Edinburgh bursts into life again with the Jazz and Blues Festival - Steve Cardownie

The 46th Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival kicked off on Friday and runs until 21July. Kimberley Tessa Trio officially launched the festival in front of Edinburgh Castle

Launched in 1978 and now hosting over 130 performances “the festival is one of the largest jazz festivals in Europe, creating moving and memorable experiences for both residents of the city and visitors from around the globe.”

Fiona Alexander, Festival Producer, tell us that it is now one of the most respected jazz and blues festivals in Europe “with concerts taking place in theatres, parks and clubs in the city and a programme that spans the entire history of music from ragtime to modern jazz to Chicago blues and beyond.”

Waiting in the wings before taking centre stage is “the world’s greatest platform for creative freedom” the Festival Fringe. Taking place from 2 – 26 August it is only surpassed in ticket sales by the Olympics and the World Cup.

Time Out magazine advises readers to go “To have a good time. As the biggest arts festival in the world there is an endless variety of theatre, comedy and more on display.” This year the Fringe returns in full after the Covid outbreak of 2019 and boasts a record number of shows and venues throughout the city. With 3,317 productions across 262 venues reaching a total of 51,446 individual performances it is little wonder that it is internationally acclaimed.

The Edinburgh International Festival runs from 4-25 August and “welcomes the world to Edinburgh to experience our hand-picked programme of the finest performers in dance, opera, music and theatre” and sets out a vision “to provide the deepest experience of the highest quality art for the broadest possible audience.”

The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo runs from 2-24 August and “The Castle Esplanade will be filled with over 800 international performers from far and wide to showcase their epic journey through vibrant dance, music visual artistry and so much more.”

Performers from the USA, India, Switzerland, Australia and Canada will be joined with home grown acts from around the UK with this year’s lead service being The Royal Navy.

The month of August also boasts the Edinburgh International Film Festival, The Edinburgh International Book Festival and The Edinburgh International Art Festival all of which add to the eclectic creative mix that makes Edinburgh the place to be.

I had the privilege of serving as a board member on several of the above and I am acutely aware of just how important our festivals and events are to the city.

The professionalism and dedication of the staff members behind the scenes is second to none and our creative directors are the best in the industry.

As the population of the city doubles in size during August there are undoubtedly issues that arise and need to be addressed. This is not new, however, and has been exercising the minds of stakeholders for some time.

Lessons have to be learned from other cities that face a similar predicament (such as Amsterdam, Venice and Barcelona) but the problems are not insurmountable and can be overcome.

Edinburgh in August is a sight to behold and long may it continue.