So, kicking off festival season once again it’s the very colourful and vibrant Jazz and Blues festival and their jam packed weekend of family friendly events with the Mardi Gras and the much loved festival Carnival…

Both the Mardi Gras and Carnival are on the weekend of the 14th and 15th July and promise an extravaganza of music, colour, sound and feathers !!!

Mardi Gras – From 1pm at the Grassmarket, there will be a party atmosphere as a host of bands perform on multiple stages bringing swing, dixieland, boogies, blues and New Orleans to the historic heart of Edinburgh.

This year the line-up includes: Brass Gumbo, Hamlet, Kronendal Music Academy (South Africa) and Becc Sanderson Trio.

Carnival – Sunday 15th July 2018 from 1.30pm – 4pm at Princes Street and Princes Street Gardens. The seventh Edinburgh Festival Carnival promises to deliver a dazzling spectacle under the castle!

Over 800 performers will create an extravaganza humming with the rhythms of salsa, African drummers, Balkan beats and swirling pipes and a feast for the eyes with sequined dancers, feathered costumes, Chinese dragons, circus performers and street theatre.

Music, dance, costumes, circus, acrobats and puppetry, from all over the world, and all over Scotland!