Plans to present Edinburgh with a full-blown Easter Eggstravaganza of entertainment, music and carnival, were hatched on 1st April 2003.

The Edinburgh Easter Festival will fill the city with music, laughter and a colourful cultural kaleidoscope, for three days during the Easter Bank Holiday (Friday April 18th – Sunday April 20th)

The festival concept, is born from original plans for The Edinburgh Easter Parade, which was due to take place on Sunday April 20th.

“We just had too much to pack in to a parade,” said Festival Director, Bob Bone.

“Now we have broadened our horizons to provide more than 20 hours of entertainment in various locations around the city centre.”

The climax of the three-day fun-filled festival will be on Easter Sunday (April 20th), with three massive simultaneous events in Princes Street Gardens, Festival Square and The Castle Esplanade.

“The event will be far more family friendly, with easier more comfortable viewing opportunities, fewer restrictions on parking – and no road closures!” Said Bob.

More than 3,500 performers will entertain the City, 2,000 of which are jetting in for the festival from half a dozen nations.

The Festival Patron, The Lord Provost Eric Milligan, welcomed the evolution of the original idea, which he believes will help kick-start the tourist season.
“This city is synonymous with festivals of World renown – now Edinburgh has another event to be proud of.”

Festivities will open on Friday April 18th with a spectacular evening concert at the EICC, a unique opportunity to see many young performers from overseas.
Award winning American High School Bands from Henderson, Nevada and Palm Springs, California together with high class performances from a Symphony Orchestra, Symphonic Band and Jazz Ensemble.  And a charismatic street performing group from Denmark that use hand-carved wooden masks and costumes in a show set to joyful, rhythmic music inspired from the Nordic Middle Age.

Celebrations will continue at lunchtime, Saturday 12:30 – 14:00, April 19th, with the start of the Festival Square Fiesta.  Festival Square will move to the rhythm of jazz, the sounds of an American High School Band, the nostalgia of a French folk group and the quirkiness of Dunkelfolket – a Danish street performing group.

Saturday evening will see the EICC concert playing host to further performances from overseas visitors with American High School Bands from Fremont, California and Wisconsin together with a performing group from New Mexico. There will be concert performances from a Wind Symphony and Jazz Ensemble; and an appearance from Nissa La Bella – a French folk group first created in 1956.

Edinburgh will be eggstatic on Easter Sunday, April 20th, when the city burst into life with more than 10 hours of live, free family entertainment in the centre of the city circulating around three separate venues.

Festivities will open with the Easter ‘Eggstravaganza’ in Princes Street Gardens at 12 Noon until 4.30pm.  From 1pm to 4pm Festival Square ‘Fiesta’ will come alive, then from 2pm to 5.30pm The Castle ‘Cavalcade’ will open its doors.  Visitors can marvel at the music merriment and spectacular sights including top US High School Bands, dance troops, the sounds of jazz, twirling majorettes, folk groups, Irish dance groups and traditional pipers.

All festivities lunch time Saturday and Easter Sunday are free of charge to all visitors.  Tickets for concerts at the EICC, Fri 18th and Sat 19th April, are just £6 each.  Tickets are available from the Tattoo Office, Market Street or the Tourist Information Office on Princes Street or by telephoning 020 8566 8586.

Further Information:  
T.020 8566 8586
www.edinburgheaster.co.uk

For further media enquiries contact Dan Kirkby:
T. 020 7580 3232