Edinburgh’s yearly Christmas celebrations return next month, with a revamped event promising to spread festive cheer across the capital.
The largest of all Christmas celebrations in the country, the hugely popular Edinburgh’s Christmas attracted almost 1 million unique visitors last year.
Charlie Wood and Ed Bartlam, producers of Edinburgh’s Christmas said: “We’re delighted to be returning with our seventh season of Edinburgh’s Christmas.
“The nearly 300,000 unique visitors from Edinburgh and the Lothians in 2018 show what a popular local event it is, but it’s also the time of year when the city welcomes in hundreds of thousands of visitors and, once again, we’re able to provide them with one of the best Christmas celebrations in Europe.”
Here’s all you need to know ahead of Edinburgh’s Christmas 2019:
When does it start?
Edinburgh’s Christmas will run from November 19 2019 – January 4 2020.
At 5pm on November 19, Light Night, a spectacular pyrotechnics display on the Royal Mile will mark the official switch on of Edinburgh’s Christmas lights with Santa making a very special ‘flying’ visit.
Before Santa’s arrival, there will be a number of festive performances on the Royal Mile from local choirs and youth groups.
There will also be a special appearance from Ama-zing Harmonies, a choir created through the work of Transit into Confidence, a charity supported by OneCity Trust, Edinburgh’s Christmas official charity partner.
What’s new?
Brand new this season is Community Christmas, which sees 12 locally significant buildings, across all four of Edinburgh’s localities, come alive with festive projections over 12 consecutive nights, a new building every night.
Also new to Edinburgh’s Christmas 2019 and returning after its sell out success at the Edinburgh International Festival 2019, Canadian artists Janet Cardiff and George Bures Miller present Night Walk for Edinburgh, an intimate, one-on-one video experience taking audiences on a specially curated tour of Edinburgh’s Old Town at twilight.
What else is happening?
Once again East Princes Street Gardens will host one of the UK’s most stunning Christmas markets, offering a range of craft and food and drink stalls as well as rides and attractions.
Edinburgh-based Fringe favourites, Silent Adventures, will be operating their famous Silent Disco Adventure Tours with a festive flavour, taking the participants on a fun tour around East Princes Street Gardens.
Castle Street once again becomes Santa’s Edinburgh base this Christmas with his Grotto welcoming naughty and nice children every day from November 16 until Christmas Eve.
Also returning is Winter Windows, 24 Days of Advent, the Nativity Carol Concert and Baby Loves Disco.
What Christmas shows are on?
Christmas on Stage, the ultimate guide to festive on-stage entertainment in Edinburgh, brings together a new line-up of shows including:
- Grid Iron Theatre Company and Traverse Theatre Company’s co-production of Strange Tales.
- Douglas Maxwell’s I Can Go Anywhere.
- The Lion King at the Playhouse.
- The Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh’s An Edinburgh Christmas Carol.
- Usher Hall with Children’s Classic Concerts including Santa’s Workshop, The Chicago Blues Brothers – Christmas Party and NOW That’s What I Call Christmas.
- Gilded Balloon at Rose Theatre with The Comedy Show: Christmas Special.
For more information and to book tickets for any events, click here.
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