LIST.CO.UK/FESTIVAL FREE BookMachine Edinburgh Thu 25 Aug, 6.30pm. The Cambridge Bar, 20 Young Street, 226 2120. A drinks social for book lovers and people involved in publishing. FREE Community Discussion: Equal Marriage Thu 25 Aug, 6.30–8.30pm. LGBT Centre for Health & Wellbeing, 9 Howe Street, 523 1100. The fourth in a series of topical events aimed at providing local LGBT groups and individuals a chance to share information ideas and work together to identify and tackle issues affecting the LGBT community. Discuss whether LGBT people have the right to equal marriage, and whether civil partnerships are really enough. Places are limited so booking is essential.
Exhibitions FREE Jungle City Until Sun 4 Sep, 10am–6pm. Royal Botanic Garden, Arboretum Place, 248 2909. Ogle an orangutan amid the flowers or trip over a tiger prowling in the woods as over 100 brightly-coloured exotic animals, birds and reptiles take up residence in the Botanics, as part of a project raising funds for seven deserving conservation charities. The animals have been decorated by a range of artists, and will be auctioned off for charity on Thu 29 Sep. FREE Banned Books Until Sun 30 Oct. Mon–Fri 10am–8pm; Sat 10am–5pm; Sun 2–5pm. National Library of Scotland, George IV Bridge, 623 3918. Interesting exhibition looking at the history of book censorship. FREE World Press Photo Exhibition 2011 Until Sat 27 Aug. Mon–Fri 10am–5.30pm; Sat 11am–5.30pm. Scottish Parliament, Holyrood Road, 348 5200. Sometimes inspiring, sometimes shocking, occasionally depressing, always thought- provoking: the annual display of the best of the world’s press photography from the last year.
✽✽ FREE Benghazi Speaks: Revolutionary Images from
the Libyan Uprising Until Sun 4 Sep. Daily 10am–10pm. Filmhouse, 88 Lothian Road, 228 2688. Images of the revolutionary graffiti and cartoons that appeared on Libyan walls. See Hitlist.
Fairs FREE Edinburgh Festival PBFA Book Fair Until Sat 20 Aug, 10am–6pm. MacDonald Roxburghe Hotel, 38 Charlotte Square, 240 5500. Sellers exhibit interesting second-hand and antiquarian books, maps and prints at prices to suit all pockets.
✽✽ FREE Fair Trade on the Fringe Until Sun 21 Aug, 10am–6pm.
Castle Street, handupmedia.co.uk/events A nine-day sale of fashion, jewellery, crafts, food, drinks and accessories from around the world, all ethically traded, and with promises of free tastings, samples, inspiration and education. See Hitlist.
Food & Drink FREE Ian MacLeod Whisky Sampling at the Scotch Whisky Experience Thu 18 Aug, 10am–5pm. Scotch Whisky Experience, 354 Castlehill, The Royal Mile, 220 0441. Learn more about Ian MacLeod Whisky’s 12-year-old Isle of Skye blend and a couple of single malt scotch whiskies. Edinburgh Farmers’ Market Sat 20 Aug, 9am–2pm. Castle Terrace, 652 5940. More local, quality, ethical produce than you could shake a stick at. FREE The Food Market & Tinker Tailor Sat 20 Aug, 10am–2pm. Out of the Blue Drill Hall, 30–36 Dalmeny Street, Leith, 555 7100. A weekly local shop for Leithers in search of quality ethical goods including food, drink and household goods, or help fixing broken items. FREE Glenmorangie Whisky Sampling Wed 24 & Thu 25 Aug, 10am–5pm. Scotch Whisky Experience, 354 Castlehill, The Royal Mile, 220 0441. Try Glenmorangie ten-year-old Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky and the Bailie Nicol Jarvie blend. Sport EMC Tests 2011: Scotland v Italy Sat 20 Aug, 5pm. £10 (£5). Murrayfield Stadium, Roseburn Street Murrayfield, 0844 335 3933. Catch some top international rugby as the teams prepare for the Rugby World Cup in New Zealand.
Talks Writing and Illustrating for Children with James Mayhew Thu 18 Aug, 10.30am–12.30pm. £12 (£10). Scottish National Gallery, The Mound, 624 6200. James Mayhew is the writer and illustrator of the Katie books, a rather trippy series of volumes about a small girl who persistently keeps having adventures inside paintings. Here he shares his working methods, techniques and inspiration, having just published Katie in Scotland. FREE The King James Bible Language and Literature Thu 18 Aug, 1.30–2.30pm. (Included in admission). City Art Centre, 2 Market Street, 529 3963. A talk by Professor Gordon Campbell on the Scottish roots of the definitive English bible, and the linguistic implications of this. Booking essential.
✽✽ Ruskin Live! Thu 18 & Fri 19 Aug, 3pm. £10 (£8). Scottish National Gallery, The Mound, 624 6200. Art critic and crusading polymath John Ruskin wrote enough books to sink a barge, but he was also an indefatigable performer. Actor and art historian Paul O’Keeffe recreates Ruskin’s celebrated 1853 lectures at the Philosophical Institution, on Turner (Thu) and the Pre-Raphaelites (Fri). See Hitlist.
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Listings {AROUND TOWN}
PREVIEW GOLDEN HOUR: THE FINAL ACT Forest Café, Wed 24 Aug, 1pm–3pm, free
As you’ve probably heard, the Forest Café is closing its doors for good on 31 August. The building has meant a lot to a lot of people over the years, not least poet, writer and bon viveur Ryan Van Winkle, who has run Forest Publications and its live spin-off, rambunctious literary- tipped cabaret The Golden Hour, at the Forest for the past five years, with a twinkle in his eye and a bottle of wine in his fist.
‘We just wanna say goodbye in a really nice, fun, drunken, way:
playing and partying together with the people we’ve loved and who have been really good to us, a lot of the bands who went with us when we took the Golden Hour on tour, and some of our favourite authors and film artists. And we thought the best way to do that would be to condense five years’ worth of really ramshackle but enjoyable nights into one long, long day.’ He means it. The Golden Hour’s last stand will run from 1pm on 24 Aug to 3am on 25 Aug, with a weighty line-up of writers, musicians, artists and cartoonists including Jonny Berliner, William Letford, Emily Ballou, Alan Bissett, Wax, Anna Crowe, Ericka Duffy, Dolphin Boy and The Little Big Band.
‘We’re looking forward to it, but we’re also terrified at the idea of it,’ says Van Winkle. ‘We want to do it to thank everyone, though. We’ve run five years of events with no entry charge on the door on sheer volunteer power: it’s not just some brilliant artists but a whole load of dedicated, talented technical guys doing sound and lighting. And it’s the Forest.’ (Kirstin Innes)
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18–25 Aug 2011 THE LIST 85