Introducing Burns & Beyond – Edinburgh’s Newest Festival

This January Burns & Beyond will join the rankings as the city’s newest festival. Building on the success of 2018’s Red Red Rose Street, the festival will be a celebration of the life and legacy of Robert Burns. Incorporating elements of the popular Scot:lands trail – once part of Edinburgh’s Hogmanay – this addition to Edinburgh’s festival calendar is set to be a new favourite.

Hosted by Unique Events, the festival will bring together the best of Scottish culture and hospitality. Events will take place for six days across Edinburgh city centre, from the 22nd – 27th January. Jam-packed with comedy nights, theatre, dance, musical performances and other cultural activities, Burns & Beyond will animate the city during an otherwise quiet month.

Festival Highlights

Most noteworthy, this year’s highlights include the return of Red Red Rose Street and the much-anticipated Museum of the Moon. On the 26th, an exciting new culture trail will take people through the Old and New Towns. Moving from one secret venue to the next, participants will get a unique snapshot of contemporary Scottish culture.

Red Red Rose Street

This successful event returns in 2019, animating one of Edinburgh’s most famous streets. Celebrating all things Burns, Rose Street will be the centre of an exciting programme of events and on-street activities.

Special events will include a free family ceilidh, Burns Club comedy nights, Captivate Theatre’s musical of the life of Rabbie and a special Burns Supper at the Freemasons’ Hall. Festival food and drink deals will also be available in partnering pubs and eateries along the street.

Culture Trail

Photo: Burns & Beyond

Moving from one secret location to the other, this exciting event will take participants on an evening of cultural discovery. The tour will start in one of the designated venues, announced to ticket holders before the event. Music, comedy, spoken word and tasting experiences will showcase the best of contemporary Scottish culture, all staged in incredible spaces both in the Old and New Towns. Performances will feature unique interpretations of various themes within Burns’ work and participants can visit as many of the venues as they like.

Note that this event is for over 18s only.

Museum of the Moon

Photo: Museum of the Moon

And finally, perhaps the centrepiece of this year’s festival, the majestic Museum of the Moon will be making a stop in Edinburgh on its world tour.

UK artist Luke Jerram’s internationally acclaimed piece will hang in St Giles Cathedral and be open daily for free public viewing. A fusion of lunar imagery and surround sound, the installation measures seven metres in diameter and features highly-detailed NASA images of the lunar surface.

The sculpture truly comes to life in the evening, when the bright and realistic moonlight can be enjoyed amid dark skies and an ambient atmosphere. To celebrate the marvel of this installation, special (ticketed) events will take place each night, including lunar-inspired talks and musical performances.

All Festival Events:

For more information and to book tickets, visit the Burns & Beyond website here.

Are you planning a visit to Edinburgh this year?
We have a home away from home waiting for you!

108a/6 West Bow

Stay in the heart of the Old Town and walk the same streets as Rabbie Burns himself once did. West Bow is nestled at the bottom of Victoria Street with fantastic restaurants, cafes and bars right on your doorstep. This contemporary apartment has been beautifully renovated to a high standard and has a wonderful sense of space and light throughout. 

Browse more of our beautiful homes here.