Edinburgh Christmas Festival Plans Revealed
Get set for loads of live theatre this Christmas with Christmas on Stage, as well as the usual Edinburgh favourites of markets, St Andrew's Square ice rink and more.
OK, we know what you’re thinking. It was taps aff weather only last week; the trees are still green and fully clothed; it’s September! But, as Jon Snow keeps reminding us, winter is coming, and that means so is Christmas.
It's justifiable not to be in the Christmas spirit just yet, but even the biggest Scrooges out there will be hard pressed not to feel a twinge of excitement when the city lights up with 60,000 bulbs for Light Night on 20 November. As well as the illuminations there'll be music from local choirs and bands including the Edinburgh Festival Chorus, Royal Scottish National Orchestra Junior Chorus, Blazin’ Fiddles, and Scotland’s very own bhangra group Tigerstyle.
Theatre for Christmas
It’s not just sparkling lights though. Edinburgh Christmas festivities are once again produced by Underbelly, aiming to bring spirit of the Edinburgh Festival to these winter celebrations. From 18 Nov, the new Festival Square Theatre pops up on Festival Square with Underbelly’s production of Broadway hit Five Guys Named Moe. There’ll also be family entertainment form time travelling magicians Morgan & West, who’re bringing Edinburgh A (sort of) Christmas Carol Magic Show! (1 Dec-7 Jan).
And Christmas on Stage will team up with some of Edinburgh’s great theatres – Lyceum, Traverse, Usher Hall – for a celebration of live theatre and music in Edinburgh’s West End. “I love Christmas shows,” says David Greig, Lyceum’s artistic director. “It’s the perfect time to coorie in with the ones you love in a theatre and laugh, cry and share the joy of a good story well told. Christmas on stage is going to be a blast.”
Rides, attractions and Christmas markets
It also wouldn't be an Edinburgh Christmas without St Andrew Square’s elliptical ice rink, which returns to the city 18 Nov. New sponsors Standard Life will be gifting 10,000 free tickets to school children in Edinburgh. Tickets are available from 11 October and all schools in Edinburgh will be eligible to apply.
East Princes Street Gardens remains, as ever, a centre point for families with Santa’s Grotto, the Santa Train and the Christmas Tree Maze, as well as the 60m Star Flyer and the Big Wheel. Gates open 19 Nov, and the following week sees The Scottish Market return, with everything from fresh Scottish produce, art and crafts from local artists, and lashings of mulled wine.
Best of all, if you’re an Edinburgh resident, you get a 20% discount across all shows, rides and events. Details here. Info on this year's Edinburgh's Hogmanay street party and live music will be announced at a later date.
More information
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Twitter: @EdXmas