Edinburgh's Grassmarket will be the scene of a music and dance "extravaganza" this St Andrew’s Day featuring an afternoon and evening of free family entertainment and award-winning Scottish performers, as well as another attempt at the longest "Strip the Willow" dance.
The Saturday 30 November event, organised by Unique Events and Underbelly, will feature Breabach in a collaboration with Dougie MacLean, Louis Abbott and Blazin’ Fiddles in a celebration of Robert Burns.
The afternoon family events include ceilidhs, children's dance workshops, ceilidh tune composing workshop, and storytelling.
The whole family can birl away the afternoon in the outdoor ceilidh with the Cask Strength Ceilidh Band and enjoy a special performance from the Adam Sutherland Band.
Evening entertainment
Moving into the evening, the energetic can join a record-breaking giant Strip the Willow or try out the Silent Ceilidh.
The programme runs from 2.00pm to 10.00pm in Edinburgh’s Grassmarket and all events are free of charge.
The Grassmarket Market will be trading throughout the day from 10.00am to 6.00pm offering a range of food and drink from locally sourced vegetables, fish and meat to hot food with a distinctly international influence.
The free St Andrews Day celebrations kick off Edinburgh's Winter Festivals programme which runs through to Burns Night on 25 January 2014.
“It’s the first time that we have celebrated St Andrew’s Day in this way in Edinburgh, and a great start to the city’s Christmas and Hogmanay programme of events – all part of Scotland’s Winter Festivals,” said Pete Irvine, Director of Unique Events.
Charlie Wood, Director of Underbelly, added: "We are delighted that the St Andrew’s Day celebrations are part of our, and Unique's, inaugural Edinburgh's Christmas programme offering the finest seasonal entertainment for the family."
Funded by the Scottish Government, Scotland’s Winter Festivals aims to showcase the distinctive cultural events taking place across the country in the next few months.