Edinburgh-based event producers Unique Events and Assembly Festival confirm their appointment to run Edinburgh’s Christmas this year. The City of Edinburgh Council appointed the companies at an emergency meeting on Monday to save Edinburgh’s famous Christmas celebrations and ensure that Santa will be coming to town this winter.
The local event producers will deliver the city’s winter events programme, ensuring that both Edinburgh’s Christmas & Edinburgh’s Hogmanay festivities will entertain both local audiences and visitors to the city.
This year’s Edinburgh’s Christmas celebrations will run from 25 November 2022 to 3 January 2023 bringing five weeks of seasonal fun to the city centre and include the return of festive favourites including Edinburgh’s Christmas Wheel, the Traditional Christmas Markets, Ice Rink and Santa Land, as well as an all-new Santa Experience and a new programme of free events and activities at the Ross Bandstand.
Edinburgh’s Christmas celebrations are considered to be one of the key elements of the capital’s annual events calendar, generating essential income for businesses throughout the city during the winter, whilst creating and maintaining thousands of jobs within the tourism and hospitality sector.
William Burdett-Coutts of Assembly Festival and Penny Dougherty of Unique Events said: “It is our priority to ensure that Edinburgh’s Christmas celebrations return in style for the benefit of the city, our fellow residents and visitors.
“While we are taking on Edinburgh’s Christmas at very short notice, we fully understand how important these events are for the city and businesses who have already endured difficult times in recent years. Celebrations will definitely include the traditional Christmas Markets, Ice Rink and the Christmas Wheel alongside many of the elements that visitors love about coming to Edinburgh city centre in the winter.”
Organisers confirmed that there will be a new classic Ice Rink and other Christmas attractions in George Street, supported by Essential Edinburgh. Santa Claus takes up residence in West Princes Street Gardens at an all-new Santa Experience, where he will be creating festive memories for children and families in Santa Land.
East Princes Street Gardens once again hosts the Traditional Christmas Market, offering a range of craft and food and drink stalls from near and far, as well as rides and attractions, all set against the backdrop of Edinburgh Castle. The Edinburgh’s Christmas Wheel will give visitors to the city centre spectacular views of the city and Winter Windows, which is run in partnership with The City of Edinburgh Council, will illuminate the city centre with original artwork by local school children.
The popular Santa Fun Run returns with participants fundraising for the When You Wish Upon a Star! Children’s Charity. Alongside Edinburgh’s Christmas official events, the programme will showcase the very best that the city has to offer throughout winter, featuring the capital’s famous live music, theatre and comedy venues.
Roddy Smith, Chief Executive of Essential Edinburgh said: “Edinburgh’s Christmas is a hugely important event for the city centre and all our businesses. Along with our range of enhanced lighting along George Street, Rose Street and in St Andrew Square a highlight is the provision of an ice rink in the westerly block of George Street. This has proved very popular in recent years, and we are looking forward to working with Unique/Assembly to make this happen again to support footfall and visitors during November and December.”
Full details of all the events and activities will be available later in October when tickets will go on sale, including the return of the 20% discount for EH residents, to ensure the attractions are accessible to all.
Visit official Edinburgh’s Christmas social media for further information in coming weeks.
Twitter: @EdXmas
Facebook: Facebook.com/EdinburghsChristmas
Instagram: @EdinburghsChristmas
Unique and Assembly have joined forces to create a new company, UniqueAssembly Ltd, and were appointed to run the world-renowned Edinburgh’s Hogmanay celebrations earlier in the summer following a successful tender process. Now as the original company has stepped away from the Christmas contract the Edinburgh based producers have stepped into the breach to save Christmas.
Founding Editor of The Edinburgh Reporter.
Edinburgh-born multimedia journalist and iPhoneographer.
