Leith Festival gets underway at midday today with the traditional pageant and Gala Day …
Tag: events
Leith Festival set to kickstart summer
Sunny Leith’s all set for nine days of festival fun
Nine days of fun, entertainment, exhibitions and performance kicks off in Leith tomorrow with the Gala Day and pageant from midday.
There’s been a festival in Leith for over a hundred years and this year’s programme is as bold and ambitious as it’s ever been with a range of events and activities to suit all tastes.
Dave Carson, Chair of Leith Festival, said: “Leith is one of the largest community festivals in Scotland, with a regular attendance of between 11, 000 – 15,000 local people and families participating on Gala Day, and many more besides during the following week of activites in our comunity.
“Leith Festival celebrates and reflects the cultural diversity amd richness we have in Leith, acting as a facilitator to celebrate our community assets and seeking to promote a sense of community, neighbourliness and connectedness with each other.”
To see the full Leith Festival programme visit
www.leithfestival.com
Fingers crossed for fair weather this weekend
Summer’s almost upon us and this weekend sees the start of those seasonal events – the fetes, galas and fun days – here’s hoping the sun will come out and help things along!
There are loads of events happening this weekend. Today we have the Family Fun Day event at Royston Wardieburn Community Centre from 11am – 3pm and there’s also the Teddy Bears Picnic at West Pilton Park from 11.30 – 2.30pm.
Slightly further afield there’s Holy Cross Episcopal Church Summer Fete in Davidson’s Mains from 2 – 4pm today, Clermiston & Drumbrae Children’s Gala today and tomorrow at Drumbrae Leisure Centre and don’t forget Newhaven Gala at Victoria Primary School today from midday too!
A community cleanup is taking place in West Pilton Green from 10am tomorrow morning as well, so fingers crossed the predicted showers stay away – we don’t want those teddies getting wee wet bottoms!
Amnes-T in the Park!
Broughton High School students stage event to support World Refugee Day
On Saturday 20 June (10am– 2pm), Broughton High School’s Amnesty International Youth Group is holding Amnes-T in the Park to raise awareness of World Refugee Day. Get into the summer festival vibe and come along to the school’s rugby pitch for a day of live music, games and food for all the family to enjoy!
New local talent, including Rastafarian White Boys, will bring the field alive as you dig into a delicious selection of home baking. The event will focus on the current issues surrounding refugees through a series of artwork made by school pupils. These will highlight important facts in a fun and engaging way!
All ages are welcome, although primary school children should be accompanied by an adult – and entry is free!
All the money raised on the day will go towards helping Amnesty International carry out their vitally important work protecting human rights worldwide.
Niamh McNulty
Broughton High School Amnesty International Youth Group
Beltane to spark a celebration of summer
Organisers have released details of how Edinburgh’s world-famous Beltane Fire Festival will mark the coming of summer tonight.
The Beltane Fire Society, the charity of volunteers who run the event on 30 April each year, say the modern take on an ancient celtic festival will be an incredible spectacle. They want everyone – locals and tourists, old hands and those new to the event – to book tickets now and be part of the celebration.
Beltane Fire Festival takes place as the sun sets on the last night of April (gates open 8pm), at Calton Hill. This year hundreds of specialist volunteer performers will welcome in the summer with more than 40 drums; fire dancing, fire sculptures and flame torches; a huge performance of physical theatre on the national monument; a procession of weird and wonderful characters awakening from their winter sleep around the hill; and the lighting of a huge bonfire by the incarnation of summer, the May Queen, and her counterpart the Green Man.
The 2015 Beltane will incorporate new elements too. Performers will be using fire in dramatic ways not seen before, and there will be the international debut of interactive sound and light performance ‘Spark’.
The festival will also include a faerie garden of giant, glowing toadstools and mushrooms made from candle wax reclaimed from Edinburgh’s underground caves. Also this year, the Incorporation of Candlemakers of Edinburgh will take part in the event. The candlemakers were part of Beltane celebrations in the Capital as far back as medieval times.
Lila O’Leary, Festival Secretary of the Beltane Fire Society, said: “Beltane is a huge community project, kept alive and reinvented every year by hundreds of dedicated volunteers. The night itself is always special, the result of months of hard work, and this year will be particularly impressive. We’re going all out with dazzling fire performances, mysterious characters and stunning costumes. Beltane is something we are really proud of and we want people across Edinburgh – and Scotland – to get tickets, join us on the night and be proud too.”
The modern Beltane Fire Festival has run since 1988 and is the spring and summer counterpart to Samhuinn Fire Festival, which is held in the city centre on 31 October. The events are modern re-imaginings of ancient celtic festivals marking the turning seasons. The Beltane Fire Society is a charity run by volunteers, dedicated to marking the fire festivals of the ancient celtic calendar and keeping traditional Scottish skills of street theatre, music and pageantry alive.
Advance tickets are available via The Hub and www.beltane.org from £10 + booking fee, and at the event gate, subject to availability
City Chambers advice event for gala organisers
Councillor Gavin Barrie, Convenor of the Licensing Regulatory Committee would like to extend an invitation to a meeting on Wednesday, 29 April 2015 from 6pm – 7.30pm in the European Room at City Chambers.
There have been many queries from organisers so this evening should provide lots of useful information for those of you who are thinking of organising a Community Event or Gala Day.
Councillor Maureen Child will join us to sit on the panel for the Question & Answer session along with Catherine Scanlin, Licensing Manager and Gordon Hunter, Licensing Policy & Project Officer.
Agenda:
6pm Coffee
6.15pm Introduction from Councillor Barrie
6.25pm Presentation from the Licensing Service
6.45pm Questions and Answer Session
7.15pm Closing remarks
Could you please confirm your attendance by emailing isla.burton@edinburgh.gov.uk
Please let us know if you require any assistance to attend or take part e.g. large print, disabled access requirements, travel arrangements, hearing loop, etc. We look forward to meeting you all!
Muirhouse Fun Day set for Saturday 2 May
Muirhouse Millennium Community Centre
Saturday 2 May 11am – 3m
Edinburgh College Events Management students are planning, organising and staging a community fun day at Muirhouse Millennium Community Centre on Saturday 2 May.
Activities confirmed include bouncy castle, face painting, a treasure hunt, arts and carfs, raffle, cake and candy, photo booth, barbecue and carnival games!
Granton Campus student Jessica Beattie said: “We want to hold a Community Fun Day for people of all ages – we feel that by doing so we will manage to raise more money for the centre and it will be a chance to really bring the community together to celebrate in a fun, exciting way!”
All profits raised on the day will be donated to Muirhouse Millennium Centre, so go along – support the students, support your local community centre and have loads of fun too!
Live Well in Later Life
Drop-in event for older people at Broughton High School next week
Come along to our free drop-in event between
11am -3pm on Thursday 16 April
at Broughton High School, East Fettes Avenue.
Tea, coffee and cake will be served.
Free transport is available if booked in advance.
Call 0131 529 6552 or email rachel.howe@edinburgh.gov.uk
Science hits the streets this Easter
Spectacular street science is expected to attract large crowds to locations across Edinburgh during the Easter holidays.
The ‘Busking Bikes’ project is part of the Edinburgh International Science Festival and the City of Edinburgh Council is supporting six performances from 4-14 April.
Each trike carries a box full to the brim with impressive, explosive, messy, and down-right weird science experiments. From the power of water to finding out how carbon capture could save the planet, each demo will explain some of the most interesting science happening today.
As well as watching expert performers do some unforgettable demonstrations, the audience can get stuck in too and learn their own science tricks, from skewering a balloon to launching a rocket.
Councillor Frank Ross, the City of Edinburgh Council, said: “This is a really exciting project as we expect the bikes to draw large crowds to each area creating a vibrant atmosphere, colour and life where ever they go. The ‘Busking Bikes’ project is being funded as part of the Council’s Town Centre Strategy to build stronger town centres by driving up footfall to support local businesses.”
Programme:
Saturday April 4 – Portobello Market
Sunday April 5 – Gorgie City Farm
Friday April 10 – Stockbridge Library
Friday April 10 – Morningside Library
Friday April 10 – Costorphine Library
Tuesday April 14 – McDonald Road Library
Ready teddy .. go!
The popular Great Saughton Easter Teddy Bear Hunt will take place tomorrow (Saturday 4 April) in Saughton Park.
Thirty teddies will be hidden throughout the grounds, with prizes awarded to the children who manage to track down all the bears. There will also be lots of art and craft activities and storytelling at what is sure to be a fun day for all the family.
he hunt will start at 12 noon in the Park’s Winter Gardens and children of all ages are welcome to take part.
The last Teddy Bear Hunt attracted hundreds of people and organisers are hoping that this weekend’s event will be every bit as popular.
Environment Convener, Councillor Lesley Hinds, said: “This is a fantastic day out and a great example of the many events and activities that take place in Edinburgh’s parks throughout the year.
“We are very lucky to have so many wonderful outdoor spaces and I would encourage people to visit their local parks and make the most of them over the Easter holidays.”
The event will also be an opportunity for people to take part in the Saughton Park Consultation, which closes on 6 April. The historic park is set to undergo a £5.3m renovation to restore some its original 17th century features and members of the public are being asked to comment on the proposed master plan.
Questionnaires will be available at the Bear Hunt and can also be found online.