Tag: 2024 Journeys

Goodbye, Stories; Hello, Journeys

  • Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo celebrates triumphant conclusion to 2023 show, STORIES
  • Tattoo also looks ahead to 2024’s Show JOURNEYS – tickets on sale from today

After an immensely successful 2023 run with Show Stories, this year’s Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo has now officially come to an end.

Starring over 800 international performers and engaging over 200,000 audience members, with only a handful of tickets unsold across the run, this year’s Show has proven to be one of the Tattoo’s most successful to date thanks to continued partnerships and a loyal customer base.

The loyalty of its valued customer base; the continued support from the Festival Edinburgh partners, plus a wider collaboration with many of the city’s stakeholders has all contributed to a successful August for the Edinburgh event.

The Tattoo’s emphatic run was all set against the challenging backdrop of navigating the Cost-of-Living crisis, for both the business and audiences, while also recovering from the ongoing challenges of reduced income during the Covid pandemic, as it delivered its second year of the Tattoo’s bold new brand proposition, Performance in a New Light.

The continued investment and enhanced offering of the Tattoo, including a variety of new hospitality packages and experiences, coupled with the ongoing support from its official supporters including Presenting Partner, Innis & Gunn, has also allowed the Tattoo to continue to grow, evolve and diversify as a business.

International performers from across the globe – including Norway, Switzerland, Trinidad & Tobago, the USA, and homegrown talent from around the UK – dazzled and delighted audiences with performances ranging from Highland dance, fire breathing, to marches performed to tunes from contemporary video games, all underpinned with the strong military heritage and precision that the Tattoo has made its celebrated name on.

In a Royal Air Force lead year, the Tattoo hosted seven flypasts during the August run, which included the RAF Aerobatic Team, the Red Arrows, taking to the skies above Edinburgh Castle.

With the triumphant conclusion of the 2023 Show Stories, the Tattoo team is already getting set to lead audiences onto the next performance with Journeys.

The 2024 Show will transport audiences on an international cultural journey, bringing together the voices and stories that connect the cast, audiences, and cultures of the Tattoo. Tickets for Journeys are now on sale, with the first 25,000 tickets available at 2023 prices.

Jason Barrett, Chief Operating Officer of The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, said: “The success of this year’s Tattoo is measured in many ways but nowhere more so than in the faces and genuine emotion expressed by those who attended. 

“Stories was the Tattoo’s latest atmospheric spectacular enjoyed by almost a quarter of a million people, illuminating on Edinburgh Castle and filling the capital city’s August nights with the skirl of the massed pipes and drums. We couldn’t be prouder of the team for yet another great performance.”  

“But as one chapter closes, another begins, and the team has already embarked on planning next year’s Show, Journeys. Tickets for the 2024 Show, Journeys are on sale from today (28 August 2023), and we are delighted to offer the first 25,000 tickets secured at 2023 prices to ensure as many people as possible get to experience watching the Tattoo live. Book now – you won’t want to miss it.”

**Pics Free to use** Pictured: His Majesty the King’s Guard Band and Drill Team of Norway THE ROYAL EDINBURGH MILITARY TATTOO KICKS OFF AUGUST RUN WITH STUNNING SHOWCASE FOR 2023 – STORIES More than 800 performers graced Edinburgh Castle’s Esplanade to share their stories through song, dance, and military precision – Thursday 3 August 2023: The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo makes its anticipated return with this year’s Show, Stories as performers from across the globe wow audiences with sensational music, dance, costume, and spectacle. Running until 26 August, the Show is a celebration of sagas, myths, and legends, transporting audiences on a journey of ideas – from the earliest campfire stories through to the world stage and showcasing an international cast telling tales that connect us through our unique and shared military and cultural heritages. From the musical prowess of the Massed Pipes & Drums, the physical storytelling of dance and precision drill, and stunning imagery captured through light and projection, audiences will be transported and enthralled. Edinburgh Castle Esplanade will play host to performers from Australia, Norway, Switzerland, The United States, and Trinidad and Tobago, alongside homegrown acts from across the UK and Ireland. As ever, the military play a prominent role in the Show, with the Royal Air Force as the lead Service. Audiences will also be treated to the rousing sound of the Massed Pipes and Drums supported by the Tattoo Dancers and Fiddlers. Making their Tattoo debut on the Castle Esplanade, The United States Air Force Band will entertain the crowds with a freestyle musical performance with music from the Great American Songbook. The Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force Steel Orchestra will bring a vibrant burst of colour and excitement true to their traditional art forms, including the limbo and fire dance, performing their take on contemporary Caribbean music. Exploring the legends and traditions of Sw

Journeys will run from 2-24 August 2024, and as always, will feature the military at the heart of the showcase.

Audiences can expect the magnificent sounds of the Massed Pipes and Drums filling up the Esplanade alongside performances from the incredibly talented Tattoo Pipes and Drums and Tattoo Dancers. International acts will join the 2024 line up bringing new cultures and vibrancy to this sought-after spectacle.

Further details about Journeys will be announced in the coming months.

Tickets are on sale now for the 2024 performance and can be purchased at edintattoo.co.uk/tickets or on the phone on 0131 225 1188.