Around Town

Edinburgh Em“—

Activities & Events The Big Word The Jan Bar. I (‘harnbers Street. 220 4290. 9pm. £4 (£3). A big fat summer slain night of performance poetry. featuring Aisle l6 founder Ross Sutherland. (ilasgow Slain champion Drew Taylor. the Big \Vord Slain collective. (iraeme Ilaw ley and music from Ila/cl Morrison. Costumed Performances Iidinburgh ('astle. Royal Mile. 225 9846. £1 I (£5.50—£‘)l. llear about history straight frotn the mouths of those who were there from kings and queens to peasants and the King‘s executioner. \Ve presume they're using actors and not reanirnating the corpses. That would be horrid.

Spon

Urban Beach Tour Princes Street (iardens tiast. Princes Street. 556 4633. Times vary. (‘onie and see the Scottish stars of the last-growing Olympic sport of beach volleyball serve. smash. volley and block as the tour arrives in lidinburgh. Some Scottish people look lovely in hotpants. Stop being sojudgernental.

Activities & Events

Magic at Mary King’s Close The Real .Mary King‘s ('lose. 2 \\'arriston's (‘lose. High Street. 08702 430 I60.

1 Iain 4pm. Free. Once upon a time. there was a little boy with glasses and a scar. who discovered that he was a real wi/ard. (iepetto! Anyway. in honour of whatsisname. Mary King’s (’lose is holding a day of storytelling. magic. ghost tours and tarot readings.

African Music and Wine Night with Samba Sene & Diwan Play'liotise: ()vertures l-‘unction Suite. 18 22 (ireenside Place. 524 335. 7 10.30pm. £22. Sample South African wines and sweet treats such as north African baklawa and Moroccan mint tea at this vibrant African-themed night featuring music from sensational Senegalise group. Samba Sene & l)iwan.

CuttheCarbonRal

Fairs

J and J Fairs I‘reernasons Ilall. ‘)6 (ieorge Street. 225 5304. 10am 4.30pm. £1.50 three 1. Antique and collectors fair featuring jewellery. stamps. coins. silver. china. paintings. clocks and more.

Politics

=l= Cut the Carbon rally The Meadows. Melville I)rive. 4.30pm. l‘t'ee. Soweto Kinch. \‘ic (ialloway. Billy Boyd. Shantha Roberts. Harry Potter snogger Katie I.eung and musician Amy MacDonald are part of a star-studded line-up at the lidinburgh leg of this ('hristian Aid-mu rally to raise awareness of environtnental issues. Althouin the rally kicks off at 4.30. members of the public are invited to join the protest marchers as they walk the last mile of their trip. They 're expected to arrive at ('astlc Street at 3pm. For more information. see www.christianaid. orguk/clirnate.

Activities & Events

Lauriston Castle Highland Gathering l.auriston ('astle (irounds. 2a ('r'amond Road South. 336 2060.

l 1.30am 5pm. £tbc. 'l'raditional games event in the grounds of l.auriston ('astle. featuring all the Ilighland dancing. piping and big inuscley caber tossing events you would expect. plus falconry. trade stands and an art exhibition.

Tuesday 24

Talks

The Mutiny from the Mutineers’ Mouths National Library of Scotland. (ieorge l\' Bridge. 226 4531. 7pm. lircc. Professor Rajat Ray and Dr .\'upar ('haudhuri explore the spoken and written words that shaped our understanding of the Indian Mutiny of 1857.

Life Club The ('umberland Bar. 1 (‘umber'land Street. 558 3134. 7pm. £15. 90-minute workshop on getting the most out of life: live more. play more. laugh more. earn more and tneet like-minded PCUPle. ('ontact (1797 (ifill 73.37 or see ww'w.lifeclubs.co.uk for info.

Wednesday 25

Activities & Events

Arthur’s Secrets llolyrood Park. 652 8150. 1 3pm. l‘ree. Ranger-guided walks tip the slopes and through the history of everyone’s favourite former volcanic plug. Meet at llolyrood Park Information (‘entte

Activities & Events

Critical Mass The Mound. 473 2000. 5.45pm. I‘ree. It‘s the last I’riday of the month. so it’s time to get your bike out of the shed and reclaim the streets. (iootl for you. good for the environment. .\'ot so good for anyone trying to drive through the city centre. but then again. that might be the point.

Saturday 28

Activities & Events

>l< Mardi Gras (irassniarkct. 467 5200. 12.30pm. l-‘ree. I'lliiiiiestal 'I‘he (irassniarket transforms into a swinging. bu/xing .\'ew ()rleans high street with parades. brolly -dollies and bands performing all afternoon. Begins at 12.30pm with a parade froin the ('ity ('hanibers. l’urr oft/iv lit/inlnuje/i Jar: (Im/ BIIH‘S I‘i'slii'trl.

Activities & Events

Discover Edinburgh by Bicycle Royal (‘otnmonwealth Pool. l)itlkeith Road. ()l3l 3323442. 10am lptn. I‘ree. :\ gentle bike ride designed to introduce you to cycling iti Iidinburgh. Meet at the (‘oinrnonwealth Pool. liniail maggiefll trycy clinginedinburgh .org.uk or call 0131 332 3442 to book your spot.

Stockbridge Saunter Water of l.eith. 2 3.30pm. £3 (£11. Discover the social and natural heritage of one of the loveliest bits of the city on this guided walk from l)ean Bridge to (‘anonmills Meet on the old Bell's Brae bridge in l)ean Village. off Queensferry Road. Suitable for all ages. Booking essential.

This huge, Christian Aid-sponsored protest march, which starts at 4.30pm, is calling for everyone to get serious about global warming. Be one of thousands

of people descending on the Meadows to do your bit for the planet. Top musical acts Soweto Kinch and Attic Lights will take to the stage, along with Billy Boyd and Harry Potter’s squeeze Katie Leung. The charity is also sponsoring a screening of Al Gore’s film An Inconvenient Truth at Brass Monkey on Sun 22 Jul at 7pm.

I Meadows, Edinburgh. Sat 27 Jul.

26 THE LIST 19 Jtll~2 Aug 200/

Wednesday 1

Activities & Events

Going to School in India National library of Scotland. (ieorge IV Bridge. 226 4531. 1030 11.30am. l-‘ree. .\'ine mini-films following the lives of children in India as they go to school in city classrooms. tnountaintops. desert tents. boats and glowing temples. Produced by (ioing to School. an educational media charity in New Delhi. Suitable for children.

Activities & Events

Beatnix Poetry Nite the .la// Bar. l (‘harnbers Street. 220 4200. S 10pm. £4 (£3). Open mic poetry and music hosted by Anita (ioyan. featuring .-\rnerican ia/x poetry from Young I)aw kins the Ill. The (‘hernical Poets. singer/songwriter William Douglas and. of course. open mic spots. ('all 07962 012500 for more info.

Activities & Events

Visit Little Sparta lnglehy Gallery. 6 ('arlton 'I’errace. 556 4441. lprn. £20. Spend an afternoon walking around Little Sparta. artist and poet Ian llarnilton l’inlay's fusion of words. sculpture and ideas into a garden-as-gallery tucked away in the Pentland Ilills. Brises Icayc lrotn the Ingleby Gallery at lprn ey ery Wednesday. ('ontact l’iona l-'owler‘ on (1775 466 9375 or

liona.e.fow ler(0 btinternct.com for tickets.

Exhibitions

Amazing Rare Things: The Art of Natural History in the Age of Discovery 'l'he Queen's (iallery. Palace of llolyroodltottse. 556 51110. l‘ntil Stilt 16 Sep. l)aily 0.30am 6pm; ‘).30am 2pm ((‘losed 1. £5 (free £4.51); family ticket £13). ('uratcd by the Royal (‘ollection in collaboration with Sir Day id Attenbor'ough. this exhibition brings together the work of four artists Leonardo da Vinci. ('assiano dal Pol/o. Alexander Marshal. Maria Siby lla Merian and Mark ('atesby who hay e helped shape contemporary understanding of the natural world.

It Didn’t Happen Here ('ity Art (’entre. 2 Market Street. 52‘) 3993. l'ntil Sun 30 Nov Mon Sat 10am 5pm; Sun noon 5pm. l-‘ree. Iixhibition examining Iidinburgh's links with the slay e trade. Tea and Tigers: Stories of Scotland and South Asia National library of Scotland. (ieorge 1\' Bridge. 226 4531. l'ntil Sun 30 Sep. Mon Sat 10am 5pm: Sun 2 5pm. l-‘ree. An exhibition exploring Scotland’s insolyernent and inlluence in India oy er the centuries. on the 60th anniyersar‘y of Indian independence from British colonial rule.

Food & Drink

Edinburgh Farmers’ Market (“astle 'I'er‘race. 652 5940. 0am 2pm. More local. quality. ethical produce than you could shake an organic wholewheat bt'eadstick at. livery Saturday.

QUIzzes

Quiznation logic Baird's Bar”. l 3 South Bridge. Royal Mile. 556 ‘)‘)40. 9pm. £ 1. Top pri/es and free nibbles at one of the most thorough pub quiHes in the city take part in the worldwide Quest for Knowledge with Magic .lake. He's like Magic Bob. but more sinister. lixery 'l‘hursday.

Workshops

Shoe Swing (‘ounting llouse. West .\'icolson Street. 66711876. 7pm. £4.511 01’ £3 for couples (£3.50 or £6 for couples). A brand new swing dance workshop run by lidinbop eyery Wednesday night. 'I'utored classes from 7pm and social dancing froin 9. Swing dancer‘s. liridy« hoppers and iiyer's of all persuasions very welcome. No need to book. and yott don‘t even has e to base a partner.