Looking for something to do with the family? Head in to the city centre as a fortnight of fun and events for kids kicks off in Edinburgh.
The City of Edinburgh Council’s City Art Centre, Lauriston Castle and Museum of Edinburgh all have packed programmes to keep children entertained over the remainder of the summer break, while the Edinburgh International Festival, Edinburgh Festival Fringe and Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo will kick off soon on 7 August 2015.
Councillor Richard Lewis is encouraging local families to make the most of all on offer. As Edinburgh’s Culture Convener and Festivals and Events Champion, he said:
Edinburgh is a culture capital and with so much to see and do, families who want to make the most of the summer holidays before they draw to a close certainly aren’t short of options.
You can’t beat Edinburgh in August with the sights and sounds of the festivals but don’t forget the city’s budget-friendly events and exhibitions at the Council’s museums and galleries. There truly is something for everyone. Ticketed events have been going fast so don’t miss out.
In store for kids this fortnight:
· As the largest festival of visual art in the UK, the Edinburgh Art Festival has already launched in venues all over the city with plenty on offer for young art fans.
· At the City Art Centre, children can take inspiration from the gallery’s huge selection of paintings when staff hold family workshops on creating Edinburgh panoramas (Friday 7 August) and still life works (Saturday 8 August).
· The City Art Centre’s major summer exhibition Scottish Art: People Places Ideas continues, featuring works spanning 350 years. Fun free tours have been launched for young visitors and are held every Thursday and Saturday at 2pm.
· Kids can also get crafty at the Museum of Edinburgh by learning how to make their own fridge magnet organisers to get them ready for the new school year (Monday 3 August) or be inspired by the Museum’s Canongate location by creating pretty prints of Old Town landmarks (Thursday 6 August)
· A visit to the Museum isn’t complete without trying out the attraction’s innovative new installations telling the story of Edinburgh’s past or the Council’s official app guide to the Royal Mile, Edinburgh Up Close.
· The Edinburgh International Festival’s free outdoor celebration to mark the start of the 2015 programme will offer an excuse for older ones to stay up late when the Harmonium Project (Friday 7 August at 10:30pm) projects a series of spectacular animations onto the outside of the Council’s famous Usher Hall music venue. See what’s on in the EIF season.
· Young music fans will be able to experience the unusual sight of a Norwegian School Marching Band when a group of 35 musicians from Oslo play in the grounds of Lauriston Castle. See the ‘Holmliaskolenes Musikkorps’ for free.
· Also outdoors, this year’s Edinburgh Festival Wheel will keep on turning in East Princes Street Gardens, offering stunning views of the city skyline at special 20% discount for EH postcode holders (proof of address required).
· Experience the Edinburgh International Book Festival’s Children’s Programme (opening 15 August) or some of the hundreds of Fringe children’s shows, based on classics such as the Cat in the Hat, Peter Pan and the Tiger Who Came to Tea.
Book activities at the City Art Centre, Museum of Edinburgh and Lauriston Castle at the Usher Hall, or visit Festivals Edinburgh for details of the city’s 2015 programmes.
