Thursday 23rd December 2010
Preparations for Edinburgh's Hogmanay full steam ahead
Edinburgh's Hogmanay
Culture Minister Fiona Hyslop and Councillor Deidre Brock, Culture & Leisure Convenor for the City of Edinburgh Council joined Pete Irvine, Artistic Director of Edinburgh‟s Hogmanay this morning to inspect progress on construction of the stage for Concert in the Gardens as well as plans for the world famous Street Party.
Tickets for Edinburgh‟s Hogmanay Concert in the Gardens, and for the Keilidh, sold out earlier this week, and tickets for the Street Party, which this year features live music from The Coral, Newton Faulkner, Treacherous Orchestra and Hog The Stage Winners Kitty The Lion, and DJ Sets from the Kaiser Chiefs, Booka Shade, Goldie Lookin Chain and Grum, are selling well and will see continued demand right up to the event itself.
Pete Irvine, Artistic Director of Edinburgh‟s Hogmanay said, “Preparations for Edinburgh‟s Hogmanay are going full steam ahead and we are very much looking forward to a fantastic four days, whatever the weather has in store. It‟s December, it‟s Scotland – we expect it to be cold, and we are ready to deal with that. We recommend that people come prepared for a good Scottish winter, and a great outdoor Scottish party, and dress accordingly.”
Culture Minister, Fiona Hyslop, said, “Scotland is the best place in the world to see in the bells with preparations well underway for our Hogmanay celebrations.
“We Scots are known for our warm welcome – even in freezing temperatures - which is what makes Scotland such a great country to visit, all year round. We know how to throw a great party, especially at Hogmanay.
“If you are heading out, make sure you wrap up warm and check details with event organisers as well as weather and travel advice before travelling.”
Councillor Steve Cardownie, Festivals and Events Champion for the City of Edinburgh Council, said, “Preparations are in full swing for the greatest New Year‟s Eve celebrations in the world and we‟re now in the final countdown stages. Huge thanks must go to all the staff working so hard behind the scenes to make this amazing event run smoothly. Four days of festivities to welcome 2011 are just around the corner – Edinburgh really is the only place to be this Hogmanay!”
Edinburgh‟s Hogmanay launches with a brand new Opening Event in Resolution Square (the newly named event space on Mound Precinct) alongside the popular Torchlight Procession and Son et Lumière on Thursday 30 December, with the Street Party, Keilidh and Concert in the Gardens leading to the spectacular Midnight Fireworks from the iconic Edinburgh Castle on Friday 31 December. Also new for this year, an ambitious programme of events has been put together to celebrate One Day – the singular date of 1.1.11.
One Day, supported by the Scottish Government‟s Edinburgh Festivals Expo Fund, kicks off with a celebration of music, art, literature and creativity when a selection of Scotland‟s top singers, songwriters, musicians and performers will perform on-stage in a free and unticketed concert in „Resolution Square’ the newly named event space for Edinburgh‟s Hogmanay located on Mound Precinct, outside the National Galleries of Scotland. This will be followed by a Resolution Concert featuring K T Tunstall together with King Creosote, Silver Columns and Kassidy.
Find out more about Edinburgh's Hogmanay
Find out more about Hogmanay