Leith Festival 2007
1 - 10 June
What's on
Gala Day
Background
Find out more
This year's Leith Festival promises a rich variety of music, drama, exhibitions, sports, dance and outdoor events of all sorts.
This is a special Leith spread of shows to seduce you into the charms of this famous port and what’s more, most of it is home grown.
Leith Festival is home to countless artists and musicians alongside some special talent from further a field – and all at affordable prices (if not free). Read on below for some of this year's highlights.
Dance
Can you unravel the code? Join Curious Sees as they present Code Butterfly, an exploration into the constant possibility of transformation - within ourselves, within a building and within a community. Read more about Curious Seed and Code Butterfly in our feature.
Drama
Football themed drama at Leith Festival this year, with Next Goal's The Winner and Heartfelt. Team up with premier league storytellers, Ron and Ferg for stories, raps and sing-along songs for families and footy fans ages 7 to 11 years old.
Find out what happened when a die hard Hibs fan crossed the derby divide to support Hearts. Based on the best selling book, Heartfelt by Aidan Smith and adapted and directed by Leith Festival Artistic Director John Paul McGroarty.
Literature and poetry
Join Rab Wilson, described by Scots Makar Edwin Morgan as a 'new voice' for Scotland, as he presents the cream of new Scottish poets and poetry on Sunday 10 June. Visit the Leith Festival Storytelling Club for a celebration of Leith's people, history and connections with the rest of the world - there's a guest storyteller every night and you can bring along your own stories to share too.
Music
The Leith Festival Sessions provide a choice of musical styles during the festival, as well as Aberfeldy, one of Scotland's best loved bands, and guests on Sunday 10 June.
The Hermitage Ensemble provide the perfect end to the festival with Under Junction Bridge, a recital of classical river music followed by classic film soundtracks, accompanied by a dramatic lighting installation.
Visual arts
There's loads to see with an exhibition of street photography from Mardi Gras in New Orleans at Malmaison, Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop's new members exhibition showcasing contemporary sculpture and Marc Marnie's Too Late to Stop Now - an exhibition of the archives of one of Scotland's leading contemporary photographers with subjects from Souxsie Sioux to Benchtours Theatre Company.
This is just a small selection of events happening during the Festival - for more visit the Leith Festival website or take a walk down to Leith to see for yourself!
| Don't miss the the centenary Leith Pageant Parade! It starts at 12.30pm from Pilrig Church then moves down to the Foot o’ the Walk, finishing on Leith Links for the Gala Day! |
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The roots of the Leith Festival go back 100 years - in 1907, the 'Leith Pageant' parade was held to raise funds for a new hospital in Leith. But it took until 1970s before the parade became a festival. Since the millennium, the Leith Festival has grown spectacularly, now boasting 150 events with audiences of over 30,000 in 2006.
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For the full programme, visit the Leith Festival website, where you can also buy tickets online for selected events.
The Leith Festival box office can be contacted on 0845 458 9709. |
Supported by the National Lottery through the Scottish Arts Council. |