Edinburgh life
{ Thu 20 continued
Other events
Christmas Concert And Meal The Hub. Castlehill. Royal Mile. 473 2000. 7.30pm. £27.50. Traditional fare served up alongside folk music and poetry reading.
Spons
Edinburgh v Swansea Myreside. Myreside Road. 346 5252. 7.30pm. £10 (£5). Welsh/Scottish league rugby match.
Talks
Tales And Traditions Of Christmas Edinburgh Castle. Royal Mile. 225 9846. 11am. noon. 2pm & 3pm. Normal admission applies. See Thu 13. The Night Sky in January Royal Observatory Visitor Centre. Blackford Hill. 668 8405. 7pm. £3.50 (£2.50). Take a closer look at the ‘Orion Eight‘.
Other events
Old Town Christmas Markets Crrassmarket. 652 5940. l 1am—4pm. Free. See Fri 14.
Christmas Party Harry Miller Hall. Kirk 0‘ Field Church. 7.30pm. £1.20 (60p). Get into the swing of the festive season with music from The Travellers.
Yule Nichts Netherbow Arts Centre. 43—45 High Street. 556 9579. 8pm. £7 (£5). Midwinter storytelling and music set around a glowing hearth.
Book events
Guid Crack Club The Waverley. St Mary's Street. 556 9579. 7.30pm. Donation. Storytelling session with a Christmas theme.
Spons
Hearts v Mothervvell Tynecastle Stadium. Gorgie Road. 200 7201. 3pm. £12—£l4 (£6—£7). SPL football match. Livingston v Dunfermline Athletic West Lothian Courier Stadium. Alderstone Road. Livingston. 01506 417000. SPL football match.
Other events
Old Town Christmas Markets Grassmarket. 652 5940. 1 lam—4pm. Free. See Fri 14.
Yule Nichts Netherbow Arts Centre. 43—45 High Street. 556 9579. 8pm. £7 (£5). See Fri 21.
Environment
Spirit Of Christmas Almondell and Calderwood Country Park. by Broxburn. 01506 882254. 2pm. £1.50 (£1). Create your own decoration from natural sources.
Spons Edinburgh Rocks v Brighton Meadowbank Sports Centre. 139 London Road. 661 5351. 5pm. £7 (£5). BBL Championship basketball match.
First footing around Edinburgh So what’s new for 2002? On the Hogmanay music front. Leith twins and
resurrection specialists The Proclaimers
will be headlining the Concert in The Gardens. the Cosmic Rough Riders rock the Royal Bank Street Party. whilst Eastbourne‘s indie upstarts Toploader will be Rockin‘ The Dock down Leith
way.
Isn’t that too civilised for Hogmanay? Naturally there will be the drunken revelry. fireworks and policeman snogging in the streets
throu hout.
But t’s not usually Just Hogmanay. Your memory serves you well. As with previous years. there will be four days and nights of festivities including a torchlight procession. street theatre. a fun fair and even more dancing in the streets at The Night Afore Fiesta. Where do I sign up? Picking your way through the official programme chock full of festive delights eats up valuable play time. so check out our Edinburgh's Hogmanay supplement and get busy with the party planning.
I Edinburgh '3 Hogmanay, Various
venues, 473 2000. Sat 29 Dec—Tue 1 Jan. www.edinburghshogmanayorg I Rockin’ The Dock, Commerc/a/ Quay, Ocean Drive, Leith. Mon 37 Dec. 7.30pm. £28.50. www./eith-hogmanay.co.uk
Edinburgh Capitals v Basingstoke Bison Murrayfield ice Rink. Riversdale Crescent. 313 2977. 6pm. £8 (£5). British National League ice hockey match.
Other events
Christmas Farmers’ Market Castle Terrace. 652 5940. 9am—2pm. Free. Stock up for the festive season on fresh produce straight from the farm. Yule Nichts Netherbow Arts Centre. 43—45 High Street. 556 9579. 8pm. £7 (£5). See Fri 21.
Other events Yule Nichts Netherbow Arts Centre. 43—45 High Street. 556 9579. 8pm. £7 (£5). See Fri 21.
Boxing Day
Spons
Hibernian v Rangers Easter Road. 12 Albion Place. 661 1875. 5.35pm. £20—£25 (£10). SPL football match. Edinburgh Capitals v Dundee Stars Murray/field ice Rink. Riversdale Crescent. 313 2977. 6pm. £8 (£5). British National League ice hockey match.
Other events
Christmas Art Competition Royal Museum. 2 Chambers Street. 247 4219. Free. Annual festive art competition with paper and pencils provided for inspired doodling.
Friday 28
Spons
New Year Sprint Musselburgh Racecourse. Linkfield Road. Musselburgh. 665 2859. l2.30—3.30pm. £9-£15 (Under 16s free). The 13 1 -year- old 1 10m race continues to attract athletes from around the world.
Other events
Christmas Art Competition Royal Museum. 2 Chambers Street. 247 4219. Free. See Thu 27.
Distillers Fair Scotch Whisky Heritage Centre. 354 Castlehiii. the Royal Mile. 220 0441. l 1.30am—1.30pm. £6.50 (£3.25—£4.50). Take the whisky tour and sample a selection of single malts. blends and whisky cocktails. Hogmanay Carnival Waterloo Place. 473 2000. 2—1 1pm. The winter fairground returns with its array of rides. amusements and stalls.
Saturday 29
Spons
Hearts v Hibernian Tynecastie Stadium. Gorgie Road. 200 7201. 3pm. £16—£19 (£8—£10). SPL football match. Livingston v Kllmarnock West Lothian Courier Stadium. Alderstone Road. Livingston. 01506 417000. 3pm. £17 (£10). SPL football match.
Other events
Christmas Art Competition Royal Museum. 2 Chambers Street. 247 4219. Free. See Thu 27.
Hogmanay Carnival Waterloo Place. 473 2000. Noon—1 1pm. See Fri 28.
Torchlight Procession Parliament Square. off High Street. 473 2000. 6.30pm. £4 in advance—£5 on night. A magical parade of fire and music beginning in Parliament Square and snaking down the Royal Mile to a huge finale on Calton Hill. Proceeds to charity.
Spons
Edinburgh Capitals v Milton Keynes Kings Murrayfield ice Rink. Riversdale Crescent. 313 2977. 6pm. £8 (£5). British National League ice hockey match.
Other events
Christmas Art Competition Royal Museum. 2 Chambers Street. 247 4219. Free. See Thu 27.
Hogmanay Carnival Waterloo Place. 473 2000. Noon—1 1pm. See Fri 28.
The Night Aiore Fiesta George Street. 473 2000. 7—11pm. Free. A mesmerising array of marching bands. live music. street theatre. Dis and more designed to get you in the mood to party.
Other events
The Royal Bank Street Party Princes Street. 473 2000. 10pm—lam. Free. but ticketed. The world-renowned street party features live music. entertainment and lively revellers.
Hogmanay Carnival Waterloo Place. 473 2000. Noon—lam. See Fri 28.
On The Threshold St Cuthbert‘s Church. Lothian Road. 473 2000. 11.15pm. A quiet service of reflection and thanksgiving in preparation for the coming
New Year’s Day
Spons
Edinburgh Bicycle Triathlon Holyrood Park. 556 1761. 12.30pm. Free for spectators. Watch eager entrants swim. cycle and run their way to a prize of £500 in this annual triathlon.
Other events
The Loony Dook Boat House Steps. High Street. South Queensf'erry. 331 4346. Noon. Free. Cure the traditional New Year‘s Day hangover with a quick dip in the Forth. Hogmanay Carnival Waterloo Place. 473 2000. Noon—l 1pm. See Fri 28. Huskies Go To Holyrood Holyrood Park. 473 2000. 1.30—3.30pm. Free. Huskies will be dashing around the park in the sled-dog races .
Barcalunacy High Street. 473 2000. 5.15—6.15pm. Free. Catalan street theatre group Horzmuga presents a colourful and lively New Year‘s Day performance to brighten up the Royal Mile.
Wednesday 2
Other events Hogmanay Carnival Waterloo Place. 473 2000. Noon—l 1pm. See Fri 28.
Museum Of Childhood 42 High Street. 529 4142. Mon—Sat 10am—5pm; Closed Tue 25. Wed 26 Dec 8 Tue 1 Jan. Free. Founded in 1955. the museum has five public galleries with all manner of artefacts relating to childhood through the ages. Museum Of Scotland Chambers Street. 247 4219. Mon—Sat 10am—5pm; Sun noon—5pm; Closed Tue 25 Dec; Wed 26 Dec 8
Tue 1 Jan, noon—5pm. Free. Devoted soley to the histOry and heritage of Scotland, the building contains five thematically-arranged exhibitions. moving from pre-histOry. through the Industrial Revolution. to the present day.
Royal Botanic Garden lnverleith Row. 552 7171. Daily 9.30am—4pm; Closed Tue 25 Dec 8 Tue 1 Jan. Free. A sea of tranquillity
in the hubbub of the city.
102 THE LIST 13 Dec 2001—3 Jan 2002
the Botanic Garden is home to a wealth of flora from around the globe. Royal Museum
2 Chambers Street. 247 4219. Mon—Sat 10am—5pm; Sun noon—5pm; Closed Tue 25 Dec; Wed 26 Dec 8 Tue 1 Jan. noon—5pm. Free. A 19th century museum housing international collections of natural history. geology. science. technology and the decorative arts. plus two
permanent exhibitions: Art 8 Industry and The Ivy Wu Gallery.
Royal Observatory Visitor Centre Blackford Hill. 668 8405. Mon—Sat 10am—5pm; Sun noon~5pm Closed Sat 22 Dec—Wed 2 Jan. £3.50 (£2.50); family ticket $8. This attraction is a mine of information on the heavens. from the latest interactive CD- Roms on space and astronomy to the observatory's ongoing
work in Hawaii and Australia.
Royal Yacht Britannia Ocean Drive. Leith. 555 5566. Mon-Fri 10am—3.30pm; Sat 8 Sun 9.30am—4.30pm; Mon 24 Dec 8 Mon 31 Dec. 10am—2.30pm; Closed Tue 25 Dec 8 Tue 1 Jan. $7.75 (93.75—25.95): famin ticket £20. The former royal yacht has opened its doors to members of the public after a 522.5 million refit.
St Giles’ Cathedral Royal Mile. 225 9442. Mon—Sat 9.30am—5pm; Sun 1—5pm; Tue 25 Dec. 9.30am—1pm; Closed Wed 26 Dec 8 Tue 1—Wed 2 Jan. FOunded in the 11003. this church has Witnessed exeCutions. riots and celebrations. With spectaCuIar stained glass windows. ornate stonework and guided tOurs it's a good starting point for exploring the Royal Mile.