30–36 Dalmeny Street, Leith, 555 7101. Monthly evenings of food and beer, eclectic music and the age-old game of ‘Wiff Waff’ (aka Ping Pong).
Talks Prints and Visual Culture Thu 13 Dec, 6.30–7.30pm. £5. Edinburgh Printmakers, 23 Union Street, 557 2479. Ruth Pelzer-Montada explores the place of prints in‘visual culture’. From Weeds to Medicines Thu 13 Dec, 7.30–9pm. £5 (members £3). Royal Botanic Garden, Arboretum Place, 248 2909. Talk on the benefits of herbal medicine. Volcanoes: From Edinburgh to Outer Space Sat 15 Dec, 2–3.30pm. £3 (£2; children £1; members free). Holyrood Park Education Centre, 1 Queen’s Drive, 652 8150. This presentation looks at Arthur’s Seat and its volcanic history. Booking essential. The Night Sky in January Mon 17 Dec, 7.30–8.30pm. £3 (£1.50). Royal Observatory Visitor Centre, Blackford Hill, 668 8404. Russell Eberst explains what to look out for in your New Year stargazing.
✽Bright Club: Edinburgh Tue 18 Dec, 8.30pm. £5. The Stand, 5 York
Place, 558 7272. The hardworking staff at Edinburgh’s universities are let out for the night to share their tales about the weird, wonderful, and often very funny, world of research. Meandering in Madagascar Thu 10 Jan, 7.30–9pm. £5 (members £3). Royal Botanic Garden, Arboretum Place, 248 2909. Talk by Dr Crinan Alexander about a lifetime’s fascination with botany. Building the World’s Biggest Optical Telescope Mon 14 Jan, 7.30– 8.30pm. £3 (£1.50). Royal Observatory Visitor Centre, Blackford Hill, 668 8404. Professor Colin Cunningham on Scotland’s role in building a telescope four times bigger than anything done before. FREE Let’s Talk About: Public Lectures at Little France Wed 16 Jan, 5.30pm. Queen’s Medical Research Institute, Little France, Old Dalkeith Road, 242 9100. Talk on the ‘Life and death of cancer cells in their natural habitat: the microscopic world of non- Hodgkin’s lymphoma’. Hubble: The Man, The Law, The Machine Mon 21 Jan, 7.30–8.30pm. £3 (£1.50). Royal Observatory Visitor Centre, Blackford Hill, 668 8404. A look at the life and work of cosmologist Edwin Hubble.
YOUR LUCKY DAY For a unique New Year’s Day, check out this one day festival taking place in venues across the Old Town. Author Alan Bissett and poet William Letford lead a Hogmanay special of literary event Words Per Minute, whilst other highlights include a multi-media music performance from Fringe award-winner Duncan Chisholm, and a live set from Rachel Sermanni (pictured). ■ Various venues, Edinburgh, Tue 1 Jan.
and home fair with an eclectic mix of vintage and new design. FREE Out of the Blue Flea Market Sat 29 Dec, 10am–3pm. Out of the Blue Drill Hall, 30–36 Dalmeny Street, Leith, 555 7100. Furniture, clothes, music and more. Sport FREE Rock’n’Roll Ping Pong Sun 30 Dec, 6pm. The Bongo Club, Moray House, 37 Holyrood Road, 558 7604. Free table tennis club with DJs Ding and Dong providing the music. BUPA Great Winter Run Sat 5 Jan, times vary. £20 (spectators free). Holyrood Park, 652 8150. Start burning off those roast potatoes with a 5km winter run in Holyrood Park. FREE Wiff Waff! Thu 10 Jan, 6–10pm. Out of the Blue Drill Hall,
AROUND TOWN | Events
Family Ceilidh Mon 31 Dec, 3–5pm. £6 (family £20). Brunton Theatre, Ladywell Way, Musselburgh, 665 2240. Dance display, followed by a family ceilidh. Edinburgh’s Grand Hogmanay Ball Mon 31 Dec, 8.30pm–1am. £60–£75. Assembly Rooms, 54 George Street, 07881 900251. An evening of festive fun to start the new year off on a glamorous note. Edinburgh’s Hogmanay Street Party Mon 31 Dec, 9pm–1am. £15. Edinburgh City Centre, 0844 573 8455. Famed as one of the best New Year celebrations in the world, thousands of revellers bring in the New Year in the centre of Edinburgh with a mix of live music and DJs. FREE Your Lucky Day Tue 1 Jan, 1.30–4.30pm. Old Town, 0844 5738455. Take a chance and stumble across all manner of events and live music dotted around various venues in Edinburgh’s Old Town. Highlights include music from Kin with Duncan Chisholm or Rachel Sermanni, a ceilidh with Sandy Brechin’s Crafty Crofters, New Year play Galoshins or Words per Minute with author Alan Bissett and poet William Letford. FREE Bruncheon! Featuring The Sound of Muesli Sat 12 Jan, 11.30am– 3pm. Out of the Blue Drill Hall, 30–36 Dalmeny Street, Leith, 555 7101. Live music plus your choice of breakfast. Burns in Song – A Feast of Singing! Fri 18 Jan, 2–5pm. £12. Scottish Storytelling Centre, 43–45 High Street, 556 9579. A creative and celebratory day for honing your singing skills ready for Burns Night. FREE Big Garden Birdwatch Sat 19 & Sun 20 Jan, 12.30–3.30pm. Royal Botanic Garden, Arboretum Place, 248 2909. Come along and find out how to help the RSPB with their bird-spotting day held annually all over the country. Exhibitions FREE The Edinburgh Christmas Tree Festival Until Sat 15 Dec, Mon 17 Dec–Sat 22 Dec & Mon 24 Dec, 11am–4pm. Free (donations welcome). St Andrew’s and St George’s West Church, 58 Shandwick Place, 225 3847. Explore a special festive forest of lit-up Christmas trees, with live music and refreshments. FREE Edinburgh’s Soviet Cinema Until Sat 22 Dec, 11am–4pm. Scotland- Russia Institute, 9 South College St, 668 3635. One-off exhibition to celebrate the Guild’s upcoming season of Silent Soviet Cinema. FREE Craft Cafe Edinburgh Mon 17 Dec–Sat 22 Dec, 10am–5pm. Out of the Blue Drill Hall, 30–36 Dalmeny Street, Leith, 555 7101. Exhibition of crafts produced by a project from Impact Arts, with participation from older people based at St Raphael’s care home and Viewpoint tenants.
Fairs & Markets FREE Traditional German
Watch Films Online Now
www.filmhousecinema.com/player 72 THE LIST 13 Dec 2012–24 Jan 2013
Christmas Market Until Mon 24 Dec, times vary. The Mound, edinburghschristmas.com Whether it’s authentically German or not, you can certainly get your fill of festive wooden toys, meaty sausages and Glühwein at this hive of twinkly festive market stalls in the heart of the city. FREE The Ethical Christmas Fair Thu 13 Dec–Sun 16 Dec, 10am–6pm. Castle Street, edinburghschristmas.com Ethically sound gifts. FREE Traditional Highland Village Christmas Market Until Thu 6 Dec, times vary. East Princes Street Gardens, Princes Street, edinburghschristmas.com A Highland Village-style market. FREE Nomads Tent Christmas Bazaar Thu 13 Dec–Mon 24 Dec, 10am–5pm. The Nomads Tent, 21-23 St Leonard’s Lane, 662 1612. Christmassy Eastern Bazaar, with mulled wine and mince pies. FREE D2D Craft & Design Fair Fri 14 Dec–Sun 16 Dec, 11am–6pm. St John’s Episcopal Church, Princes Street, 229 7565. See Glasgow, Fairs & Markets. Market Tree Craft & Gift Market Sat 15 Dec, 10am–4pm. £1. Café Camino, Parish Centre, 1 Little King Street, 523 0102. Festive crafts. FREE Portobello Makers Market Sat 15 Dec, 11am–4pm. Portobello Town Hall, Portobello. Handmade crafts and original designs. FREE Broughton Street Christmas Market Sat 15 & Sun 16 Dec; Sat 22 & Sun 23 Dec, 11am–7pm. St Mary’s Metropolitan Cathedral, Broughton Street, 667 4058. Food, arts and crafts. FREE St Mary’s Christmas Market Sat 15 & Sun 16 Dec; Sat 22 & Sun 23 Dec, 11am–7pm. St Mary’s RC Cathedral, York Place, edinburghmarkets. co.uk Traditional stalls and entertainment with live music, storytelling, performances and more. Stockbridge Market Sun 16 Dec & Fri 28 Dec–Sun 30 Dec, 10am–5pm. Saunders Street, Stockbridge, 551 5633. Artisanal food and crafts. Christmas @ Stockbridge Market Fri 21 Dec–Sun 23 Dec, 10am–5pm. Saunders Street, Stockbridge, 551 5633. Christmassy gifts, crafts and produce. Funk Fair Sat 22 Dec, 10am–5pm. £1. Café Camino, Parish Centre, 1 Little King Street, 523 0102. Fashion, furniture
GLASGOW ON ICE The open-air rink in the city centre is a seasonal staple for any Crimbo-loving Glaswegian willing to embrace their inner child, or even accompany some actual children. The List’s tip: pretending to be Joshua Jackson circa the Mighty Ducks era, including special moves and quoting dialogue, is disruptive, will not impress other patrons and mainly just attracts funny looks. Do not do this. ■ George Square, Glasgow, until Sat 5 Jan (closed Tue 1 Jan).