Edinburgh’s Christmas flies the flag for St Andrew’s Day
St Andrew’s Day was marked in a very special way as part of Edinburgh’s Christmas and Scotland’s Winter Festivals when around six thousand people turned out to see a spectacular Carnival at the Castle.
In the second of two bespoke shows created especially for Edinburgh by performing arts company, Emergency Exit Arts, Edinburgh Castle became the capital’s focus as part of nationwide celebrations this weekend.
The performance started with children marching in procession with their lanterns to the sound of pipes and drums. The show itself was woven around the myths and stories of how St. Andrew became Patron Saint of Scotland and how the Saltire became the national flag, along with a celebration of Scotland’s great thinkers, inventors, artists and sporting heroes. A high energy, imaginative mix of dance, music, projections, illumination and fireworks, transformed one of Scotland’s most iconic buildings, Edinburgh Castle, into an even more magical place.
Cabinet Secretary for Culture & External Affairs Fiona Hyslop said: “Scotland truly sparkles in the winter – and this year is no exception. Scotland’s Winter Festivals kicks off in spectacular style with St Andrew’s Day, and the event at Edinburgh Castle is a highlight of this year’s programme.
Rounding off the weekend of celebrations, the traditional Nativity Carol Concert will take place in St. Andrew Square Garden on Sunday 2 December, from 4pm. All are welcome to come along and mark the first Sunday of Advent by singing carols around Tim Chalk’s much-loved Nativity Scene, kindly commissioned and donated to the city by Sir Tom and Lady Farmer. The concert will be conducted by Cardinal Keith Patrick O’Brien and ‘Edinburgh Churches Together’, with singing led by Exile Gospel Choir, accompanied by St Peter’s Primary School Choir.
Edinburgh’s Christmas is a highlight of the Winter in Edinburgh marketing campaign and is supported by City of Edinburgh Council, Essential Edinburgh, Marketing Edinburgh and Edinburgh Evening News, with the programme produced by She’s Gott It!.
Full details of all events, along with timings and prices, can be found at: www.edinburghschristmas.com
