LeithLate Festival returns with three-day festival next weekend: Everything you need to know

The LeithLate Festival returns to Edinburgh next weekend, hosting a variety of cultural events to reconnect and celebrate the Leith community through art, music and food.

Edinburgh based singer/songwriter, Hailey Beavis, will play a set at the Hibs Club on Friday 24 June .

This year’s festival, titled, “Move, Imagine, Share” delivers 14 events across the weekend to encourage Edinburgh residents to “re-encounter and explore” their surroundings through “sharing, moving and imagining together.”

All events in the jam-packed festival are free or pay-what-you-can and will run from Friday 24 – Sunday 26 June.

So what’s lined up for this year?

Leith choreographer, Andrea Torres Viedma, will incorporate Afro-Latin American dance styles to explore how we move together as a community within our surroundings in her new contemporary piece, Common Ground.

Quite simply there’s too much to mention so we’ve put together a list of highlights.

For full details and information on ticketed events, visit www.leithlate.co.uk.

Friday 24 June – ‘Moving’

The festival kicks off with an art exhibition created by youngsters from LGBT Youth Scotland in collaboration with the Fruitmarket Gallery.

Titled, “You Belong Here” it can be enjoyed between 4pm – 8pm at Griffin Fitness. The exhibition will run until June 26 between 11am – 7pm.

For dance fans, check out “Common Ground”, a contemporary movement piece that explores how we move together as a community and connect with our surroundings. Performed by Leith choreographer, Andrea Torres Viedma, it can be seen from 6pm at an outside location TBC near Commercial Street.

Independent record label, OK Pals, will host a night of live music including performances from Edinburgh-based artists, Blue Tiger and Hailey Beavis. The show will be held at the Hibs Club between 8:30pm – 11pm with a pay-what-you-can policy.

Local artists from the Little Living Room will showcase their recent artwork that explores “the animal within” and the “exploitation of power, people and planet.” You can catch this at the Drill Hall on Dalmeny Street from 5pm – 9pm.

Saturday 25 June ‘Imagining’

If you’re looking for something different then look no further as Rotterdam-based artist, Honey Jones-Hughes has put together a topical and thought provoking interactive game that is sure to offer guests something quite original.

“Metropolis Master”, is an urban planning-based game that sees participants work collaboratively to address the needs of a changing city.

But be warned – you will have to navigate around curve balls issued by the pesky game masters who attempt to stifle your creative efforts with funding cuts and social policies.

You can take part in this unique event at the Leith Arches, between 4pm - 6pm.

To conclude Saturday’s attractions, Edinburgh’s own community radio station, EH-FM will host an evening of music featuring local band Main Ingredient. You can catch the event at the Settlement Projects on Haddington Place between 7pm - 9pm.

Sunday 26 June ‘Sharing’

The festival culminates with a chance to share food, conversation and memories at various events at the Custom Lane venue.

The day begins with a community discussion about food, memories and changes in Leith between 11am – 12:30pm, followed by a lunch, courtesy of Leith social enterprise cafe Punjabi Junction from 12:30pm – 1:30pm.

For youngsters, Glasgow-based poet, Tawona Sithole will lead a storytelling session delivered in a variety of languages that focuses on imagination and the magic of stories between 2pm – 4pm.

For those who want to talk all things food, join Generations Working Together for an exploration of food across the generations, sharing food memories and recipes between 2pm-4pm in the Custom Lane outdoor yard.