Laninga's Travel Blog

Since 1950, Edinburgh has a Festival in August. Thousands of people jam the streets, pubs and restaurants. There are all kinds of vendors and street entertainers, all hoping to strike it big (some do). Certainly one big party!

But the highlights of the Festival is the nightly Tattoo. Drawing on a world wide source, there are marching bands and precision dancers from around the world. In fact, the Tattoo emphasizes the International aspects, as a means of drawing people together. A list of the performing bands:

The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards
The Black Watch, 3rd Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland
The Highlanders, 4th Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland
1st & 2nd Battalions The Gurkha Rifles
The Royal Air Force Pipe Band Association
The Citadel
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police
Auckland Police
Manly Warringah
Christchurch City
Scotch College
The Crossed Swords
The Pipers’ Trail

Our friends Bob and Margaret got some spectacular seats, high up at the entrance. Here we could see the acts come marching from inside the castle to the performance area. Coupled with an amazing light show, \it was a visual and auditory delight. If you can make it, it certainly is worth while(but buy tickets early, it sells out fast!).

A colorful sunset to start the festivities

Opening ceremony

Massed bands

US Air Force Honor Guard

Conducting the Shetland Fiddlers

The Citadel represents the USA

Chinese Liberation Army Marching Band

Chinese dragon festival

Indian dancers with light display

Bollywood dancers

Switzerland’s Top Secret Drum Corps

Left side of the finale

Right side of the finale