The 2008 Edinburgh Tattoo will take place from 1st - 23rd August 2008
Edinburgh Military Tattoo is one of those events that will make the hairs on the back of your neck stand up as it celebrates over 50 years of music and spectacle.
For sheer excitement, grandeur and spectacle it just can’t be beaten.
Traditional pipes and drums, Highland dancers, intricate displays by cavalry, military dog teams, the stunning backdrop of Edinburgh Castle! These are some of the images you will take home from this sight and sound spectacular.
Inspiring Holidays is pleased to present a number of tour options to the Tattoo from a range of established tour operators:
Edinburgh Military Tattoo - 2 Night Break in Scotland with Gold Crest Holidays
Edinburgh Military Tattoo - 5 Day Holiday in Scotland with Leger Holidays
Edinburgh Military Tattoo - 3 Day Short Break in Scotland with Leger Holidays
Edinburgh Military Tattoo - 2 Night Midweek Break with Superbreak.com
If you really fancy going to Edinburgh in style then how about a trip on the famous Northern Belle Train. Operated by Orient-Express this will be one holiday you really won’t forget in a
hurry:
Edinburgh Military Tattoo on the Northern Belle Train
Tattoo Fact File
The Edinburgh Military Tattoo website details a list of interesting facts about the Tattoo:
- The first Edinburgh Military Tattoo took place in 1950 with eight items in the programme.
- The annual audience for the Tattoo is around 217,000. More than 12 million people have attended over the years.
- The international television audience is around 100 million people
- Approximately 70 per cent of each audience is from outside Scotland. Half of these are from overseas.
- Each year 100,000 people visit the Tattoo's new attraction at the top of the Royal Mile. The Spirt of the Tattoo - the compelling story of Edinburgh's Military Tattoo, featuring an interactive exhibition, movie theatre and gift shop.
- The first commercial twelve inch stereo LP record of the Tattoo was released in 1961.
2007 marked the Tattoo’s ninth successive sell-out season, generating some £4.8 million in box office receipts. - Around 35 miles of cabling (the distance from Edinburgh to Glasgow) is required.
- The event was first seen in colour on TV in 1968.
- From 1950 to 1991, there were four producers - Lt Col George Malcolm of Poltalloch, Brigadier MacLean, Brigadier Sanderson and Lt Col Dow.
- Major Michael Parker then took over as producer for the 1992, 1993 and 1994 Tattoos. He was succeeded by Brigadier Melville Jameson in 1995. who in turn was followed by Major General Euan Loudon in March 2007.
- The first overseas regiment to participate was the Band of the Royal Netherlands Grenadiers. The year was 1952, and there were also performers from Canada and France.
- The first lone piper was Pipe Major George Stoddart. He played in every performance for the first eleven years. His son, Major Gavin Stoddart, followed his father as lone piper at the Tattoo and became Director of Army Bagpipe Music for 12 years.
- Hollywood movie producer Mike Todd, the fourth husband of film star Elizabeth Taylor, made a documentary programme on the Tattoo in 1950.
- Not a single performance of the Tattoo has ever been cancelled.
- The Tattoo is set up and run for charitable purposes. Over the years, it has gifted some £5 million to service and civilian organisations.
- At the last official independent count, visitors to the Tattoo contributed an estimated £88 million to the Scottish economy.
- The Tattoo has always been staged at Edinburgh Castle. Rehearsals take place at Redford Barracks in Edinburgh.
- Over 40 countries have been represented at the Tattoo.
- The word ‘tattoo’ comes from the closing-time cry in the inns in the Low Countries during the 17th and 18th centuries - ‘Doe den tap toe’ (‘Turn off the taps’).
For more information on the Tattoo visit www.edinburgh-tattoo.co.uk
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