland EH3 7EG
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Edinburgh Thistle Hotel - Festivals

Festivals

Edinburgh International Science Festival

Edinburgh International Science Festival Event Date: 04 - 19 April 2020

The Edinburgh International Science Festival is a public celebration of all the wonders, inventions and innovations of the world of science and technology.

Each year hundreds of scientists and technologists share their passion with the public through a programme of engaging, interactive and accessible talks, workshops, shows and exhibitions.

Edinburgh International Children's Festival

Edinburgh Children's Festival Event Date: 20 - 31 May 2020 

The Imaginate Festival is Scotland’s international festival of performing arts for children and young people.

Every year the Festival presents the finest selection of shows from Scotland and across the world; each and every one adding their own wonderful character and zest to a programme of exciting and stimulating shows to suit children and adults of every age.

The Imaginate Festival and Tour presents high quality, distinctive Scottish and international performances to an audience of around 10,000 children and young people.

Edinburgh International Film Festival

Edinburgh International Film Festival Event Date: 17 - 28 June 2020

Born alongside Edinburgh's International Festival in 1947, EIFF was one of the world's first international film festivals, and helped to define the type of event that has since become so pivotal to film culture in nations all over the world.

EIFF has developed into a crucial business hub for the UK and international film industry, a key attraction for Edinburgh, and one of the world's best loved audience festivals. With an emphasis upon new talent, discovery and innovation, ElFF's vibrant programme of films and events combines a commitment to audience edification and pleasure with a strong ongoing stake in the development the UK and Scottish film industries.

Edinburgh Royal Highland Show

Edinburgh Royal Highland Show Event Date: 18 - 21 June 2020

The Royal Highland Show is Scotland's annual farming and countryside showcase.

It is held annually at the Royal Highland Centre, Ingliston and the event attracts over 1,000 exhibitors, 4,500 head of livestock and an annual 170,000 visitors, making it Scotland's most popular summer event and the premier fixture in Scotland's farming calendar.

Exhibitors compete for the prestige of winning not only a prize ticket, but also for prize money and trophies worth well over £1 million. It is the UK's largest agricultural event.

Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival

Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival Event Date: 17 - 26 July 2020

Edinburgh Jazz Festival was set up in 1978 by banjo-player and guitarist, Mike Hart. Mike's initial focus was on traditional jazz and a host of events taking place for free admission in pubs. By the mid-80's the Festival had added ticketed events, and had broadened its musical policy to encompass swing and mainstream jazz and occasionally some more modern groups.

From the Festival's commencement the artistic policy has been to concentrate on musical excellence (rather than the "star system") and to champion spontaneous creativity: music making on the spot in Edinburgh and an on-going commitment to supporting Scottish musicians to realise creative ideas, and to link with international musicians.

Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival has also grown its world outlook, presenting high quality musicians from all over the world.

Edinburgh Art Festival

Edinburgh Art Festival Event Date: 30 July - 30 August 2020

The Edinburgh Art Festival is Scotland’s largest annual festival of visual art and has something for everyone.

Since 1947 Edinburgh has developed a strong tradition of high profile and landmark exhibitions and visual arts events.

Established in 2004, the Festival works in partnership with the city’s artists, galleries, museums and visualart spaces to present the best, exciting and most intriguing in modern and contemporary visual art by leading British and international artists to work by a new generation of talent.

Edinburgh International Festival

Edinburgh International Festival Event Date: 07 - 31 August 2020

Every August, the Edinburgh International Festival transforms one of the world's most beautiful cities, presenting three exhilarating weeks of the finest creators and performers from the worlds of the arts - for everyone.

Edinburgh's six major theatres and concert halls, a few smaller venues and often some unconventional ones too, come alive with the best classical music, theatre, opera, dance and visual art from around the globe.

Edinburgh Festival Fringe

Edinburgh Festival Fringe Event Date: 07 - 31 August 2020

The Edinburgh Festival Fringe (commonly known as The Fringe) started in 1947 when 8 theatre groups turned up uninvited to the first Edinburgh International Festival (EIF). Over the years, more performers came to Edinburgh to perform on the outskirts of the EIF and by 1958 the Festival Fringe Society was formed to provide information, a central box office and a published programme of all the Fringe shows. Central to the society's constitution was the policy that there should be no artistic vetting from the society. Which still holds true to this very day.

It's the biggest arts festival in the world, with something for everyone: theatre, comedy, music, dance, exhibitions and much, much more. In fact, it's the number-one tourist attraction in the whole of Britain.

Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo

Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo Event Date: 07 - 29 August 2020

The first Edinburgh Tattoo took place in 1950 and there were eight items in the programme. The Tattoo has always been staged at Edinburgh Castle.

Each year's Tattoo is very much a 'global gathering' - showcasing the talents of musicians and performers from every corner of the globe.

With the Massed Pipes and Drums, Massed Military Bands, Display Teams, Dancers and the haunting lament of the Lone Piper set against the magnificent backcloth of Edinburgh Castle.

The Tattoo's unique ability to bring together thousands of people for this annual celebration of music and entertainment continues and the public's appetite for pomp and ceremony shows no sign of diminishing.

Edinburgh International Book Festival

Edinburgh International Book Festival Event Date: 08 - 24 August 2020

The Edinburgh International Book Festival began in 1983 and is now a key event in the August Festival season, celebrated annually in Scotland's capital city. Biennial at first, the Book Festival became a yearly celebration in 1997.

An inspiring literary festival, the world's largest public celebration of the written word, right in the heart of Edinburgh: hundreds of author events, debates and workshops packed into 17 extraordinary days each August.

Festival Fireworks Concert

Festival Fireworks Concert Event Date: 31 August 2020

The wildly exuberant finale to the Edinburgh International Festival, the Virgin Money Fireworks Concert is an intoxicating and exciting mix of wonderful live music performed by the Scottish Chamber Orchestra and a breathtaking choreographed fireworks display set against the stunning backdrop of Edinburgh's historic castle.

This immensely popular event last year attracted an audience of over 250,000 people viewing from vantage points across the capital and is the biggest annual event of its kind in Europe.

Edinburgh's Hogmanay

Edinburgh Hogmanay Event Date: 30 December 2019 - 01 January 2020 

Start the New Year in style at the world famous Edinburgh's Hogmanay. With spectacular events, incredible bands and amazing crowds from every corner of the globe, We show the world how to party.

Festivities include: Concert in the Gardens - The music and fireworks spectacular. Street Party and the world famous Edinburgh’s Hogmanay Midnight Fireworks. The Keilidh - the outdoor ceilidh experience set within an exclusive area of the Edinburgh’s Hogmanay Street Party. Torchlight Procession - Join thousands of torch carriers as they create a river of fire from the historic Royal Mile to the Son et Lumiére and fireworks finale on Calton Hill. Candlelit Concert in St Giles’ Cathedral. The Loony Dook - the annual splash in the River Forth at South Queensferry.
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