Underbelly Announces Edinburgh's Programme for Christmas 2016-17

On behalf of the City of Edinburgh Council, Underbelly today announces the programme for Edinburgh's Christmas 2016/2017. Edinburgh's Christmas is one of the most popular Christmas celebrations in the UK. 2016 will see the biggest, brightest and best programme of events and entertainment across the city centre to date. This year the celebration expands into the West End for the first time to transform the city centre, stretching from Festival Square in the West End to George Street, St Andrew Square in the East End and of course East Princes Street Gardens. Edinburgh's Christmas runs from Friday 18 November 2016 to Saturday 7 January 2017.

This is the fourth year of Underbelly creating and delivering Edinburgh's Christmas on behalf of the City of Edinburgh Council. In its four years of producing the event, Underbelly has grown the event to be one of the biggest and most diverse Christmas events in the UK. Adding to a dynamic city centre, it established Edinburgh as the place to be at Christmas in 2015:

• 2015 saw 866,930 unique visitors clock 1,350,477 attendances to the event at St Andrew Square and East Princes Street Gardens.
• 256,653 people from 50 different countries attended the inaugural Street of Light on the Royal Mile.
• The inaugural Street of Light triggered a social media explosion with #streetoflight achieving 54 million Twitter impressions.
• 99,990 discount tickets were sold to EH postcode holders.
• Footfall in Edinburgh in 2015 was up +4.4% in December 2015 year on year, against a UK average fall of -2.1%.
• Retail sales in Edinburgh in November and December have increased by 1.4% from the same period in 2012 on a three year average, against a Scottish average of -1% and a UK-wide average of 0.5%.
• Hotel occupancy in Edinburgh in December 2015 is up 9.3% from December 2012.

And Edinburgh will continue to the place to be in 2016 with the following highlights:

• The stunning Street of Light moves to West George Street and opens on 20 November as part of Light Night. This huge 60,000 bulb success in 2015 returns in 2016, this time located on the west end of George Street, spreading the beneficial effect to the West End of Edinburgh; with music from local choirs and bands including the Edinburgh Festival Chorus, Royal Scottish National Orchestra Junior Chorus, the hottest contemporary fiddle music from the Highlands and Islands, Blazin' Fiddles, and Scotland's very own bhangra group Tigerstyle. Last year's spectacular was all about spectating, this year we want to get you singing and dancing. Free to access.

• Edinburgh's Christmas is delighted to announce a new partnership with one of Edinburgh's biggest employers, Standard Life, as new sponsors of St Andrew Square and its elliptical ice rink, a much loved part of the Christmas festivities in the city.

As part of the celebrations, Standard Life will be gifting 10,000 free tickets to school children in Edinburgh. They will have a chance to take a free spin around the ice rink in the stunning setting of St Andrew Square between 18 November 2016 and 7 January 2017. Standard Life free tickets for school children will be available from 11 October and all schools in Edinburgh will be eligible to apply and join in the celebrations.

Those applying for free tickets online will also be invited to make a donation to Place2Be, a leading national children's mental health charity and chosen by Standard Life's employees as their charity partner in the UK. The Christmas ice rink is always a popular draw for families, last year issuing over 61,000 tickets over the Christmas period. Standard Life will also be gifting some tickets to Place2Be, its official charity partner until the end of 2017, and encouraging people to support their work.

• The new Festival Square Theatre pops up on 18 November in Festival Square outside the Sheraton Grand Hotel & Spa, with a dazzling new production by Underbelly of the West End and Broadway hit Five Guys Named Moe, featuring the toe tapping, irresistible Clarke Peters' musical with the hits of Louis Jordan including Early In The Morning, Choo Choo Ch'Boogie and Saturday Night Fish Fry plus many more performed on stage by our all singing and all dancing Five Guys and a live band.

• And for families seeking the magic of Christmas Morgan & West: A (sort of) Christmas Carol Magic Show! (1 Dec - 7 Jan) brings the world's most distinguished duo of Time Travelling Magicians Morgan & West with Dickens's timeless classic A Christmas Carol, sort of.

• Spreading the Christmas effect across the city, and working in partnership with fellow theatres in Edinburgh's West End for the first time, Christmas on Stage sets out to draw audiences to some of the best Christmas entertainment around.

The Christmas on Stage partnership between the Lyceum, Traverse, Usher Hall and Edinburgh's Christmas will celebrate Live Theatre and music in Edinburgh's West End. Additionally, One Square Restaurant is teaming up with Edinburgh's Christmas to offer audiences for Five Guys Named Moe in the Festival Square Theatre the show and a festive dinner and parking package.

As part of the Christmas on Stage partnership, tickets via edinburghschristmas.com will be available for the Lyceum (Alice's Adventures in Wonderland) and the Traverse (Black Beauty).

2016 also sees the return of the popular Edinburgh resident's 20% discount across all shows, rides and events. In 2015 99,990 tickets were sold to Edinburgh residents accessing their 20% off tickets, providing a total saving of over £170,000 to residents across the city.

• Sunday 20 November is Light Night in Scotland's capital city when the Christmas lights are switched on across the city. This hugely popular event last year saw almost 20,000 people gather to watch over a thousand local performers take a starring role in this free event marking the beginning of Christmas. This year Light Night will again be hosted by Forth One DJ Arlene Stuart and will incorporate the opening of Street of Light and performances by Edinburgh Festival Chorus, Royal Scottish National Orchestra Junior Chorus and other Edinburgh and Scottish choirs and bands. Free to access.

• East Princes Street Gardens remains a centre point for families with Santa's Grotto, the Santa Train and the Christmas Tree Maze providing lots of Christmas magic to kids aged 1 to 99. Favourite rides including the Star flyer, traditional Carousel and the Big Wheel return. The Gardens fling wide their gates on Saturday 19 November. Free to access.

• The Scottish Market With everything from local produce stalls to Scottish artists and craftsmen selling their wares, moves to sit next to Street of Light in George Street, opening on 26 November. Free to access.

• Winter Windows With the generous support of new partner, Western Toyota, 25 schools in Edinburgh are taking part in Winter Windows, the creative project conceived by Underbelly in 2014. During the autumn term, each school will work with pupils to design staiNed Glass windows with the theme of architecture, reflecting 2016's Year of Innovation, Architecture and Design. The best window design from each school will be displayed in East Princes Street Gardens to be seen by the millions of visitors to Edinburgh's Christmas, giving local school children a great way to get involved in the festivities and show off their artistic talents. Free to access.

• 24 Doors of Advent returns allowing residents and visitors to peep behind usually closed doors throughout the city throughout advent. In 2016, working with Festival of Architecture and Royal Incorporation of Architects Scotland (RIAS), 24 Doors of Advent opens many new doors for you to explore behind this year including Royal Lyceum Theatre, the Chapel of St Albert the Great & BT Murrayfield Stadium. Free to access.

• Nativity Carol Concert

Sunday 27 November, 3pm, St Andrew Square

In conjunction with St Andrews and St Georges West and Edinburgh Churches Together, at the start of Advent, a carol concert will take place around the Nativity Scene in St Andrew Square, generously donated to Edinburgh by Sir Tom Farmer. Free to access.

Charlie Wood and Ed Bartlam, Edinburgh's Christmas, said: "This is the fourth year of Underbelly producing Edinburgh's Christmas on behalf of the City of Edinburgh Council and during that time the event itself and the positive impact it has socially on the residents of Edinburgh and economically for the businesses in the city and the city itself have grown substantially. In 2016 we are looking forward to putting on the biggest event yet, stretching from St Andrew Square to the West End, from the hit musical Five Guys Named Moe in a fantastic new production in Festival Square Theatre, to a partnership with Standard Life offering 10,000 free ice skating tickets to schoolchildren, from Street of Light transforming George Street to the local choirs of Edinburgh on Light Night. Edinburgh in winter is truly world class and proves yet again, it's the place to be."

Councillor Richard Lewis, Edinburgh's Festivals and Events Champion, said: "This winter, the curtain will rise at the West End as Edinburgh's Christmas expands right across the city. An exciting new collaboration between the Capital's theatres and the Usher Hall will take Edinburgh's Christmas to the stage, while the Street of Light will move to George Street for its second year. The events drew over one million visitors last year and regulars will be delighted to hear festive favourites like Santa's Grotto, the Big Wheel and ice rink will return. With such a colourful programme, I'm sure Edinburgh's Christmas will hold on to its reputation as one of the most popular winter celebrations in the UK!"

Graeme McEwan, Chief Communications Officer, Standard Life, said "As one of the largest employers in Edinburgh, we're extremely pleased to be supporting Edinburgh's Christmas 2016. It promises to be an inspiring festival that our employees and the people of Edinburgh will enjoy being part of, as well as The Many visitors who come to Edinburgh for this special celebration."

Roddy Smith, Chief Executive of Essential Edinburgh, said: "Edinburgh's Christmas has been very successful at bringing people to the city centre during the Festive Season in even greater numbers, so we welcome the announcement of such an exciting programme. It is excellent that the festival is being spread across the city centre with both George Street and the west end at Festival Square becoming new hubs of activity, thus supporting footfall right across our BID area and beyond."

John Donnelly, Chief Executive Marketing Edinburgh said: "The substantial year on year growth over the last four years in terms of footfall, hotel occupancy and retail spend throughout December is a testament to the quality of the city's Christmas celebrations and varied shopping offering. Edinburgh's Christmas has played a crucial role in building the city's reputation as one of the UK's most popular festive destinations.

"I am particularly pleased Street of Light is moving to West George Street. After its success last year on the Royal Mile, I have no doubt it will prove the perfect gateway leading residents and visitors to the new West End attractions."

Christopher Bell, Chorus Master of the Edinburgh Festival Chorus and the Royal Scottish National Orchestra Junior Chorus said, "I'm delighted to be invited to bring two fine ensembles to this Christmas Party. Both the Edinburgh Festival Chorus and the RSNO Junior Chorus will get a chance to perform for an audience that doesn't normally hear them - a wonderful Christmas present all round."

Blazin' Fiddles said: "We're delighted to be part of the Street of Light in Edinburgh this Christmas, and to have the music of the Highlands and Islands lighting up the capital over the festive period."

David Greig, Artistic Director of the Royal Lyceum Theatre said; "I love Christmas shows, it's the perfect time to coorie in with the ones you love in a theatre and laugh, cry and share the joy of a good story well told. Christmas on stage is going to be a blast."

Linda Crooks, Executive Producer of the Traverse Theatre, said: "We are delighted to be a part of this new collaborative partnership which celebrates Edinburgh as a year-round destination for quality entertainment. As a venue and producer of new work throughout the year, we aim to continuously enrich the cultural offering for visitors to the city whenever they come. The Christmas on Stage partnership celebrates the diversity of live performance to be found in the city's West End and we are proud to be at the heart of this with Black Beauty for audiences young and old and Last Christmas for our more mature audiences."

Tristan Nesbitt, General Manager of the Sheraton Grand Hotel & Spa, said: "The arrival of the Festival Square Theatre this Christmas will add to the buzz of our vibrant cultural quarter. One Square is delighted to partner with Edinburgh's Christmas and offer a special dining package to ticket holders attending the exciting West End and Broadway hit Five Guys Named Moe."

Neil Baxter from The Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland said, "The 24 Doors of Advent is a great initiative which encourages the people of Edinburgh and visitors to explore parts of the City they might not normally see.

"The Festival of Architecture has been a truly year-long and Scotland-wide celebration. It is wholly appropriate that the programme should finish in the Capital and on a high with this brilliant event.

"The Year of Innovation, Architecture and Design 2016 is also reflected in the schools project, Winter Windows theme - Architecture, this is an excellent way of raising awareness of Architecture in young people."

Paulette Randall, Director of Five Guys Named Moe said "I am thrilled and so excited to be back in Edinburgh with this amazing show. We had such a warm and enthusiastic response last time we here, and this Christmas promises to be even better. Do not miss it!"

Tigerstyle said "We're delighted to be taking part in Street of Light and Edinburgh's Christmas. We're planning to get the crowds dancing in George Street with our special bhangra sounds!"

ENDS

More information:

The Street of Light

West George Street

20 November to 24 December 6.00pm & 8.00pm

The spectacular Street of Light this year transforms West George Street in Edinburgh's New Town with its 24 arches each 19 metres high covered in a total of 60,000 bulbs. This year the lights are accompanied by music from local choirs and bands including the Edinburgh Festival Chorus, Royal Scottish National Orchestra Junior Chorus, the hottest contemporary fiddle music from the Highlands and Islands' Blazin' Fiddles and Scotland's very own bhangra group Tigerstyle. Last year's spectacular was all about spectating, this year we want to get you singing and dancing.

The Street of Light will open at Light Night on 20 November and then run for 35 days until Christmas Eve, with an expected audience of over 350,000 people. Free to access.

St Andrew Square Ice Rink

18 November 2016 until 7 January 2017

10am - 9.30pm, slots 45 minutes

The elliptical ice rink in St Andrew Square is always a popular draw and a much loved part of Edinburgh's Christmas, set next to the Christmas Nativity scene in the gardens. Last year 61,000 tickets were issued to festive skaters. This year new sponsors Standard Life are making sure local school children have every opportunity to enjoy the fun, through the donation of 10,000 free tickets.

FESTIVAL SQUARE THEATRE

Underbelly Productions in association with Cameron Mackintosh present
FIVE GUYS NAMED MOE
A musical by Clarke Peters
Featuring Louis Jordan's greatest hits

A major new production of the hit West End and Broadway musical opens at Edinburgh's Christmas.

Five Guys Named Moe features the toe-tapping and irresistible hits of jazz legend Louis Jordan, including; Early In The Morning, Choo Choo Ch'Boogie and Saturday Night Fish Fry, plus many more performed on stage by a live band.

First seen at the Theatre Royal Stratford East in 1990, from where it subsequently transferred to the West End winning the Olivier award for Best Entertainment, this musical tells the story of Nomax. Newly single and broke, he finds solace in the Five Guys Named Moe (Big Moe, Four Eyed Moe, Eat Moe, No Moe and Little Moe), who emerge to rouse him from his misfortunes with a whole lot of soul, music and infectious energy!

Packed with an uplifting live soundtrack of soul, blues, gospel and early r 'n' b, and led by our all-singing, all dancing Five Guys, this high-octane production of Five Guys Named Moe is the ultimate celebration to lift your soul. See this completely new production in the brand new Festival Square Theatre!

18 November to 7 January 2017. Tickets are available to book at edinburghschristmas.com

Morgan & West: A (sort of) Christmas Carol Magic Show!

Fringe favourites Morgan & West, as seen on Penn and Teller's Fool Us and CBBC's The Slammer, present Charles Dickens' timeless classic A Christmas Carol. There is only one problem - Mr Morgan hasn't read it. Well not just one problem, there are also only two of them to play all the parts. Oh, and Mr West is rather insistent on doing a magic show at the same time. How hard can it be?

Fun for all the family in this utterly splendid (and totally silly) Christmas magic show!

1 December to 7 January 2017. Tickets are available to book at edinburghschristmas.com

Light Night

Sunday 20 November, 1pm - 5pm

Light Night is an event free for all to enjoy, which encapsulates the true spirit of the festive season: family and the community.

Choirs from across Scotland including Edinburgh Festival Chorus, Royal Scottish National Orchestra Junior Chorus, Edinburgh's Got Soul and Sing in the City will perform in front of an expected audience of around 20,000 people.

This year the Street of Light at the west end of George Street will make its first appearance as part of Light Night and the acts will perform on a stage under its lights.

The Christmas Tree on the Mound, a gift to the City of Edinburgh Council from Hordaland County Council in Norway, will be lit as part of the Light Night switch-on.

The Mound Precinct and East Princes Street Gardens

19 November 2016 to 7 January 2017. Free to access.

The Star Flyer: See Edinburgh as you have never seen it before, and this year you might just open your eyes! Located next to the Scott Monument in East Princes Street Gardens.

The Big Wheel: The arrival of the Big Wheel in East Princes Street Gardens signals the festive season has arrived! Take a ride in this Dutch made Ferris wheel's cosy, covered pods to enjoy spectacular views across the city. Bejewelled with 20,000 lights it makes a joyful addition to Edinburgh's famous festive skyline.

Santa Land: Santa takes up residence in his festive and cosy Santa Land grotto from 19 November. In the heart of East Princes Street Gardens the grotto is surrounded by Christmas sparkle and magic with the Elves workshop hidden inside the Christmas Tree Maze, if you can find it, the Santa Train and other affordable kids rides.

The European Christmas Market: Over 100 stalls return to East Princes Street Gardens and the Mound Precinct from across northern Europe with a selection of tasty food, warming drinks and beautiful handmade gifts for sale.

Photographs of Edinburgh's Christmas are available for download at:

Edinburgh's Christmas photos: https://www.flickr.com/gp/137495091@N02/863nes

A video with highlights of Edinburgh's Christmas and a film introducing Five Guys Named Moe are available to view or embed into your site at: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFAfkBXUkIuX9ZwSpR0rbbg

Follow us:

Facebook: facebook/edinburghschristmas

Twitter: @EdXmas

Tickets for all ticketed events are available from:

www.edinburghschristmas.com

0844 545 8252

How to access free tickets to St Andrew Square Ice Rink brought to you by Standard Life as part of Edinburgh's Christmas -

Edinburgh's Christmas will send a unique code for the edinburghschristmas.com website to all Edinburgh schools for further distribution to parents at the school. A maximum 6 tickets are permitted per booking. Tickets are only available to pupils in full-time primary or secondary education. Children of 11 years or younger must be accompanied by a parent or responsible adult while on the ice, and the parent or responsible adult will be required to bring proof of Edinburgh residency when collecting tickets. Tickets are subject to availability.

Notes:

1 - About our funders and sponsors:

The City of Edinburgh Council funds Edinburgh's Christmas and it is also supported by Essential Edinburgh and Marketing Edinburgh.

Event Sponsors 2016: Standard Life, LIDL, Western Toyota, Heineken, Rekorderlig Cider, Baileys

Event Partners 2016: Edinburgh Airport, FlyBe, Hilton Carlton Edinburgh, Lothian Buses, ScotRail, Sheraton Grand Hotel & Spa, Virgin Trains

Event Media Partners: Edinburgh Evening News, Forth 1, Forth 2

2 - Event Producers

Underbelly and Unique Events were confirmed in 2013 as the collaborative producers of the Edinburgh's Christmas and Edinburgh's Hogmanay events programmes on behalf of the City of Edinburgh Council. The partnership is creating one of the largest winter season that Edinburgh has ever seen. At its heart are the world famous Edinburgh's Hogmanay and the totally re-imagined programme of Edinburgh's Christmas events and attractions detailed in the this release.

Edinburgh's Christmas won the Best Festival at the 2014 UK Event Awards.

3 - Underbelly Limited

Underbelly is a UK-based live entertainment company that runs several festivals and events across the country.

Founded in 2000 by directors Ed Bartlam and Charlie Wood to operate one venue at the Edinburgh Festival, Underbelly has grown to include the Udderbelly and LonDon Wonderground festivals in London, Udderbelly Festival in Hong Kong, Edinburgh's Christmas and the Comedy Hullabaloo in Stratford-Upon-Avon, as well as an ever-growing programme at the Edinburgh Fringe.

Through Underbelly Productions, we also produce and promote live shows for UK and international touring. Underbelly also produces large scale events, most recently including West End Live, Pride in London and the Rugby World Cup Fanzone in Richmond.

In short, Underbelly is all about entertainment. In 2015, over 1.3 million people bought tickets to our shows and attractions and we had over 5 million visitors to our events. Our giant upside-down purple cow is now an iconic annual fixture of the London, Edinburgh and Hong Kong skylines. underbelly.co.uk

4. Unique Events Limited

Unique Events is Scotland's leading independent event company specialising in creating festivals and producing large scale public events. Unique Events have produced Edinburgh's Hogmanay on behalf of the City of Edinburgh Council since its inception in 1993 welcoming over 3 million revellers from over 80 countries into Edinburgh to welcome in New Year. Taking place from Friday 30 December 2016 till Sunday 1 January 2017, this year's celebrations feature a Torchlight Procession winding through the streets of the city, the world-famous Street Party and Concert in the Gardens, five fireworks displays leading up to the Midnight Moment, singing and dancing all set against the magnificent backdrop of Edinburgh Castle. The Loony Dook and Scot:Lands provide a full programme of events for New Year's Day. For tickets and more information: www.edinburghshogmanay.com

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