entertain me

And lo, it looked more likely.

Sat Aug 1st, Mardi Gras in the Grassmarket, 1pm onwards. Take a cushion, find a seat, buy some drinks, settle in and soak up the Jazz and Blues Festival.

Sun Aug 2nd, Jazz and Blues Festival in Princes St Gardens, 1pm onwards. Take a blanket, a parasol/ brolly, a squirrel-proof picnic, settle in and soak up the music.

I see a theme emerging here.

Free Fringe

I'm learning as I go here, and thanks to Peter Buckley Hill, founder and artistic director of the Free Fringe I have more information to share:

The original Free Fringe, founded 1996 and still going strong, was the winner of the Tapwater awards 'spirit of the fringe' in 2006, an award I have a particular interest in and hope to see return.

http://www.freefringe.org.uk/

http://www.tapwaterawards.org/

countdown to chaos

Ok, it hit me last night (about 2am...) that there's only a month to go and I'm not going to be fit enough to attend festival events every day, let alone do a cultural marathon.

This reality deflated me somewhat given the pulse-racing temptations on offer. But on the upside, I know it will be a rare treat to just relax somewhere splendid and get high on the heady festival atmosphere without having to queue, heave through crowds, rush between venues or keep up with the Joneses and forget half of what I've seen. I'd love to try that - sit still and let the city revolve around me! You see, there is always a sparkling silver lining, and who knows what I might see if I just look around me.

I heard today that there will be no Fringe launch party this time.