games@gamesforhire.co.uk, www.gamesforhire.co.uk The Ice Agency
0871 200 3045 www.ice-agency.co.uk
Big Bounce
0800 093 7866, www.big-bounce- entertainment.co.uk
Alive Network
0800 108 5500, www.alivenetwork.com Fantastic Fireworks
01582 485 555 www.fantasticfireworks.co.uk Saliire Fireworks
01324 627077 www.5altirefireworks.com
DRESSING UP
The party spirit starts with a theme .
Masked Bail
www.partybox.co.uk
Art Deco lfijlurders
01235 525 301, www.artdecoproductions.co.uk
. . . whether the dress be formal or fancy.
Aha Ha Ha
Edinburgh, 0131 220 5252/0131 225 3388
Circa
Glasgow, 0141 581 3307
Chic and Unique
Edinburgh, 0131 332 9889 i‘flaci’éregor <9; LiifiacDuff
Glasgow, 0141 332 0299, www.macgregorandmacduff.co.uk Hillary’s Bazaar
THE INSTALLATIONISTS
Ice Agency provides ice sculptures, vodka luges, ice bars, dry ice, Thai carved fruit and vegetables and chocolate fountains for events and private parties across the UK.
'Basically, ice scwptures and the other installations we provide bring a
wow factor to parties. YOU walk into a
PARTY!
Edinburgh, 0131 556 7976 Monkey Business Edinburgh , 0131 228 6636 Party Shop
Glasgow, 0141 332 3392, www.partyshopglasgow.co.uk Armstrongs
Edinburgh, 0131 220 5557
TRANSPORT
Travel in style in a limo with party packages starting at £100 and fire engine rides with hats and overalls included. £50 for two hours of fun. Clyde Cruiser
01475 721 281
party and there are canapes on the table. there's bottles of drink. there's mUSICI that‘s alright. You walk into a party and on one side of the room, on a table. illuminated with little lights. there's an ice sci_ilpture. People Will be talking about that party for some lime.
‘An ice SCquture luge (a ski Jump for drinking flavoured vodka. champagne or flaming sambucal gets peOpIe movmg around and interacting — and drinking. Everybody joins in, taking turns. It's always good fun.
‘The strangest torso we did was for a les )ian couple who wanted a hole but of the breast. a whole between her legs and one out of her backside for the Baileys ~ which went down well. so I heard. The most expensive SCquture we've done was a Pharaoh's death mask. 8m high x 4m deep. that came in at 5.730 {50.()()().'
I www. ice -age/ icy. com
102 THE LIST 19 Oct—2 Nov 2006
Platinum Limo
0870 013 5466 www.theplatinumlimocompany.co.uk Fire Engine
0870 300 3828 www.crazyfirecompany.com
Party Bus
0845 838 5400, www.partybus.co.uk Hire a Coach
0141 616 6666/0800 163340, www.croftminicoaches.co.uk
ACTIVE PARTIES
For thrills and spills, up sticks to Perth for a short break quad biking, bungee jumping, white-water rafting or dry slope skiing and get that adrenaline pumping for £40 per person. Or, for a less exerting excursion you can organise spa trips or drinks tours.
Vertical Descents
01855 821 593 www.verticaldescents.com www.travelscotland.co.uk 08700 112201
Luxury Scotland
01383 825 800 www.luxuryscotland.co.uk
Black Isle Brewery
01463 811871 www.blackislebrewery.com Whisky Trails www.visitscotland.com, www.glenfiddich.com
PARTY ORGANISERS
If this all still sounds like too much hard work, just get someone to do it all for you. The professionals will organise the dinner, hire the chef and dress the table. And they may even clear up afterwards.
Oyster Arts Management
0141 334 3444 www.0ysterarts.co.uk
PartyCo
0208 995 0707
www.partyco.co.uk
Fisher Productions
0131 661 8880 www.fisherproductions.co.uk
UZ Events
0141 552 6027
www.uzevents.com
Top 5 Scots shindigs
MTV Europe Music Awards 2003
A star-studded event that saw the likes of JT. BEP. Beyonce and Vin Diesel swoop down on a frenzied Edinbur-o. Leith's shore was awash with pop's big hitters, and The Corn Exchange‘s Afterparty went off. Admittedly, less fun was had by those annexed to Princes Street Gardens.
Edinburgh’s Hogmanay
Few parties in the world could match the sheer size and scope of this 100.000-strong first foot. Okay, so there's very little chance of kissing a Scot come the bells. but such a quantity of people enjoying themselves in quite spectacular surroundings is reason to celebrate again and again.
Braveheart Premiere, Stirling Castle, 1995
Off the back of Edinburgh's Rob Roy premiere in Princes Street Gardens. the after-party for Mel Gibson's epic compounded for Hollywood the belief that Scots Iaird it up in castles day and night. Proving a major event for Scotland. Stirling Castle havimg to be re- themed and partly rebuilt for the event.
The Big Day, Glasgow 1990 For one glorious day in June. Glasgow city centre was taken over by 250,000 revellers at multiple stages for Scotland's biggest ever party. As part of the city's celebrations as European City of Culture. the three concerts featured 50 artists including fine Scottish exports such as Sheena Easton, Wet Wet Wet and Deacon Blue.
Franz Ferdinand’s cosy Hogmanay 2003-4
Proof that all you might need for a legendary shindig is some high winds and a friend's band on the cusp of superstardom. When Edinburgh‘s official Hogmanay concert in Princes Street Gardens was cancelled due to little more than Scottish weather. one of the acts had the bright idea of setting up in a pal's flat for a party that would become the Scottish soiree to which everyone would wish to claim attendance.