North Edinburgh Community Festival: Book your stall

If you are looking to reach and engage with over 10,000 people in the North Edinburgh area, then register to participate in the festival.

We have 80 stalls this year and they are fast selling out!

You can be a group, charity, organisation or individual selling arts and crafts. From gardeners to third sector, from armed forces to housing associations; from free food to glitter tattoos, we will have it all.

Stalls cost £50 – marquee, table and 2 chairs will be provided. To register complete this online form:

https: //forms.office.com/r/kmEA0rXDnP

West Pilton Park: Update Plans and Drop-in sessions

Details of the West Pilton Park proposal updates

West Pilton Park is undergoing an exciting, new development after receiving a significant amount of charitable funding.

The Edinburgh and Lothians Greenspace Trust in partnership with City of Edinburgh Council would like to share with you the latest design proposals, to raise awareness of the development and build enthusiasm for the new park plan.

The aim is to make West Pilton Park the beautiful, bustling centre of a thriving neighbourhood community.

http://www.elgt.org.uk/projects/greenspace-improvements/wppdevelopment/

Dates for your diary

Join us at a community drop-in session at West Pilton Neighbourhood Centre to see more detailed plans and ask questions:

Monday 5th February 2024 10:30 – 14:00

Tuesday 6th February 2024 14:30 – 18:00

For more information and to share your thoughts you can join us at a community drop-in session (as above) or send us an email to info@elgt.org.uk

West Pilton Park plans: What do you think?

West Pilton Park is undergoing an exciting, new development after receiving a commitment of significant charitable funding.

You can view full plans at http://www.elgt.org.uk/…/greenspace…/wppdevelopment/

Join us at one of our public drop-in sessions at West Pilton Neighbourhood Centre to see more detailed plans and ask questions:

Monday 5th February 2024 10:30 – 2pm

Tuesday 6th February 2024 2:30 – 6pm.

Au Revoir, Play Rangers!

Play Rangers Farewell sessions
Friday 8 September
12:30pm – 2pm at West Pilton Park
3:15pm – 5pm at Muirhouse Park

After a fun-filled summer, our Play Rangers sessions are taking a break. We want to thank everyone who joined us for these outdoor play sessions in the local parks. We had a wonderful time.

To celebrate all the fantastic times we’ve had, we’re hosting special farewell sessions on Friday 8 September (West Pilton Park: 12:30pm- 2:00pm and Muirhouse Park: 3:15pm – 5:00pm). Come & join us!

Rest assured, Play Rangers will make a return in the future, so stay tuned for updates!

West Pilton Park development meeting

GET INVOLVED IN DEVELOPING EXCITING NEW PLANS FOR LOCAL GREEN SPACE

West Pilton Park Development Meeting

Tuesday 13th June, 5.30 – 7pm at West Pilton Neighbourhood Centre

West Pilton Park has received significant funding for development. We need your help to guide issues such as paths & access, play & leisure, nature & wildlife, and security.

Come along, get involved, and help guide the development of your local greenspace.

West Pilton Neighbourhood Centre

West Pilton Parklife

West Pilton and West Granton Community Council

A Perfect Day: North Edinburgh Community Festival

MORE THAN 8000 PEOPLE ATTEND COMMUNITY FESTIVAL

North Edinburgh Community Festival held its 2nd festival this year on Saturday 13th May with a record number of people attending this scorching day!

Not only were the numbers high on the thermostat but also for the amount of attendees. Over 8000 people attended the festival at West Pilton Park which is becoming THE community festival to attend in Edinburgh. 

The festival provides a fun, free, family day out for new and existing residents to enjoy – promoting opportunities, creativity, enhancing community cohesion, reducing social isolation and celebrating the diversity of the area. 

The Festival took place for the first time in May 2022 with an attendance of 6000 people and this year we hit the 8000 attendance mark. 

This year, we had over 80 locally based organisations and community groups offering stalls, activities and workshops.

There was interactions available on most stalls like Draw your dream home, hair braiding, face painting and glitter tattoos.

North Edinburgh Arts provided the arts element with creative sessions, dance, park rangers, and HAT HAT HAT Theatre Performances with Imaginate, Edinburgh’s International Childrens Festival and the young people from Forthview Primary School.

Around the park, the festival was bustling with all sorts of family friendly activities such as

  • Busking Bike Street Science with Edinburgh Science Festival
  • Granton and Muirhouse Mobile Library
  • Horses with EdinEqui Centre
  • Parkour climbing frame with Access Parkour
  • Rugby with Inverleith Rugby Club and football with Spartans Community Football Academy
  • Assault Course with the British Army and Obstacle Course with the Royal Navy

One of our core aims is to provide as much free food as possible. This year with thanks to RRT (Rapid Relief Team) we gave away 1500 burgers, Kings Church Street Café handing out over 1000 cups of tea, coffee and hot chocolate, free chocolate bars from Mackies of Scotland and over 1000 packets of Scottish Porridge Oats from Hamlyns of Scotland.

There was also free pizza from The Space at Broomhouse in collaboration with Ooni Pizza ovens, as well as many stalls like Pilton Equalities Project and DCLM Scotland handing out free food, baked goods and juices.

There were a few more food vans who sold food for £5 or less including Scranvan, who sold over 1000 hotdogs, The Chick Kings, Project Esperanza and Lolas selling tea, coffee and waffles.

A large communal stretch marquee took centre place in the park as a gathering space for people to eat, drink, relax and enjoy the festival as well as providing much needed shade!

Lyndon Cane, the Rapid Relief Team’s Local Team Leader in Edinburgh, said: “The Rapid Relief Team was delighted to support the North Edinburgh Community Festival in what was a fantastic event for the local community.

“With the support of our exceptional volunteers from the Davidsons Mains and South Queensferry area, we prepared over 1,500 burgers free of charge during the Festival as part of our shared values for reducing social isolation and enhancing community cohesion.

“Preparing nutritious food forms part of the Rapid Relief Team’s wider charitable mission which puts compassion into action. We work with emergency services, charities, NGOs and many more organisations to help those in need, including through our hot food provision and delivering thousands of bespoke Food Boxes to vulnerable families and children.

“We look forward to seeing the Festival go from strength to strength, with the 2024 event promising the build on the success of this year’s Festival!”

We had two stages this year – the main park stage as well as the Green Room stage located inside the West Pilton Neighbourhood Centre.

Performances included Ama-zing Harmonies, Rai Williams, The Mockingjays and Laurent, all performers and young people are from local groups and schools. Pulse of Place led the parade to the park, then it was time for Fischy Music and a sing-along.

Organised by local charity Low Income Families Together (LIFT), the Festival parade brought together around 250 local families and young people to parade from the Muirhouse Millennium Centre to the Park to launch the Festival. The theme this year was Disney – and what a splendid array of costumes on show as well as hundreds of Mickey Mouse ears!

This festival is a much needed community gathering in North Edinburgh and we could not have put on such a fantastic day without all the organisations, charities, volunteers, young people and individuals who helped pull this all together, and of course a massive thank you to everyone who attended!

Also our sponsors are most important because without them we really couldn’t have supplied anything to put the festival on.

Thank you to CEC Local Cultural Festivals and Events Fund, Police Scotland, National Lottery Awards for All, West Pilton Neighbourhood Centre, Muirhouse Housing Association, Edinburgh College, Scotmid, Nancy Massie Trust, Forth Neighbourhood Network, Mcleod Trust and Manor Housing.

Next years festival will take place on Saturday 11th May 2024, 12 .-530pm, West Pilton Park.

2023 Feedback:

“I just want to pass on my kindest regards and a big “thank you” too, you and your team for everything you all did for us at your Community Festival. Your team were there for us, throughout the day. I have received nothing but very encouraging comments from all of my team.  A most enjoyable, very busy fantastic day for all.  (Amazing community spirit).”

“It was a beautiful day and we truly enjoyed performing, watching other performances, and visiting stalls.”

“Thank you so much for having us at the festival today.  Was a fab day and really enjoyed meeting so many people”

“I just wanted to say thanks so much for having the Book Festival as part of your festival on Saturday. We had such a great time and our writers group really enjoyed performing their stories to families. The book bags I brought down were gone in a matter of minutes – I’ll know for next time to bring 1000 rather than 100! “

Social Media:

Instagram – northedinfest,

Facebook – northedinburghfest,

Twitter – northedinfest

Sunshine guaranteed at North Edinburgh Community Festival!

LAUNCH PROMISES MORE STALLS, MORE MUSIC, MORE FOOD and.. SUNSHINE!

Next month’s North Edinburgh’s Community Festival will be even bigger than last years event, organisers announced at Tuesdays launch at West Pilton Neighbourhood Centre.

Around 6000 people attended last year’s gala event, and with at least SEVENTY marquees (up from 50 last year) and and not one but TWO music stages there promises to be even more for the local community to do, see and enjoy on 13 May.

Highlights include:

Disney-themed LIFT Parade from Muirhouse Millennium Centre to West Pilton Park to launch the Festival.

More than 70 local organisations and charities with Community Stalls

Two music stages: the open air Park Stage and the Green Room stage in West Pilton Neighbourhood Centre

The music line-up features a wealth of local talent. Performers include local youth orchestra Tinderbox, Granton Youth’s Mixtape Music Club and a session from ever-popular Fischy Music.

There’s a musical medley from the Edinburgh College Musical Theatre Group, performances from local choirs including Ama-zing Harmonies, AUGB Ukranian choir, Craigroyston High School Choir and a high-energy performance is guaranteed from local punk rockers Yer Local Bams. Low Tide, Rai Williams, Laurent and Abigail Kerner will also be performing live on the day in a musical feast.

Family events and activities will include Bookbug with Muirhouse Library and a Storytelling session with Edinburgh International Book Festival’s Citizen writers.

Fancy some sport? You’ll be spoilt for choice as Access Parkour, Spartans Community Football Academy and Inverleith Rugby Club will all be there. And there will be children’s Zumba classes.

North Edinburgh Arts will be organising arts and craft activities and Screen Education Edinburgh will offer film workshops. There’s an Army obstacle course, too.

There will also be learning and upskilling opportunities provided by local organisations including Edinburgh College will be offering course taster sessions.

All in all, there really should be something for everyone. And with sunshine (almost) guaranteed, it promises to be a great day.

Local activist Willie Black, a member of the Festival planning committee, introduced Tuesday’s launch. “We are very excited about this year’s Festival and it promises to be a really great event, a community celebration for everyone to enjoy.

“We have a wealth of diverse talent in this community and we want to share that talent far and wide. We’re looking forward to offering a warm North Edinburgh welcome to thousands of visitors next month, and the hope is that the Festival will be a great success and that it can become an annual event.”

North Edinburgh Community Festival is on Saturday 13 May from 12 – 5.30pm. Free event. All welcome.

IMAGES FROM LAUNCH EVENT:

Park Life at West Pilton

PARK LIFE

West Pilton Park

Free activities and food for young people aged P7 – S3

Sports/ parkour/ circus skills/ bike obstacle course/ drumming/ graffiti art & more

Tuesdays 12th, 19th & 26th July, 2.00 pm – 4.00 pm

Email for more information: booking.youth.talk@gmail.com