36 Accessible Edinburgh: A Festival Guide Festivals 37
weekend sees a carnival parade on Princes St and an afternoon
of free, open-air music in Princes Street Gardens. Links to all
venues can be found at http://www.edinburghjazzfestival.com/
explore/venues.html.
Edinburgh International Science Festival
0844-557 2686; http://www.sciencefestival.co.uk; 1-16 Apr 2017
First held in 1987, it hosts a wide range of events, including talks,
lectures, exhibitions, demonstrations, guided tours and interac-
tive experiments designed to stimulate, inspire and challenge.
From dinosaurs to ghosts and alien life forms, there’s something
to interest everyone. The festival runs over two weeks in April.
The main venues are the City Art Centre (p63) and Summerhall
(p138). For details of 2017 venues, check the website closer to
the time.
Edinburgh Military Tattoo
0131-225 1188; http://www.edintattoo.co.uk; Aug
August kicks off with The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, a
spectacular display of military marching bands, massed pipes
and drums, and cultural acts from around the world, all played
out in front of the magnificent backdrop of the floodlit castle.
Each show traditionally finishes with a lone piper, dramatically
lit, playing a lament on the battlements. The Tattoo takes place
throughout August.
Edinburgh Castle, the setting for the Tattoo, is set on an ex-
tinct volcano 135m above sea level at the end of the steeply in-
clined and cobbled Castlehill and a further gentler 100m gentler
incline up the Esplanade. There are also steps to reach the am-
phitheatre, which are quite steeply tiered. Nonetheless, there are
facilities for wheelchair guests, but they must be accompanied
by an able-bodied companion. Vehicle passes are available for
patrons holding tickets for disabled seating areas (not available
for Saturday performances).
A limited number of personal PA systems are available, which
should be booked at the time of ticket purchase.
Accessible toilets are available on the Esplanade.
For more details, visit http://www.edintattoo.co.uk/tickets/facili-
ties-for-disabled.
Edinburgh’s Christmas
0844-545 8252; http://www.edinburghschristmas.com; late Nov-early
Jan
The youngest of the Scottish capital’s festivals, first held in 2000,
the Christmas bash includes a big street parade, a Christmas
market, a fairground and Ferris wheel, and an open-air ice rink in
Princes Street Gardens.
Wheelchair users and people with sensory impairments be-
ware: it’s dark and crowded! Pay-and-display parking is available
on Frederick St, George St, Hanover St and Waterloo Pl, free for
Blue Badge holders with no time limit.
There are several sites, served by a number of accessible
toilet facilities.
Organisers have tried to make the walkways as even as
possible, with ramps to stalls where possible. Wheelchairs are
welcome on the Ice Rink, and there are pods in the Big Wheel
and spaces in the Spiegeltent designed to accommodate wheel-
chairs. Note that large electric wheelchairs may not be accom-
modated on the Big Wheel due to weight restrictions.
There is no ride-wide policy for the suitability of rides for
visitors with disabilities. Individual ride operators will determine
whether the ride is suitable, according to safety criteria, and
whether they will grant admission.
If any of your party are wheelchair users call 0844-545 8252
(10am-6pm Mon-Sat) to make a booking.Edinburgh’s Hogmanay
0844-573 8455; http://www.edinburghshogmanay.com; tickets £20;
27 Dec-1 JanEdinburgh’s Hogmanay is the biggest winter festival in Europe.
Events include a torchlight procession, huge street party and the
famous ‘Loony Dook’, a chilly sea-swimming event on New Year’s
Day. To get into the main party area in the city centre after 8pm
on 31 December you’ll need a ticket – book well in advance.Ferry Fair Festival
http://ferryfair.co.uk; AugIf you’re in Edinburgh on the first Friday of August, head to the
village of Queensferry to see the bizarre Burry Man. As part of
the village gala day, a local man roams the streets wearing a
woolly suit, which has been laboriously covered in prickly burrs.
One glance at his costume – he looks like a child’s drawing of a
Martian, with added prickles – would make you think he’s suffer-
ing a medieval punishment, but it’s actually a great honour to be
selected.