AroundTown
FREE Traverse Wassail Tue 22 Nov, 8.40pm. Invitations free with a ticket for any Autumn Festival show. Traverse Theatre, Cambridge Street, 228 1404. A party for artists, audiences and Traverse supporters following the night’s performance, with food, drink and good cheer.
✽✽ Theatre Tour Wednesdays & Saturdays 23 Nov–14 Dec, 10.30am. £12.50 (£9.50). The Edinburgh Playhouse, 18-22 Greenside Place, 0844 847 1660. See behind the scenes at the country's largest purpose-built theatre. FREE Edinburgh’s Christmas Light Night Thu 24 Nov, from 4pm (lights switch on approx 5.55pm). City centre, edinburghsparkles.com See Edinburgh sparkle for the first time this year, and check out the Christmas markets, big wheel and carousel. See Christmas Guide, page 10. The Indulgence Christmas Show Sat 26 & Sun 27 Nov, 10am–7pm. Day tickets £10 (£5); weekend £15 (£7.50); under 16s free. Royal Highland Centre, Ingliston, 0844 338 7770. Luxury exhibitors from the food, drink and leisure industries.
✽✽ St Andrew’s Day Visit for Free Sat 26–Sun 27 Nov, times vary. Free
entry or two-for-one. Various venues, Edinburgh, scotland.org Attractions around the country open their doors free of charge (or less than usual) in celebration of our national saint; participating venues in the capital include the Edinburgh Dungeon, the Scotch Whisky Experience, Camera Obscura and the Botanics’ glasshouses. FREE 2colours Sat 26 & Sun 27 Nov, noon–8pm. Inspace, 1 Crichton Street, 650 2750. A weekend of fashion, sound design, graphics and visual installations from international designer Jacob Birge. FREE Edinburgh BlogTogether Tue 29 Nov, 6–8pm. Sofi’s, 65 Henderson Street Leith, 555 1979. Meet-up for bloggers.
✽✽ FREE Scottish Women’s Aid 35th Anniversary Exhibition Tue 29 Nov–Mon 12 Dec (not Sat/Sun),
48 THE LIST 17 Nov–15 Dec 2011
9.30am–4.30pm. Glasgow Women's Library, Mitchell Library, 15 Berkeley Street, 248 9969. Photographs and memorabilia documenting the work of Scottish Women's Aid in reducing domestic abuse through campaigns, legislative breakthroughs and awareness raising. FREE Charity Art Auction Wed 30 Nov, 6pm. Joseph Pearce’s, 23 Elm Row, 556 4140. Charity sale of donated works, in aid of Barnardo’s. FREE Fantastic Forests Sat 3 & Sun 4 Dec, 12.30–4.30pm. John Hope Gateway Centre, Royal Botanic Garden, 20a Inverleith Row, 552 7171. Hands-on activities celebrating the International Year of Forests. FREE Light a Light 2011 Mon 5 Dec, 5.30pm. Charlotte Square Gardens, Charlotte Square. St Columba’s Hospice lights up on its memorial Christmas tree. FREE Boardgames Galore! Sat 10 Dec, 10am–6pm. Waterstone’s George Street, 83 George Street, 225 3436. Demonstrations and hands-on playtests of the best new boardgames and some popular classics. It’s Funtime Sat 10 Dec, 7.30pm. £5. The Bongo Club, Moray House, 37 Holyrood Road, its-funtime.com Razzmatazz 1970s game show/pub quiz hybrid. See feature, page 26. FREE Within These Walls: Route 2 Sun 11 Dec, noon–3pm. Holyrood Park, 652 8150. Guided three-hour historical walk. Booking essential. FREE Gift Thu 15 Dec, 7.30–10pm. Out of the Blue Drill Hall, 30–36 Dalmeny Street, Leith, 555 7100. Exhibition of work and social/networking event for artists of all kinds, organisations and anyone else with an interest, facilitated by the Edinburgh Peer Group. Exhibitions FREE 26 Treasures Project 2011 Wed 30 Nov–Wed 25 Jan 2012, 10am–5pm. National Museum of
Scotland, Chambers Street, 0300 123 6789. Nationwide project in which 26 objects from the museum are paired with 26 writers, forming a trail through the galleries and through Scottish history. See 26treasures.tumblr.com for a taster. FREE Beyond Macbeth: Shakespeare in Scottish Collections Fri 9 Dec–Apr 2012, Mon–Thu 10am–8pm, Sat 10am–5pm, Sun 2–5pm. National Library of Scotland, George IV Bridge, 623 3918. Rare Shakespearean folios held by institutions in Scotland, with a commentary exploring what the Bard’s work means in Scotland. Fairs & Markets FREE Ghillie Dhu Makers Market Sat 19 Nov, 10am–3pm. Ghillie Dhu, 2 Rutland Place, 222 9930. Indie crafts. FREE Pop Up Precious Sat 19 Nov–Fri 2 Dec, Mon–Sat 10am–6pm, Sun 11am–4pm. Framed Gallery, 11b Gayfield Square, 556 8511. Sale from the Association for Contemporary Jewellery. FREE Out of the Blue Flea Market Sat 19 Nov, 10am–3pm. Out of the Blue Drill Hall, 30–36 Dalmeny Street, Leith, 555 7100. Furniture, clothes, music and more. Edinburgh Steiner School Christmas Market Sat 19 Nov, 11am–4pm. £1.50 (children 50p). Edinburgh Steiner School, 60 Spylaw Road, 337 3410. Annual festive bonanza, with stalls, storytellers, refreshments and carolling. Christmas Fair Thu 24 Nov–Wed 4 Jan, 10am–10pm (opening hours vary over festive period, see list.co.uk for details). Prices vary. East Princes Street Gardens, edinburghschristmas.com Rides and fun for all the family, including the big wheel, carousels and helter skelter, plus gentler rides for wee ones. See feature, page 43. FREE Highland Village Christmas Market Thu 24 Nov–Wed 4 Jan, Sun–Wed 10am–8pm; Thu–Sat 10am–10pm (opening hours vary over festive period, see list.co.uk for details). East Princes Street Gardens, edinburghschristmas.com Food, drink, clothing and jewellery from all over Scotland. See feature, page 43, and Christmas Guide, page 10. FREE Traditional German Christmas Market Thu 24 Nov–Sat 24 Dec, Sun–Wed 10am–8pm, Thu–Sat 10am–10pm. Mound Square, off Princes Street, edinburghschristmas.com Traditional German crafts and toys, plus sausages, gluehwein and the like. See feature, page 43, and Christmas Guide, page 10. FREE Christmas Shopping Fair Sat 26 Nov & 10 Dec, 10am. St Columba’s- by-the-Castle, 14 Johnston Terrace, 622 2277. Products from Scottish makers and designers, with facepainting and paint- your-own ceramics. See feature, page 43. The Vintage Kilo Sale Sat 26 Nov, 10am–2pm. £1. Out of the Blue Drill Hall, 30–36 Dalmeny Street, Leith, 555 7100. Vintage clothes shopping, by the kilo. Open to traders from 10am, general public from 11am. FREE Merriment Makers Thu 1 Dec from 6pm; Fri 2–Sun 4 Dec, 10am–8pm. Studio 203, 203 Pleasance, studio203gallery.blogspot.com Sale of work from artists, crafters and grafters. See Christmas Guide, page 10. FREE French Institute Library Clearance Sat 3 Dec, 10am–2.30pm. Institut Français d’Ecosse, 13 Randolph Crescent, 225 5366. The French Institute library of books, magazines and multimedia is having a clear-out. FREE Funk Fair Sat 3 Dec, 10am–5pm. Christ Church, Morningside Road, 667 3633. Fashion fair with a mix of vintage and new design. See Christmas Guide, page 10. FREE The Real Scottish Christmas Fair Sat 3–Thu 8 Dec, 10am–6pm. Castle Street, edinburghschristmas.com Traditional Scottish music and samples of food and drink while you shop. See feature, page 43, and Christmas Guide, page 10.
✽✽ FREE Morningside Makers Market Sat 3 Dec, 11am–4pm.
Columcille Centre, 2 Newbattle Terrace, 447 7404. Monthly design market. Out of the Blue Arts Market Sat 3 Dec & 10 Dec, 11am–5pm. £0.80. Out of the Blue Drill Hall, 30–36 Dalmeny Street, Leith, 555 7100. Christmas specials with extended opening hours and festive treats on sale in the cafe. FREE Christmas Art & Crafts Fayre Sun 4 Dec, 12–4pm. Malmaison Hotel Edinburgh, 1 Tower Place Leith, 468 5000. Christmas edition of Malmaison’s regular market, with treats on offer from the hotel’s local food suppliers. See feature, page 43, and Christmas Guide, page 10. Edinburgh Book Fair Sat 10 Dec, 10am–5pm. £1. Radisson Blu Hotel, 80 High Street, 557 9797. Second-hand books, maps and prints. FREE The Ethical Christmas Fair Sat 10–Thu 15 Dec, 10am–6pm. Castle Street, edinburghschristmas.com Ethically sound gift-buying opporunity. See feature, page 43, and Christmas Guide, page 10. Noir! #10 – A Christmas Fair Sat 10 Dec, 11am–7pm. £5 (students £4; under 5s free). Summerhall, 1 Summerhall, noiredinburgh.blogspot.com Christmas fair with stylish gifts from local student and professional designers, plus a fashion show, spoken word and film event from Neu! Reekie!, art installations and tasty eats from local businesses. See feature, page 43.
Sport FREE Rock’n’Roll Ping Pong with DJ Ding Dong Sun 27 Nov & 11 Dec, 7.30pm. The Bongo Club, Moray House, 37 Holyrood Road, 558 7604. Free table tennis club with a sudden death tournament and DJs. Challenge Scotland Sun 4 Dec, from 9am. Prices vary. Inverleith Park, Arboretum Place, challengescotland.com Pick from everything from a 5k run to a one-mile walk and even a toddle for the wee ones throughout this fundraising day in the park. See feature, page 43. The Great Edinburgh Santa Run Sun 11 Dec, 9am. £12.50 (children £7.50). West Princes Street Gardens, 01357 529950. Charity-friendly bearded bolt. Price includes a santa suit to keep (or elf hat for kids). See feature, page 43, and Christmas Guide, page 10.
Talks FREE Spotlight on . . . Our New Galleries Thu 17 & 24 Nov & 1 Dec, 2–3pm. National Museum of Scotland, Chambers Street, 0300 123 6789. Talks on the new galleries from their curators. Art History Lecture Series Thu 17 Nov & 15 Dec, 6.30–7.30pm. £4. Edinburgh Printmakers, 23 Union Street, 557 2479. Dr Norman Shaw lectures on abstraction (17 Nov) and Scottish art (15 Dec). Booking essential. Prajnaparamita in Edinburgh Fri 18–Sun 20 Nov, times vary. £12. Augustine Church, 41–43 George IV Bridge, prajnaparamita.nl/events A weekend of talks and meditation. FREE L’Oreille musicale Sat 19 Nov, 2pm. Institut Français d’Ecosse, 13 Randolph Crescent, 225 5366. A Breton guitarist discusses his work in French. We Are All Made of Stars Mon 21 Nov, 7.30–8.30pm. £3 (£1.50). Royal Observatory Visitor Centre, Blackford Hill, 668 8404. Find out how the universe almost endlessly recycles atoms. The Good, The Bad and The Ugly: Some Key Characters in Edinburgh’s Medical History, 1505–1865 Tue 22 Nov, 10.30am. £8. Lauriston Castle, 2a Cramond Road South, 529 3963. Illustrated talk. FREE Not quite what we wanted . . . Critical Reactions to Works from the Collections Tue 22 Nov, 12.45–1.30pm. Scottish National Gallery, The Mound, 624 6200. Dr Patricia Andrew discusses some of the negative initial reactions to classic pieces in the Galleries. FREE The University of Edinburgh’s Enlightenment Lecture Tue 22 Nov, 6.30–7.30pm.