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The Herald Scotland
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Herald Scotland
Hogmanay events return as winter festival is valued at £198m
They have been given the green light to return as the producers of the winter festivals for the city revealed that an overall audience of 2.8 million was recorded across a seven-week season of official Christmas and new year events last winter. Read more: They have revealed they are exploring ways to 'weather-proof' this year's main Hogmanay events to avoid them falling victim to bad weather again. However this may need extra funding for the four-day new year festival, which is mainly paid for via an Edinburgh City Council contract worth £812,456 a year, but is now said to generate £48m for the economy. The torchlight procession, which was due to be staged on December 29, was called off shortly before thousands of revellers were due to set through the city due to the worsening wind conditions along the parade route. Edinburgh's Hogmanay street party, open-air concert and midnight fireworks display fell victim to bad weather last year. The other main outdoor events were called off the following day, including a 'Night Afore Disco Party' in Princes Street Gardens on December 30, and the 45,000-capacity street party and the flagship Hogmanay Concert in the Gardens, which was due to be headlined by Texas. However a series of indoor events went ahead in indoor venues during the four-day festival, including the Assembly Rooms, the Assembly Hall, St Giles' Cathedral and the National Museum of Scotland. A new report from Unique Events and Assembly, the two companies who have led the organising of the city's winter festivals since 2022, has revealed that a key factor in the cancellations were concerns over the safety of staff who were due to build infrastructure in the city centre, as well as the risk of temporary structure already built being damaged by the forecast high winds. It reveals that although the weather forecast for Hogmanay itself did not pose a threat to the planned fireworks over midnight it was decided to pull the plug due to concerns over large crowds gathering to watch the display without any public safety measures being in place. The report added: 'Despite the cancellation of all planned outdoor events due to extreme weather conditions both experienced and forecasted during the build periods and event dates, Edinburgh's Hogmanay indoor programme played to packed audiences with many ticketed events sold out and free to enter events full, welcoming an estimated audience of more than 26,000 over four days.' A spokeswoman for the festivals said: "In light of last year's extreme weather conditions, we will continue to adapt and evolve the four-day events programme to maintain the city's reputation for having a premier new year celebration." The new research found that almost a third of tickets were sold internationally for the Hogmanay festival, with a third of tickets sold in Scotland and 36 per cent sold elsewhere in the UK. Visitors to the city over the Hogmanay period were said to have stayed for an average of two and a half days and spent an average of £958 each during their time in the city. The Christmas festival drew 37 per cent of its audience from Edinburgh and the Lothians, 21 per cent from the rest of Scotland, 32 per cent from the rest of the UK and 10 per cent internationally. The event, which ran from November 15-January 4, has been valued at £150 million for the economy. Around 70 per cent of visitors said the Christmas festival was their main reason for travelling to Edinburgh, with the average spend £537 across attractions, shops, restaurants and pubs. Unique Events director Alan Thomson said: 'We take a lot of heart from this report that even having lost our outdoor Hogmanay events to weather, the winter festivals have still delivered not just wonderful and joyful opportunities for people to come together, but also huge benefits for the people of Edinburgh and for Scotland across traders, local families, communities and charities and our tourism businesses. 'We are working on our plans for this coming winter's celebrations and look forward to sharing those very soon.' Margaret Graham, the city council's culture convener, said: "The findings of this report demonstrate that Edinburgh's world-famous winter festivals don't only draw a huge international crowd, boosting the economy and adding to the city's vibrant calendar of events, but, crucially, they deliver significant benefits to Edinburgh's local communities, businesses and charities. 'This is despite the cancellation of last year's outdoor events, showing just how far reaching the programme events is.' Roddy Smith, chief executive of city centre business group Essential Edinburgh, said: 'Edinburgh's winter festivals are a crucial period for our city centre and again it is very pleasing to see our residents and visitors coming in such large numbers. 'With such a varied and appealing programme, combined with the high-quality hospitality and retail offering in the city centre, Edinburgh continues to be an attractive destination to enjoy the festive season.'
Scotsman
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Scotsman
14 great children's shows at this year's Edinburgh Festival Fringe to take the little ones to
2 . The Genesis A family friendly show for both hardcore circus lovers and artistically inclined audiences alike. The Genesis explores authentic and profoundly touching topics as it leads their audience through emotional highs and lows and ultimately leaves it joyous and excited with a new outlook on how far human collaboration could take our society. Since premiering debut show The Genesis less than a year ago, fledgling acrobatic company The Copenhagen Collective has dazzled audiences across Europe with this moving contemporary work that uses breathtaking feats of circus artistry to explore themes of togetherness, conflict, integration and collaboration, all while leaving audiences gasping for more. The Genesis, at Assembly Hall, Main Hall, 12.30pm, July 31 - August 25, except August 6, 11 and 18. | David Poznic Photography
Scotsman
24-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Scotsman
14 great children's shows at this year's Edinburgh Festival Fringe to take the little ones too
2 . The Genesis A family friendly show for both hardcore circus lovers and artistically inclined audiences alike. The Genesis explores authentic and profoundly touching topics as it leads their audience through emotional highs and lows and ultimately leaves it joyous and excited with a new outlook on how far human collaboration could take our society. Since premiering debut show The Genesis less than a year ago, fledgling acrobatic company The Copenhagen Collective has dazzled audiences across Europe with this moving contemporary work that uses breathtaking feats of circus artistry to explore themes of togetherness, conflict, integration and collaboration, all while leaving audiences gasping for more. The Genesis, at Assembly Hall, Main Hall, 12.30pm, July 31 - August 25, except August 6, 11 and 18. | David Poznic Photography
Axios
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Axios
Hot Luck starts Thursday
Austin's gourmet backyard cookout launches Thursday. Why it matters: Studded with chefs recognized by the James Beard Foundation, the lineup of the seventh edition of the Hot Luck festival suggests just how much Austin has grown as a culinary destination. What they're saying:"The most awesome chefs from all over gather in the coolest city to make the funnest bites to complement the most unforgettable food party in the known universe," Aaron Franklin said in a statement. How it works: A Friday night event — titled "Nite Moves," at Assembly Hall — will recreate a street food market, with offerings from Bob Somsith (Lao'd Bar), Sarah Lim (OMG Squee), Tavel Bristol-Joseph (Canje), Tracy Malechek-Ezekiel (Birdie's) and Yoshi Okai (Otoko). An outdoor event Saturday — "Al Fuego," at Jester King Brewery — features open fire cookery, from the likes of Edgar Rico (Nixta Taqueria); Evan LeRoy (LeRoy and Lewis); Michael Fojtasek (Maie Day); Philip Speer (Comedor); Raul Esquer and Roy Servan (Taqueria 10/10); and Todd Duplechan (Lenoir). A Sunday brunch at Fair Market will include bites from Beto Robledo (Cuantos Tacos); Fermín Núñez (Suerte and Este); Fiore Tedesco (L'Oca d'Oro); Ian Thurwatcher (Poeta); Kevin Fink (Emmer & Rye); and Mariela Camacho (Comadre Panaderia).
Edinburgh Reporter
17-05-2025
- General
- Edinburgh Reporter
The General Assembly opens in Edinburgh
The General Assembly 2025 opened in Edinburgh at the Assembly Hall on The Mound on Saturday and will continue until Thursday. The Rt Hon Lady Elish Angiolini LT, DBE, PC, KC, FRSE, represented His Majesty King Charges at the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland on Saturday. Lady Angiolini said that people are the creation of God and all require 'love, forgiveness and support' in all their imperfection. She said she was profoundly honoured to be chosen as the first practising Roman Catholic to be Lord High Commissioner at the annual gathering which began in Edinburgh today. Lady Elish's appointment was only made possible after both Houses of Parliament in London changed a law dating back to 1689 that barred Roman Catholics from holding the role. Addressing the General Assembly, she said: 'I am so pleased to be here with you all and particularly pleased I actually made it here. 'I would like to express my sincere thanks to everyone who helped secure my presence here today.' Her Grace said she believed that prejudice and sectarianism can be overcome by the recognition that we are 'all Jock Tamson's bairns'. Lady Elish said she was 11 when she remembered how that 'essential love of humanity' manifested in January 1971 when there was a crush among the crowd at an Old Firm football game at Ibrox, which caused 66 deaths and more than 200 injuries. Her father and neighbours went to the aid of people caught up in the tragedy. Lady Elish said: 'I, in turn, was on the receiving end of such compassion when I was a victim in the front carriage of the train when the Polmont rail disaster occurred in 1984 'Again, it was the kindness of complete strangers, other passengers, that I recollect to this day, as I lay trapped in the wreckage, comforted by their love and compassion as they teased me about how hopeless Celtic was to distract me from the horror of the situation we were in.' Read all of the reports and documents for the General Assembly 2025 here. General Assembly of the Church of Scotland 2025: Day One. Moderator Rt Reverend Rosie Frew is installed as Moderator in a ceremony at New College, Edinburgh. Her Grace Lady Elish Angiolini is Lord High Commissioner representing the King during the Assembly week. Pictured with at left First Minister for Scotland, John Swinney. Her Grace Lady Elish Angiolini is Lord High Commissioner representing the King during the Assembly week. General Assembly of the Church of Scotland 2025: Day One. First Minister John Swinney and the Rt Hon Lord Provost Robert Aldridge left watch on as Her Grace Lady Elish Angiolini is Lord High Commissioner representing the King during the Assembly week. General Assembly of the Church of Scotland 2025: Day One. Moderator Rt Reverend Rosie Frew is installed as Moderator in a ceremony at New College, Edinburgh. General Assembly of the Church of Scotland 2025: Day One. Moderator Rt Reverend Rosie Frew is installed as Moderator in a ceremony at New College, Edinburgh. General Assembly of the Church of Scotland 2025: Day One. Moderator Rt Reverend Rosie Frew is installed as Moderator in a ceremony at New College, Edinburgh. General Assembly of the Church of Scotland 2025: Day one. Pictured left Her Grace Lady Elish Angiolini. Like this: Like Related
