The City of Edinburgh Council is challenging residents to climb two of the city’s tallest monuments for the chance to win the experience of a lifetime.
Category: city centre
Edinburgh Dungeon hydes a sinister secret this Halloween
Visit The Edinburgh Dungeon, the Home of Halloween, this October and discover the terrifying true story behind the menacing tale of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. Continue reading Edinburgh Dungeon hydes a sinister secret this Halloween
Countdown to Octoberfest
With less than a month until Edinburgh’s fourth Oktoberfest, event organisers reveal the secrets to ‘absolutely enjoy’ the event:
#1: Let’s get bier!
Oktoberfest is fundamentally about beer. On offer is the one-and-only
Oktoberfest beer called Bavarian Festbeer. It is a dark golden lager with
brownish hue and comes with a touch of sweetness and a strong and slightly
bitter aftertaste. The beer has traveled 993 miles from a respected brewery in
Bavaria to Edinburgh in a 24-thousand-liter beer tanker. During the whole
process, the beer is always kept cool in 2°C to guarantee its freshness. Then,
it is pumped into guests’ glasses through a refined craft system.
#2: Get yourself stuffed
“Oktoberfest is much more than just beer”, claims Carsten Raun, festival
director. A selection of typical Oktoberfest food is on offer such as Hendl
(grilled chicken), Schweinebraten (roast pork), Brezel (bread), and of course,
a lot of wurst (pork sausages). Don’t forget to try Bratwurst, German-specialty
pork sausage, pan-roasted and served hot with slightly-pungent yellow mustard
and fermented sauerkraut (cabbage). A cold beer from tap with a plate of
sizzling Bratwurst would complete your Oktoberfest experience.
#3: Dress to impress
No suit or evening gown needed, you can still impress by wearing traditional
Lederhosen and Dirndl. Lederhosen, short or knee-length leather breeches, is
traditionally made for Bavarian men. Mostly considered as leisurewear nowadays,
it is a perfect costume for Oktoberfest. Dirndl, a classical-looking outfit for
Bavarian women, consists of a bodice, blouse, full dress and an apron. It is
believed that the apron knot implies the woman’s marital status. Make sure you
send out the right signal!
#4: The early bird gets … the best seat
The party tent is limited to 3300 people and tickets for the weekend are selling
quickly, so if you want to attend the fabulous party, remember to book tickets
as soon as possible. Tickets are also available at door if the event is not sold
out beforehand. Don’t forget to turn up early to guarantee entry!
#5: “Cash up”
Even though you can pay by card at the events, it is advisory to bring cash on
hand. It will save you unnecessary hassle and spare you more time to enjoy the
wunderbar atmosphere!
General information:
Date: 5- 10 October | Venue: Princes Streets Gardens West, Red Square
Ticket info: Edinburgh-oktoberfest.co.uk
Email: info@edinburgh-oktoberfest.co.
Phone: +44 20 3239 5070 | Press: +44 20 3239 5032
Your community needs YOU! – be part of something great!
Community Council nominations open on Monday
Nominations for Edinburgh’s community councils open on Monday (5 September) and the city council is calling on people passionate about their area to play an active role and be part of something great! Continue reading Your community needs YOU! – be part of something great!
Work underway on North Bridge facelift
A programme of maintenance and inspection work on one of Edinburgh’s North Bridge is underway. Continue reading Work underway on North Bridge facelift
Lottery funding for ELREC’s Routes to Roots project
The Edinburgh and Lothians Regional Equality Council (ELREC) has received £74,300.00 from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) for the Routes to Roots: Adopting Scotland as a Homeland project, it was announced yesterday. The two year project aims to mainstream the heritage of minority ethnic communities and explore the intertwining histories of Scottish and diverse communities in Edinburgh and the Lothians. Continue reading Lottery funding for ELREC’s Routes to Roots project
Free Fringe with North Edinburgh Arts
Free visit to the Edinburgh Fringe!
North Edinburgh Arts has partnered up with the Fringe Society to offer 20 free places on a trip to the Edinburgh Fringe. This is a fantastic opportunity, so book now before places fill up.
The trip will be on Wednesday 17th August and will leave NEA between 6-7pm, depending on which show is chosen. The choice of shows all have a political theme.
The choice of shows to vote for are:
Mark Thomas: The Red Shed
The Inspectors Call
Faslane
Discretion Guaranteed
TO BOOK:
Telephone 0131 315 2151
Email admin@northedinburgharts.co.uk
or in person at North Edinburgh Arts.
When you book, please state which show you would prefer to see. The show with the most votes is the show that everyone will go to see.
Spaces are limited and will be allocated on a first come, first served basis. The trip is free, including the cost of your return bus fare.
Please note: This trip is only suitable for adults
Holyrood Park BIG Fun Run set for 9 October
After the success of the Big Fun Run Series last year, the events are set to return in 2016 and are promised to be bigger and better than ever! Taking place from July – October and set in some of the most scenic parks throughout the UK, the 5K events are aimed at all members of the family with FREE entry for children under 5.
The 17 event-long series begins down in the South Coast in Brighton on 23rd July and then makes its way throughout locations in Scotland, the North West, North East, Midlands and South before finishing in London with a Halloween-themed run in Victoria Park on 30th October.
Big Fun Run events are the perfect way for runners to fundraise for a cause they really care about. Last year, over £200,000 was raised for charity and the series is brilliantly supported by hundreds of charities all throughout the UK.
Zahid Mahmood took part in last year’s Birmingham event after choosing to fundraise for a lifesaving baby unit that cared for his wife and newborn son. “I feel by doing the 5K Big Fun Run I’ve gone a little way to show the gratitude I have for the neonatal doctors and nurses,” he said.
The £450 he raised will go towards the purchase of specialist post-birth equipment such as incubators and heart rate monitors.
Big Fun Run Event Director, Neil Kilgour said: “Tens of thousands of people take part in Big Fun Run every year, it attracts people of all shapes, sizes and ages. No event is timed, it is all about having fun and raising funds for a charity close to your heart. Each run has a friendly atmosphere whilst offering an achievable challenge .
“It is a great event for all the family and it is not unusual to see grandma, mum and daughter all lining up together at the start line. We also have many people taking part in fancy dress to add to the feelgood atmosphere.”
To find out more about the 2016 Series, go to www.bigfunrun.com.
Have your say on city centre public spaces
Views sought on how best to use Edinburgh’s key public spaces
Residents, local organisations and businesses are being asked for their opinions on proposals to balance the use of civic spaces, both owned by the Council and not, in the city centre.
Feedback from an online consultation will be used to inform the development of a Public Spaces Protocol, which will support Council decisions on the most appropriate use of spaces like the Grassmarket, the Mound precinct and the High Street.
Edinburgh’s status as a world renowned Festival City, World Heritage Site and visitor destination will be considered alongside residents’ quality of life, the requirements of established local businesses, as well as seasonal traders, and promoters or organisers of events and activities.
Transport and Environment Convener, Councillor Lesley Hinds, said: “As a capital city, Edinburgh boasts a wide range of attractive and accessible spaces in which the public can spend time and enjoy diverse and world-class events.
“In order to cater to all those who use these spaces, including residents, visitors, businesses and traders, as well as ensuring the fair and balanced staging of events across all the areas on offer, it is necessary that we establish a clear set of guidelines.
“By trialling a number of approaches across spaces in the city, I am confident that we will able to create informed and relevant criteria, and I look forward to hearing what the public think of our approach.”
Trials are already in place to test the different approaches to managing public spaces across the city. In George Street, a set of criteria has been developed to assess proposals put forward by event organisers for large scale festival-related events, while this summer in the Grassmarket a series of measures are in place to deliver a more coherent approach to managing activity in the area.
Evaluation is also currently underway on best practise for Castle Street, which was redeveloped in 2008 but is now considered under-used. Outcomes from this and the other two trials will contribute to the final Public Spaces Protocol.
The Public Spaces Protocol is part of the City Centre Programme, which incorporates a number of projects with a ‘place-making’ agenda. The Programme focuses on a vision for the city, ensuring that everyone who cares about the centre has an opportunity to have their say.
The Use of Public Spaces consultation is open until Tuesday, 6 September and can be accessed through the Council website.
Wunderbar: Octoberfest’s back!
Oktoberfest is coming back to Edinburgh for a ‘wunderbar’ long weekend at Princes Street Gardens West.
The organizers of World Wide Oktoberfest tour have announced the official dates for Edinburgh Oktoberfest 2016. Princes Street Gardens West will be hosting the event from 5th -9th October. Continue reading Wunderbar: Octoberfest’s back!