www.list.co.uk/aroundtown
Around Town
Edinburgh
Activities & Events Solar-Themed Public Evenings Fri 20 Jun Royal Observatory Visitor Centre. Blackford Hill. 668 8404. 7 8.45pm. £4 (£3). Salute the sun at this sumtner solstice event: check out that big ball of gas using solar telescopes and sunspotters. Booking essential. Identities Fri 20 Jun Scottiin Story telling Centre. 43 45 High Street. 556 957‘). 7pm. £5 (£4). Amadu Khan. Mio Shapley and .Michael Williams. three storytellers from different continents. discuss the importance of their identities in shaping their stories. I’url ()erf/irer'v lli't’k. All Star Wrestling I‘ri 20 Jun Queen's Hall. 87 8‘) ('let'k Street. 008 2(ll‘). 7.30pm. £10 £12 (family ticket £35). Hell YIiAHl See preview. page 33.
FREE Midsummer‘s Eve Sat 21
Jun. Royal Botanic (iarden. 20a Inverleith Row. 01358 720417. 9am 1 1pm. ()utdoor frolicking. till late. See l.istpicks. FREE Sights and Smells of Old Edinburgh Sat 21 Jun. National Museum of Scotland: Haw thornden Court. 2 Chambers Street. 247 4422. 12.45pm. 1.45pm 1% 2.45pm. A visual and aromatic tour back in time. Part (if~ Edinburgh ()/(1 'lim-n I'i’s'lii'ul. FREE Out of the Old Town Sun 22 Jun. John Knox House. Iligh Street. 556 957‘). 2 5pm. (ticketed). A cycle tour of up to ten miles around the Old Town. Call Andy Iluntcr on 07702 000039 to hire a bike (£l()). FREE Freak Screen Mon 23 Jun. The Bongo Club. Moray House. 37 Holyrood Road. 558 7604. 8pm midnight. l-‘rec lilm night (from docs and skate movies to horror) followed by funk-fuelled eclectica from (‘ommanderson and (ieneral B- Battenburg. FREE Arthur’s Secrets Wed 25 Jun. Holyrood l’ark liducation Centre. 1 Queens Drive. 052 8150. I 3pm. History-rich walk up the peak. Meet at Holyrood Park Information Centre. FREE Old Town Festival Open Day Sun 2‘) Jun. Scottish Storytelling Centre. 43 45 High Street. 556 957‘). I 4pm. Storytelling. music. face painting. craft and information stalls. I’url oft/iv ()/(I You)! I-i's'lii'ul. Public Evening Fri 27 Jun. Royal ()bseryatory Visitor Centre. Blackford Hill. 668 8404. 7 8.45pm. £4 (£3). Learn about the solar system. the history of the Royal Observatory. state of the an technology and even hold a space rock. Booking essential. An Evening with David Wells Sat 28 Jun. Royal Lyceum 'l‘heatre. (irindlay Street. 248 4848. 7.30pm. £22. The Most Haunted medium offers to contact the ‘other side‘ on your behalf. Sweet of him.
Exhibitions
FREE Museum on the Mound 'l‘he Mound. 243 5404. t'ntil Sun 2‘) Jun (not Mon). 10am 5pm; 1 5pm. Smell the
Glasgow
{35; Colours of the Silk Road
20 June 2008—4 January 2009
Phone 0141 287 2550 www.glasgowmuseums.com
colour of money at this exhibition where you can see what a million pounds looks like. discover Scotland‘s oldest banknote and have a go at cracking a safe.
Fairs & Festivals
Old Town Festival Mon I()-Sllll 2‘) Jun Scottish Storytelling Centre. 43 45 High Street. 556 957‘). Times and prices vary. A celebration of Iidinburgh's ()Id low it with theatre. storytelling events and visual art. The Royal Highland Show Thu 1‘)- Sun 22 Jun. Royal Highland Centre. lngliston. 335 (i200. £I8 £20 (£l3‘. l'lbs free £15). It's the big wan of the agricultural show calendar. ‘Mon the heavy horses!
Edinburgh World Justice Festival l'ntil Sun 2‘) June. Various Venues. Times and prices vary. lixcellent. hard-hitting programme of talks and events. See www.cwjf.org.uk and picture caption. right.
FREE Canongate Street Fair Sat 28 Jun. Iiast Market Street. ()7788 755303.
I 1am 4pm. ()ne of the highlights of the Old Town I‘estival. celebrate life in the (’anongatc with live music. stalls and activities. I’ur! ()fl/lt’ Old Town I'i’s'lii'ul.
Food & Drink
Scottish Real Ale Festival Thu 1‘)- Sat 21 Jun. Assembly Rooms. 54 (ieorge Street. 228 1155. 5 10.30pm. £4 (£3 members). Scottish Real Ale’s biggest showcase. with over 120 different beers served in one of Iidinburgh's‘ fittest (ieorgian venues. Cider and perry also ayailable. but on your own head be it if you order them...
FREE Edinburgh Farmers’ Market Saturdays. Castle 'I‘errace. 052 5940. 9am 2pm. More local. quality. ethical produce than you could shake a stick at. FREE The Eating Place Thu 26 Jun. Castle Street. 652 5940. noon hpm. A line food market held in Castle Street on the 2nd & last 'I'hursday of every month.
Soon
The Great Scottish Walk Stm 22 Jun. Meadowlmnk Sports Centre. 13‘) London Road. 661 5351. 10.30am 4pm. £10 (£8). A charitable walk open to all abilities. You can either walk an easy mile. a slightly more challenging six or go for the ultimate 12 mile option. you big strong tank of a person. you.
Talks
FREE Jim Haynes on Books Tue 24 Jun. National Library of Scotland. (ieorge IV Bridge. (32.3 4675. 7pm. The founder of Iidinburgh’s 'I'raverse 'I'heatrc and Britain's first paperback bookshop talks about the future of the book.
Animals Asia Foundation Wed 25 Jun. Chinois China China Restaurant. ()mni Centre. (ireenside Place. 0157‘) 347148. 7pm. £20. ‘I-‘rom Prison to Paradise. 225 beats. one incredible
journey". Jill Robinson. I-‘oundcr of
Animals Asia Foundation. discusses her work to bring bear bile farming to an end in China and Vietnatn on the tenth
Edinburgh World Justice Festiva
An excellent programme of events
about global justice this year, with a firm focus on how the ‘ordinary’ Scottish resident can do their bit to help create a fairer world. Highlights include an Alternative Olympics, part family sports day, part indictment of the Chinese government, and local hero Aamer Anwar in conversation with former Guantanamo detainee Moazzam Begg (pictured). Go to www.ewjf.org.uk for the full programme of talks, films, gigs, workshops
and fairs.
I Various venues. Ed/nburg/i. until Sun 29 Jun.
anniversary of the AAI‘. Ticket includes vegetarian dinner and a special auction.
Workshops
Swing Dance Nights Mon 23 Jun. The (RV. 37 (iuthrie Street. 220 2987. 7pm. £4.50 (£4). Beginners’ rootin. tootin' loot suitin' swing dance lessons from 7pm every Monday. social dancing to jam & big band hits from 8pm.
Shoe Swing Wednesday's Counting House. \Vest Nicolson Street. £4.50 singles £8 couples (£2 social dancing only). A swing dance workshop run by lidinbop every Wednesday night. 'I'utored classes from 7pm and social dancing from 9pm. Swing dancers. lindy-hoppers and
jivers of all persuasions very welcome.
.\'o need to book. and you don’t even have to have a partner.
Culture 8‘Sport
Rock Up Sat 28 Jun. Dance Base. I4 16 (irassmarket. 225 5525. 8pm. £12 (£9.50). Oh no. the city's gone swinging era/y. baby! Swing and jive dance social evening with tuition from the My Right Dance Company and live music from ()-plCCL‘ band The Top Cats.
FREE Stories and Statues Sat 28 Jun. Scottish Storytelling Centre. 43 45 High Street. 556 957‘). 2--4pm. l-ind out about the myths and stories behind some of lidinburgh's monuments. then help an artist create a new monument for the Old Town.
Dr Sketchy’s Anti-Art School Sun 2‘) Jun. the Voodoo Rooms. I‘)a West Register Street. 556 7060. 3 5pm. £7 (£4 to watch/drink). Fed up with pallid. wobbly artists' models‘.’ (let your pencils round pouting burlesque hunks ‘n’ divas instead.
BRITISH COUNCIL
1‘) Jtm~3 Jul 2008 THE LIST 35