Arcadia Scotland
Edinburgh Happenings: August 2015
Date
August 1, 2015Art and Culture
LeithLate
Throughout August, various venues and times
LeithLate has expanded its format for 2015 with a programme of events running over a four month period. The festival includes a whole host of arts events taking place across the Leith area. There is roughly one event taking place each month, alongside new public artworks around Leith as part of The Shutter Project on Great Junction Street and The Mural Project with Kirsty Whiten.
Edinburgh Art Festival
Throughout August, Various venues and times
As if Edinburgh isn’t already luxuriating in an embarrassment of riches in August, it also hosts the UK’s largest annual visual arts bonanza, involving galleries large and small, national and private, permanent and temporary, all across the city.
Dickens Abridged
Beginning 5 August, Pleasance Courtyard, 2:20pm
A fast-paced musical comedy derived from some of Charles Dickens' most popular novels, written by Adam Long.
Summer at the Palace of Holyroodhouse
Throughout August, Holyrood
There's a whole summer of family-friendly activities at the Palace of Holyroodhouse.
Phoebe Traquair Song School Murals
Throughout August, St Mary's Cathedral, 11am and 12pm
St Mary's Cathedral Painted 1888-1892, Traquair's acclaimed murals, restored in 1998, illustrate the canticle Benedicite Omnia Opera. Showing the Pre-Raphaelite influence, they are a moving expression of faith. Tours meet at the Cathedral entrance (Palmerston Place).
Bailey's Stardust
Throughout August, Scottish National Gallery
If there had been no David Bailey, Austin Powers would have had to invent him. The great British celebrity photographer of his era, Bailey has taken numerous iconic portraits over a 50-year career. This touring exhibition features over 250 portraits, arranged thematically.
Lee Miller and Picasso
Throughout August, National Portrait Gallery
The photographer and sometime model Lee Miller took more than 1000 photographs of Picasso, and he in turn painted her portrait six times. This show features approximately 100 of Miller's images as well as a painting and drawing by Picasso, and explores the long friendship between a great artist and an extraordinary photographer.
Music, Comedy and Dance
Edinburgh Fringe Festival
7-31 August, Various venues and times
The Edinburgh Festival Fringe is the largest arts festival in the world and takes place every August for three weeks in Edinburgh, Scotland’s capital city. Every year thousands of performers take to hundreds of stages all over Edinburgh to present shows for every taste. From big names in the world of entertainment to unknown artists looking to build their careers, the festival caters for everyone and includes theatre, comedy, dance, physical theatre, circus, cabaret, children's shows, musicals, opera, music, spoken word, exhibitions and events.
Edinburgh International Festival
7-31 August, Various venues and times
The Edinburgh International Festival plays host to the giants of the arts each year with an ecclectic programme of music, theatre, opera and dance every August, hand picked by the Festival Director.
Ceilidhs at Lauriston Hall
Throughout August, Lauriston Hall, 9pm
Edinburgh Ceilidhs With caller Ken Gourlay and ceilidh bands Flaming Heather, HLI, Scott Leslie, Willie Fraser and piper. All dances walked through and called.
Celtic Dialogues
9 August, Usher Hall, 8pm
A provocative intermingling of contrasting musical traditions as early music pioneer and viola da gamba virtuoso Jordi Savall joins Irish fiddle legend Martin Hayes and guitarist Dennis Cahill to explore the richness of Celtic music, including Scottish tunes The Reel of Tullochgorum and The Hills of Lorne, as well as The Humours of Scariff and Sackow’s Jig from Ireland.
Traditional Scottish Music Session
Every Tuesday, Whiski, 9:30pm
Every Tuesday musicians perform Scottish folk music complete with fiddles and banjos.
Alastair Savage: Scottish Fiddle Journey
20-21 August, The Sir Arthur Conan Doyle Centre, 9:30pm
Savage takes the audience on a journey through the history of fiddle music.
The Dougie MacLean Project
27 August, Queen's Hall, 8pm
The Fringe premiere of Scotland's leading singer/songwriter's latest project following his performance at Glasgow's Commonwealth Games closing ceremony and the release of Till Tomorrow album. This seven-piece made a huge impact at HebCelt and Perthshire Amber festivals and features a powerhouse line-up of Dougie MacLean, Gordon Maclean, Sorren Maclean, Ross Ainslie, Laura Beth Salter, Pete Garnett and Hannah Fisher.
Lectures, Sports and Local Festivals
Edinburgh International Book FestivaL
15-31 August, Various venues and times
We are the largest public celebration of the written word in the world. Every August we bring over 800 writers and thinkers from across the planet together to rub shoulders with you, the audience.
Edinburgh Food Festival
1-2 August, George Square Gardens, Beginning at 12 noon
Celebrate all the lovely food and drink that Scotland has to offer.
Hugh McIlvanny
15 August, Assembly Halls, 12:45pm
Once called 'the greatest sports writer in the English-speaking world', Hugh McIlvanney is garlanded with awards and remains sharp and perceptive in the Sunday Times. His career has taken him through the great sagas of football, boxing and horse-racing for over 50 years. In conversation with Graham Spiers.
Edinburgh Military Tattoo
Beginning 7 August, Edinburgh Castle, varying times
This unique event draws crowds (and performers) from all over the world with massed pipes and drums, massed military bands, display teams, dancers and the haunting lament of the Lone Piper set against the magnificent backcloth of Edinburgh Castle.