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 | HE EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL SCOTLAND | | | During the last three weeks of August, over 2,400 performers entertain well-over 300,000 people who flock to the historic city of Edinburgh to enjoy The Edinburgh International Festival. Here they are enlightened by four festivals that comprise all forms of theatre, music, dance, poetry, comedy and tragedy, played out at the Royal Lyceum, King's Theater, Usher Hall, The Queen's Theatre, and The Edinburgh Festival Theatre . | |  | | Edinburgh Castle at Night | |
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The Edinburgh International Festival, was established in 1949, soon after World War II. It includes The Fringe Festival which fills the streets with impromptu and rehearsed performances from groups and individuals, playing instruments, and acting out skits and plays along the broad cobblestone streets of the Royal Mile in the old city. This festival provides some type of entertainment from early in the morning to midnight, and spills over into every nook and cranny of this charming town. One can sit at an outdoor cafe and enjoy watching Buskers offering their particular talents, ranging from a violinist to a mime to a man flying and selling the world's tiniest kite. There is also a major Film Festival and Book Festival, where famed actors, actresses and authors come from far and wide to talk about their works.  |  | 
| | A lovely "Busker" | | The Fringe Festival Society Headquarters |
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Theatrical
troupes the world over give the Festival
great panache. There are also concerts,
chorales, ballets and operas, and
the thrilling Military Tattoo, a show
of pageantry, patriotism, music and
dance that takes place every night
of the festival from 9 p.m. to 10:30
p.m. Held on a carpark in the shelter
of the majestic Edinburgh Castle,
it takes 6 weeks to erect the stands
and the sophisticated lights for the
thousands to attend.
This
year, its 50th, the colorful spectacle
included Massed Pipes and Drums, riding
majestic horses, the colorful Barbados
Defence Force Band accompanied by
the stilt-walking "Jumbies,"
The Tattoo Scottish Dancers who charged
onto the football-sized field with
music and drama.
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With
this plethora of choices, you soon learn
that you can't see everything; in fact,
choosing from the many schedules is an activity
in itself, but well worth the effort. Toward
the top of the Royal Mile on the way to
Edinburgh Castle, there is a new meeting
place in the HUB dedicated to the festival.
It contains a large indoor cafe, a book
and gift store and a place to buy tickets.
Edinburgh
Festival 2000 Schedule:
Sun. Aug 13, to Sat. Sept 2,
2000
E-mail-www.boxoffice@elf.co.uk
Tel. +44 ())131 473 2001
All Edinburgh's Festivals:
www.
edinburghfestivals.co.uk
Over 50% of all Festival Tickets
sold are booked within 6 weeks
of the opening of public booking.
The 50th Anniversary of the Military
Tattoo
The
floodlit Military Tattoo
held each night for three weeks
is a celebration of music, pagentry
and horses. It takes place in
the shelter of the walls of Scotland's
most famous landmark. You may
purchase tickets a head of time
by calling The Tattoo Office,
32, Market Street, Edinburgh,
EH1QB TEL.#1031/225-4783.
Important note: Even with tickets,
everyone must stand in long lines
on the evening of the performance
before being permitted to enter.
For Videos and other items of
interest you may call
The
Tattoo Shop: 0131/225-8616.
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