The Edinburgh Easter Festival will hatch five-days of mirth and memorable music as artists from around the World gather in the Scottish Capital, it was announced today (14th January 2004).

More than 3,000 performers from the UK, Europe and USA will help the city leap in to Spring with a series of spectacular bank holiday performances, concerts and displays.

The Festival, which was inaugurated last year, has been extended to bring the city more opportunities to enjoy the international and homegrown performers to the full.

The event, which runs from Maundy Thursday until Easter Monday (April 8-12), is set to kick-start the tourist season.

A report on last year’s festival, commissioned by Edinburgh City Council, estimated that the event produced a cash injection for local businesses of more than £4m.
Princes St Gardens will be the centrepiece of the five-day fiesta with lunchtime concerts from The Ross Theatre throughout the weekend.

And on Easter Sunday (April 11th ) the gardens play host to a ‘blooming’ marvellous fun filled day, full of colour, culture, and great performances from two international stages.

Free interactive activities include – Maypole Dancing, Circus Skills, Face Painting and an hourly Easter Egg Hunt for the under 5's.

And at 1pm, on Easter Sunday, thousands of performers will mass for The Easter Festival Cavalcade – streaming along Princes St and in to Princes St Gardens.

This year’s festival features a series of evening concerts in some of
the finest Churches in the City, with special performances at St John
the Evangelist in Princes Street on Sunday and Monday.

Executive Director of the festival, Bob Bone, has dedicated this year’s festival to the people of Edinburgh.

“We want the people of this great city to treat this event as their own. It does provide a wonderful array of free, family entertainment.

“Some performers are travelling great distances – many thousands of miles – to participate with us, but it doesn’t mean that we haven’t got room for some home grown talent!”

Performing groups wishing to apply to participate should phone the organisers office on 020-8566 8586 Ext 224 and ask for a participants pack.

Further media information and images from Dan Kirkby or Lisa Morgan on 020-7580 3232