AROUND TOWN | Events
FREE Making Christmas Decorations Sat 21 & Sun 22 Dec, 12.30–3.30pm. Royal Botanic Garden, Arboretum Place, 248 2909. Make decorations with Greengage Arts. Christmas on the Closes Sun 22 Dec, 10am–5pm. £12.95 (seniors and students £11.45; under 16s £7.45). The Real Mary King’s Close, 2 Warriston’s Close, High Street, 0845 070 6244. Find out what Christmas would have been like during the 1500s–1800s on this festive version of the underground tour. FREE Christmas Art Competition Fri 27–Mon 30 Dec, 10.30am–4.30pm. National Museum of Scotland, Chambers Street, 0300 123 6789. Draw or paint objects inspired by the collection. Materials provided or bring your own. Edinburgh’s Hogmanay Mon 30 Dec– Wed 1 Jan, times vary. Prices vary. Various venues, 0844 573 8455. Edinburgh’s world-famous Hogmanay celebration ushers in 2014 with a bang. A torchlight procession winds through the Old Town and onto a son et lumiere display on Calton Hill on 30 Dec and a massive street party with big-name bands culminates with midnight fireworks on 31 Dec. For brave souls, there’s the Loony Dook (in the River Forth) on 1 Jan.
✽ HOG-manay Tue 31 Dec, 9pm–3am. £35 (£30). Summerhall, 1 Summerhall,
0845 874 3001. London pop club Guilty Pleasures takes over the Dissection Room, with hog roasts, cocktails, DJs, acrobatic dancers and witty pianist Will Pickvance (see preview, page 122).
✽ FREE Scot:Lands – Home:Land Wed 1 Jan, noon–7.30pm. National Museum of Scotland, Chambers Street, 0300 123 6789. A journey through Old Town, with nine worlds to discover along the way, all curated by Scotland’s best musicians and artists. Begin and end at the National Museum of Scotland, where you can submit your ‘Landing Card’ for a chance to win a trip across Scotland. See feature, page 14. FREE First Footing Party Thu 2 Jan, 6pm–midnight. Victoria, 265 Leith Walk, 555 1638. Come down from your Hogmanay with chilled beats, cocktails, cakes and shortbread. FREE Sofi’s Knitting Club Tue 7 Jan, 8–11.30pm. Sofi’s, 65 Henderson Street, 555 7019. Knitting session for all. Winter Guided Walks Wed 15–Thu 23 Jan, 11am–noon. £10 (includes Glasshouse entry). Royal Botanic Garden, Arboretum Place, 248 2909. Shake off the winter blues with a walk through the tropical Glasshouses. Supper with Burns Wed 22 & Thu 23 Jan, 7pm. £25 (£23). Scottish Storytelling Centre, 43–45 High Street, 556 9579. Enjoy your traditional Burns Supper with storytellers Linda Bandelier and David Campbell. Haggis, neeps and tatties included in the ticket price. Booking recommended.
Exhibitions FREE Twilling Tweeds and Hunarmand Hoost (Skilled
Holiday time means taxi time!
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62 THE LIST 12 Dec 2013–23 Jan 2014
CHRISTMAS ON THE CLOSES Enjoy an alternative history of Edinburgh’s Christmas traditions at one of the city’s spookiest tourist attractions, including tales of the period from Christmas Eve until Twelfth Night, which used to be known as the ‘daft days’ – a time of practical jokes and silliness – and of the ban on celebrating Christmas, which started in 1575 and didn’t officially end until 1958. (David Pollock) ■ Mary King’s Close, Edinburgh, Fri 14–Sun 16 Dec and Fri 21 Dec.
Hands) Thu 12–Mon 23 Dec. Mon–Sat 10am–5pm; Sun noon–4pm. The Nomads Tent, 21–23 St Leonard’s Lane, 662 1612. Weavers and embroiderers from opposite ends of the world – the Outer Hebrides and Chitral, Pakistan – exhibit textiles telling the stories of their communities. FREE Wha’s Like Us?: A Nation of Dreams and Ideas Wed 1 Jan– Tue 6 May. Mon–Fri 10am–8pm; Sat 10am–5pm; Sun 2–5pm. National Library of Scotland, George IV Bridge, 623 3748. Exhibition looking at the outstanding achievements by Scots through the ages. Fairs & Markets FREE The Ethical Christmas Fair Thu 12–Sun 15 Dec, 10am–6pm. Castle Street, 07914 254334. Feel extra smug by not only giving gifts, but making sure they’re ethically sound. FREE Beyond Words Pop-up Shop Thu 12–Sun 22 Dec, 11am–6pm. Stills, 23 Cockburn Street, 622 6200. Pick up a new, elegant friend for your coffee table at this emporium of photography books. Funk Fair Sat 14 Dec, 11am–4pm. £1.
Café Camino, Parish Centre, 1 Little King Street, 523 0102. Fashion, furniture and home fair with mix of vintage and new design. Christmas Multiples Market Sat 14 Dec, 11am–5pm. £1 (under 5s free). Edinburgh Printmakers, 23 Union Street, 557 2479. Pick up artists’ multiples, hand printed bags, cards and jewellery made onsite at Edinburgh Printmakers. FREE Stockbridge Market Every Sun, 10am–5pm. Saunders Street, Stockbridge, 551 5633. Artisanal food and craft market by the Water of Leith. Summerhall Christmas Market Sun 15 Dec, 11am–7pm. £2 (children free). Summerhall, 1 Summerhall, 0845 874 3001. Festive market with over 50 stalls from businesses across the city. Plus carol singing, mince pies and mulled drinks. FREE Out of the Blue Flea Market Sat 28 Dec, 10am–3pm. Out of the Blue Drill Hall, 30–36 Dalmeny Street, Leith, 555 7100. Bargain buys including furniture, clothes, music and more. FREE Grassmarket Hogmanay Fair Sat 28 Dec–Thu 2 Jan, 11am–8pm. Grassmarket, 07914 254334. Fair on the Grassmarket, featuring Scottish and international crafts, fashion, art and food, alongside live comedy and music. FREE Loppis Sun 5 Jan, 2–4pm. Victoria, 265 Leith Walk, 555 1638. Monthly Swedish-style junk sale.
Sport Do It Commando Every Mon, 6.30–7.30pm. £5. Hemma, 75 Holyrood Road, 629 3327. A former marine whips your derriere into shape by making you break down in tears in Holyrood Park. FREE Rock’n’Roll Ping Pong Sun 29 Dec, 7–10.30pm. The Bongo Club, 66 Cowgate, 558 8844. Free table tennis club with DJs Ding and Dong providing the music. If you’re feeling brave, it’s £1 to enter the sudden death tournament (strictly amateurs). Talks Tom Sowden Lecture Thu 12 Dec, 6.30pm. £3 (£5 for two). Edinburgh
Printmakers, 23 Union Street, 557 2479. Researcher and artist Tom Sowden talks about the artist’s book and the way digital technologies have changed the medium. Booking essential. Simon Garfield: The Art of Letter Writing Thu 12 Dec, 6.30–8pm. £5. Summerhall, 1 Summerhall, 0845 874 3001. The bestselling author and veritable letter nut discusses the merit of the form, looking at examples from Jane Austen, Ted Hughes and others. FREE Scottish Literature and Medicine: As Ithers See Us Tue 17 Dec, 6pm. National Library of Scotland, George IV Bridge, 623 3748. Sir Kenneth Calman gives the 2013 Tannahill Lecture, delving into the depiction of medicine in Scottish literature. Booking essential. Julie Davidson: Looking for Mrs Livingstone Thu 9 Jan, 7.30–9pm. £8 (free). Appleton Tower, University of Edinburgh, Crichton Street. Journalist Davidson talks about her research into the footsteps of explorer / missionary Mary Livingstone. Booking essential. FREE Andrew Carnegie Lecture Series: Professor James Elkins Thu 16 Jan, 5.30–7pm. Free but ticketed. Old College, Playfair Library, University of Edinburgh, South Bridge, 650 1000. Prof Elkins from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago gives a lecture entitled ‘Limits of the Discussion of Writing in Art History’. Saturday Showcase: Making Stones Speak Sat 18 Jan, 2–4.30pm. £10 (members £8). National Museum of Scotland, Chambers Street, 0300 123 6789. What can replicas, artistic responses and digital re-creations teach us about ancient stone sculptures? Lecture includes a complimentary glass of Glenmorangie Original. Clifton Bain: Going with the Flows Wed 22 Jan, 2.15–3.45pm. £8 (free). Appleton Tower, University of Edinburgh, Crichton Street. The Director of the IUCN UK Peatland Programme talks about promoting peatland restoration. FREE Curator’s Tour: Walter Geikie Thu 23 Jan, 2pm. City Art Centre, 2 Market Street, 529 3993. Learn more about Geikie’s drawings, etchings and paintings from expert Dr Helen Scott, Curator of Fine Art. Booking essential. Workshops FREE Easel Sketching in the Gallery Thu 12 & Fri 13 Dec, 2–4pm. Scottish National Gallery, The Mound, 624 6200. Sketching session led by artist Damian Callan. The Artist Book Group: ‘bound: unbound’ Workshop Series Sat 14 Dec, 2–3.30pm. £5 donation. McNaughtan’s Bookshop, 3a & 4a Haddington Place, Leith Walk, 556 5897. Susie Wilson offers this practical introduction to decorative sewing styles. Booking essential. Bookbinding – Make Your Own Notebook Sun 15 Dec, 2–4.30pm. £18 (£15). Remade in Edinburgh, 17 Guthrie Street, 261 5904. A workshop for those new to bookbinding, with participants walking out with a new book. A Raggedy Christmas Wed 18 Dec, 10.30am–3.30pm. £18. Lauriston Castle, 2a Cramond Road South, 529 3963. Pretend the Internet never existed as you make Christmassy, homespun crafts in the castle kitchen. Booking essential. Voodoo Swing Sun 5 Jan, 7pm. £7. The Voodoo Rooms, 19a West Register Street, 556 7060. Jumpin’ jivin’ swing dance night, starting with a class. Natural Herbal Beauty Every Mon 13 Jan–17 Mar, 1.30–5pm. £160 (members £144) for ten weeks. Royal Botanic Garden, Arboretum Place, 248 2937. Catherine Conway-Payne teaches you how to use natural herbal ingredients to prepare beauty formulations. Medieval Manuscript Illumination Every Wed 15 Jan–12 Feb, 10am–1pm. £60 (members £54) for five weeks. Royal Botanic Garden, Arboretum Place, 248 2909. Make like a monk and perfect your pigment grinding and gilding skills.