LIST.CO.UK/FESTIVAL
Museums and attractions are listed by city, then alphabetically by venue. Submit listings at least 16 days before publication to aroundtown@list.co.uk. Listings compiled by Laura Ennor and Lauren Mayberry. Indicates Hitlist entry
EDINBURGH Activities & Events Festival of Spirituality and Peace Until Mon 27 Aug, times vary. Prices vary. Various venues, festivalofspirituality.org.uk A multi-faith series of events marrying creativity and peace-making.
✽ FREE Edinburgh Book Fringe Until Fri 24 Aug, times vary. Word
Power Bookshop, 43 West Nicolson Street, 662 9112. Radical-edged festival of words: highlights this week include Fi Martynoga on Scotland’s wild harvests (Thu 16 Aug, 1pm), China Mieville reading from his latest novel (Fri 17 Aug, 1pm), Edinburgh Makar Ron Butlin reciting new verse (Tue 21 Aug, 1pm) and Syrian journalist Samar Yazbek on her eyewitness account of the Syrian conflict so far (Tue 21 Aug, 6pm). Edinburgh International Fashion Festival Thu 16–Sun 19 Aug, times vary. Prices vary. Various venues, most events at Summerhall, edinburghinternationalfashionfestival. com A new festival of fashion events, from your standard runway shows (including Bebaroque on Thu 16 Aug and Christina Borcher on Sun 19 Aug) and accompanying after-parties, to the more unexpected talks programme including ‘Art, Fashion and Neuroscience’ with Ludovica Lumer (Thu 16 Aug, noon), and a panel discussion on originality and ideas (Sat 18 Aug, 1pm). On Sat & Sun, Eribé knitwear takes over the National Museum of Scotland with an interactive look at tradition and innovation in knitting (10am–4pm). The Edinburgh Military Tattoo Until Sat 25 Aug (not Sun), Mon–Fri 9pm, Sat 7.30pm & 10.30pm. £23–£59. Esplanade, Edinburgh Castle, Royal Mile, 225 1188. Top of this year’s extra- special Jubilee bill are the sensational percussionists of Switzerland’s Top Secret Drum Corps.
✽The Festival of Politics Fri 17 & Sat 18, Fri 24 & Sat 25 Aug, times
vary. Prices vary (most events free). Scottish Parliament, Horse Wynd, 0800 092 7500. Get your current affairs fix with talks on the Scottish parliament, the history and theory of political oratory, libraries in the digital age, and creativity as a force for social change, plus theatre and a concert by JJ Gilmour. FREE Mario Kart: Britain’s Fastest Family Fri 17 & Sat 18 Aug, time tbc. HMV Edinburgh Princes Street, 129–130A Princes Street, nintendo.co.uk/britainsfastestfamily A chance for family teams to try out the new Mario Kart 7 game. Falconry Sun 19 Aug, 11am–3pm. £5 castle admission (£4; children £3). Craigmillar Castle, Craigmillar Castle Road, 661 4445. Meet the royal falconer and find out about the sport of kings.
✽Edinburgh Pipe Band Championships 2012 Sun 19
Aug, 11.30am–5pm. £5–£7. Royal Highland Centre, Ingliston, 335 6200. Piping competition with Highland dancing, heavy events and children’s entertainment.
✽Classic Album Sundays Sun 19 Aug, noon–4pm. £6 per pair. Loud
& Clear, Bonnington Mill, 72 Newhaven Road, 555 3963. The Edinburgh debut of this audio-nerd’s wet dream is all about Pink Floyd’s classic Dark Side of the Moon. From noon get into the zone with music that inspired its creation, then from 2.30pm the lights go down for
EVENTS FESTIVAL AROUND TOWN
5351. The Cannon Belles take on Dublin Roller Girls in a bout of high-energy roller derby. Tour de Forth Sun 19 Aug, 8.30am–5.30pm. £12–£30 registration (children £8 for family route). Departing from Ocean Terminal, Leith, tourdeforth. com. Charity cycling event, with routes to suit all levels of fitness and ability, in aid of the Mercy Corps. Choose from a 70-mile ‘Classic’ or ‘Sportive’ route, the 35-mile ‘Demi’ or the 22-mile family route.
Talks Edinburgh International Festival Talks Until Sat 1 Sep, times vary. £6. The Hub, Castlehill, Royal Mile, 473 2000. The EIF presents another illuminating and provocative set of talks – the ‘Conversations’ and ‘Reflections on Song’ strands feature artists from the festival talking about their work (this week including Nicola Benedetti and the Hebrides Ensemble), while the ‘Encounters’ series looks at bigger issues, with discussions on satire and the influence on the classical world this week. EIF. Ruskin Live! Thu 16 & Fri 17 Aug, 3–4.15pm. £10 (£8). Scottish National Gallery, The Mound, 624 6200. Actor and art historian Paul O’Keeffe recreates John Ruskin’s celebrated 1853 lectures. FREE John Bellany, Life and Work Thu 16 Aug, 6.30pm. Open Eye Gallery, 34 Abercromby Place, 557 1020. Alexander Moffat discusses the life of the painter. EAF. FREE Edinburgh Skeptics in the Pub Thu 16 Aug, 7.30pm. The Banshee Labyrinth, 29–35 Niddry Street, 07896 745991. Breaking down doctrine with pints and chat. FREE Ragged University at the Festival Fri 17 Aug, 1–3pm. Central Library, 7-9 George IV Bridge, 242 8100. Makmed the Miller presents The Grief of Isis (music around a ten-metre artwork) and Peter Barratt talks about suffragette Alice Hawkins (his grandmother).
✽FREE Festival Detours: Scott Hutchison Fri 17 Aug, 3.30–4pm. Summerhall, 1 Summerhall, 0845 874 3001. Frightened Rabbit’s Hutchison gives a personal response to the David Michalek installation. EAF. FREE Artist Talk: Kona Macphee Sun 19 Aug, 2–3pm. City Art Centre, 2 Market Street, 529 3963. The poet discusses the collection she has created to accompany the Human Race exhibition. The Lost Art of the Film Explainer Sun 19 Aug, 4pm. Filmhouse, 88 Lothian Road, 228 2688. Storyteller Andy Cannon and cellist Wendy Weatherby guide you through some rare films from the Scottish Screen Archive. FREE Not Just a Pretty Face Mon 20 Aug, 12.30pm. Surgeons’ Hall Museum, Nicolson Street, 527 1649. Tony Watson discusses media perceptions and facial surgery. FREE How To Do a Show at the Fringe Tue 21 Aug, noon–1.30pm. Fringe Central, Appleton Tower, Crichton Street, 226 0000. Inspired by the roar of the greasepaint and the smell of the jazz-hands? Find out how to be a part of it next time.
✽FREE Festival Detours: Molly Naylor Tue 21 Aug, 6–6.30pm.
Fruitmarket Gallery, 45 Market Street, 225 2383. Performance poet Naylor gives a personal response to the Dieter Roth exhibition. EAF. FREE The Making of NVA’s Speed of Light Wed 22 Aug, noon–1.30pm. Fringe Central, Appleton Tower, Crichton Street, 226 0000. Hear the story behind one of the most striking projects at this year’s festivals. FREE Song and Sectarianism Thu 23 Aug, 6–6.45pm. Scottish National Portrait Gallery, 1 Queen Street, 624 6200. Learn about the sectarian past
16–23 Aug 2012 THE LIST 89
FESTIVAL DETOURS Throughout Edinburgh Art Festival, various musicians, comedians and general people of ‘creative sway’ have been giving personal responses to exhibitions and installations on show. In this session, Frightened Rabbit frontman Scott Hutchison responds to the David Michalek work at Summerhall. (Lauren Mayberry) ■ Summerhall, 0845 874 3001, 17 Aug, free.
uninterrupted audio enjoyment of the album itself, on more expensive hi-fi kit than you can shake a stick at. Luath Book Banter Mon 20–Fri 24 Aug, 10–11.30am. £8 (£5). Henderson’s Vegetarian Restaurant, 94 Hanover Street, 225 2131. A series of events with Luath Press authors: actor John Cairney tells a few thespian tales (Mon), Catriona Child reads from her technologically innovative first novel Trackman (Tue), Professor David Purdie presents his highly controversial abridgement of Ivanhoe (Wed), a feisty panel debates Scottish independence (Thu) and Rab Wilson talks about the many faces of Robert Burns (Fri). Talkfest Two 2012 Mon 20 Aug, 1–2.30pm & 5–6.30pm. £6.50 (£4.50). Traverse Theatre, Cambridge Street, 228 1404. Hear about what stimulates the artists behind this year’s Made in Scotland showcase – from real-world catastrophic events to technology. FREE The Golden Thread of Poetry Tue 21 & Thu 23 Aug, 5.30–6.30pm. Cornerstone Bookshop, St John’s Church Terrace, Princes Street, 229 3776. Readings of poetry in translation. FREE Festival Club Tue 21–Thu 23 Aug, 11pm–3am. Summerhall, 1 Summerhall, 0845 874 3001. Live art parties hosted by the Adam Mickiewicz Institute, showcasing Polish culture. FREE Ian Hamilton Finlay: Selections Wed 22 Aug, 2–3pm. Edinburgh Art Festival Pavilion, St Andrew’s Square, edinburghartfestival. com A reading of some of artist Ian Hamilton Finlay’s poems, from the newly published book Selections, edited by Alec Finlay. Part of Edinburgh Art Festival (hereafter referred to as EAF). FREE Rose Street Film Club Wed 22 Aug, 8.30pm. Rose Street, edinburghartfestival.com New films by emerging artists are projected onto the exterior wall of BHS. EAF.
✽Turing Festival Thu 23–Sun 26 Aug, times vary. Prices vary. Various
venues, Edinburgh, turingfestival.com
A festival with plenty to offer both the hardcore technology lover and the average Joe seeking a break from the theatricals of the Fringe. Featuring a talk from CERN representatives giving the latest lowdown on Higgs’ boson, as well lectures on technological security and freedom, the future of medicine, gaming and a talk from Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak. Fairs & Markets Stockbridge Market Thursdays, 2.30–7.30pm, and Sundays, 10am–5pm. Saunders Street, Stockbridge, 551 5633. Artisanal food and crafts. Edinburgh Farmers’ Market Saturdays, 9am–2pm. Castle Terrace, 652 5940. Local produce. FREE The World Fringe Fair Sat 18 Aug, 11am–1pm. Fringe Central, Appleton Tower, Crichton Street, 226 0000. Meet Fringe festivals from across the globe. Edinburgh’s Affordable Vintage Fair Sun 19 Aug, 12–5pm. £2 (students & seniors £1; children free). The HMV Picture House, 31 Lothian Road, 0113 245 5090. Vintage fashions and accessories.
Food & Drink Malones Beer Festival Thu 16 & Fri 17 Aug & Wed 22–Fri 24 Aug, 4–6pm. £5 (£3). Malone’s Irish Bar, 14 Forrest Road, 226 5954. Tutored samplings of ales, stouts and ciders. Scottish Beer & Food with Tom Bruce-Gardyne Mon 20 Aug, 6.30–8.30pm. £15. Innis & Gunn at 32 Potterrow, 32 Potterrow, 662 9788. Drinks writer Bruce-Gardyne guides guests through beers from Scottish brewers and nibbles from local food heroes.
Sport ✽Auld Reekie Roller Girls Present: Live Roller Derby! Sat
18 Aug, 2–5pm. £5 in advance; £7 on the door (under 14s free). Meadowbank Sports Centre, 139 London Road, 661