Fringe Stars Encouraged To Join Celebrations In 09

Click to enlarge
Lochiel Marching band who are performing at the Edinburgh Military Tattoo as part of the Edinburgh Summer Festival programme – courtesy of VisitScotland

Lochiel Marching Drill Team participants:

Ema Wihapi-Solia
Keri Ryan
Merianah McQuin-Tan
Nicole Adamson
Sara Mangin
Hayley Sproull

There was a photo call this morning with Scotland's First Minister to launch the Edinburgh Summer Festival programme as part of Homecoming Scotland 2009 during which Lochiel Marching Band from NZ attended.

For immediate release

FRINGE STARS ENCOURAGED TO JOIN CELEBRATIONS IN 2009

Stephen Fry, Hugh Laurie, Jude Law, the Foo Fighters, Christian Slater and Ricky Gervais could be among stars encouraged to re-live their Fringe debuts in 2009

The Edinburgh Festival Fringe today (Wednesday 20 August) revealed that it is encouraging performers who have who have appeared at the world’s biggest arts festival to ‘come home’ and join in Scotland’s first ever-nationwide Homecoming celebrations in 2009. This could include the likes of Stephen Fry, Hugh Laurie, the Foo Fighters, Razorlight, Jude Law, Christian Slater, Emma Thompson, Ricky Gervais, Craig Ferguson, David Schwimmer, Rachel Weisz, Hugh Grant and Gerard Butler – who have all appeared in the Fringe line-up over the years.

This news was revealed as part of a wider announcement from Homecoming Scotland 2009 to showcase how the world-famous Edinburgh festivals plan to join the groundbreaking 2009 celebrations. Homecoming Scotland 2009 will be a year long celebration of Scottish culture, heritage and some of the many great contributions Scotland has given the world. It marks the 250th anniversary of Scotland’s national poet, Robert Burns.

At a special event revealing the festival’s plans today, New Zealand’s Lochiel Marching Band gave a taste of the performance they are showcasing during this year’s Edinburgh Summer Festival programme to First Minister Alex Salmond. Precision drill in New Zealand has become a competitive sport with teams judged on exactness, accuracy and the difficulty of the set movements performed.

Jon Morgan, Director of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe said: "The Fringe is the largest arts festival on the planet and we are delighted to be involved with Homecoming in 2009 which will mean the Fringe will be even better for artists and audiences. The Fringe is all about opportunities for new performers and that’s why over 18,000 artists come to Edinburgh every year to entertain Fringe-goers form all over the world.
Many famous faces have also performed at the Fringe over the years and some return year on year to perform at one of the most fantastic festivals in the world. In 2009 Scotland's inspiring capital will be buzzing with thousands of performances providing the perfect opportunity for everyone to come home and join the best party Scotland has ever seen."
The Edinburgh International Festival, Edinburgh International Book Festival, Edinburgh International Science Festival, Edinburgh International Film Festival, Edinburgh Christmas Festival and Edinburgh Military Tattoo also plan to mark Homecoming Scotland 2009 with some significant and exciting activity. These include screening of films by Scottish filmmakers and discussions about the Scottish influence on filmmakers at home and abroad at The Edinburgh International Film Festival (June 17 - 28) and extending the reach of the Edinburgh Military Tattoo beyond the spectacular setting of Edinburgh Castle in a series of four free satellite events across central Scotland.

ENDS

Edinburgh Festivals Plans for Homecoming Scotland 2009

Over 100 organisations all over the country are currently planning special Homecoming events and activity throughout 2009. The Edinburgh Festivals are planning some significant and exciting contributions to the celebration. A full list of these can be downloaded here – www.cometoscotland.com/media.

• Edinburgh International Film Festival (June 17 - 28)
The renowned Edinburgh International Film Festival presents an enlightening programme of films of all shapes and sizes, drawn from every corner of the world and from every facet of the artistic imagination. In 2009 Scotland’s international filmmaking Diaspora will share their knowledge, expertise and life stories with audiences at Edinburgh International Festival. To celebrate Homecoming year the film festival will screen films by Scottish filmmakers and discuss Scottish influence on filmmakers at home and abroad.

• The Edinburgh Military Tattoo (Aug 7 – 29)
The Edinburgh Military Tattoo, one of Scotland’s most iconic events presents a unique blend of music and military theatre set against the backdrop of a floodlit Edinburgh Castle. Since the event first took place in 1950, 12 million people have walked over the cobblestones on Castlehill to experience this spectacular event and over 40 countries have been represented. In celebration of 2009 the Tattoo's international programme will embrace some of the world-renowned works by the poet Robert Burns in an emotive performance of pride and passion. Demonstrating the Tattoo’s commitment to showcasing the best of Scottish talent the 2009 show will feature specially commissioned arrangements to create a key vignette within the Burns themed production. In collaboration with Homecoming Scotland the Edinburgh Military Tattoo will extend its reach beyond the spectacular setting of Edinburgh Castle in a series of 4 satellite events across central Scotland. These new events will be free to the public, venues are currently being confirmed and will be announced at the end of the year.

• Edinburgh International Festival (August 14 – Sept 6)
The 2009 Edinburgh International Festival programme will include the themes of Homecoming and the Enlightenment and set them in contemporary and often surprising contexts. The programme highlights Scotland’s influence on some of the world’s great artists and artistic endeavours, and reflects on that extraordinary moment in Scottish history that was the Enlightenment.

• Edinburgh International Science Festival (April 6 – 18)
The 21st Edinburgh International Science Festival showcases the great contributions Scots have made to scientific and technological advances, both at home and abroad, in the past and present. For 2009 the programme will be even bigger and better with some stunning science for all ages including fun packed workshops, shows and interactive exhibitions as well as a programme of presentations, talks and discussions on the hottest and most intriguing areas of science and technology.

• Edinburgh International Book Festival (August 15 – 31)
The Edinburgh International Book Festival, the world’s largest celebration of the written word in the world will create a series of special events for 2009, providing a unique opportunity to celebrate and debate Scotland’s rich literary and cultural heritage, in particular the importance of Burns and the Scottish Enlightenment.

• Edinburgh Christmas Festival
Illuminated Art Car Parade (November 28th): Be part of the spectacular cavalcade that will celebrate Scotland’s history of invention and culture as part of Edinburgh’s winter festivals. See and electrifying, illuminated art car parade featuring such sights as a Robert Burns Poetry van, a Burke and Hare barrow, a golf car, a whisky truck and a bagpipe truck!

• Edinburgh Fringe Festival (7th - 31st August)
The Edinburgh Fringe Festival will work closely with Fringe venues to encourage back some of stars who made their name at the Fringe; and to reflect the Homecoming theme in innovative and exciting ways throughout their programmes.

Homecoming Scotland 2009

The Homecoming Scotland programme features more then 100 events and festivals, taking place throughout the year and across the country. The programme can be downloaded from www.homecomingscotland.com. The programme will further develop over the coming weeks and months. Register at www.homecomingscotland.com for updates.

Homecoming Scotland 2009 aims to engage Scots at home as well as motivate people of Scottish descent and those who simply love Scotland, to take part in an inspirational celebration of Scottish culture, heritage and some of the many great contributions Scotland has given to the world, and to come home in 2009.

2009 marks the 250th anniversary of the birth of Scotland's national poet, Robert Burns, with the programme's design guided by Scotland's great contributions to the world as the home of Burns himself, Golf, Whisky, Great Minds and Innovations, and Scotland’s culture and heritage which lives on at home and through Scotland’s global family.

Homecoming Scotland is funded by the Scottish Government and is managed by EventScotland www.eventscotland.org the national events agency in partnership with VisitScotland www.visitscotland.com, the country’s national tourism agency. Homecoming Scotland 2009 will be delivered in partnership with a wide variety of organisations all across the country ranging from community groups, to professional events and festivals companies to Public Bodies.

The budget for Homecoming is £5 million and the target is for an 8 to 1 return on investment i.e. £40 million revenue additionally.

For more information on Homecoming Scotland please visit: www.homecomingscotland.com

© Scoop Media