This year, tickets for Edinburgh’s Christmas attractions, that includes the Ice Rink, Santa’s Stories, West Princes Street Gardens Funfair Ride, the Christmas Tree Maze and the now iconic Big Wheel, will be gifted to local community groups and charities to help let everyone join in the festive fun.
Applications are now open with local groups and charities who work across the community encouraged to claim tickets for rides and attractions at this year’s event which will take place again in Edinburgh from 15th November 2024 and 4th January 2025.
Last year, Edinburgh’s Christmas issued over 7500 tickets to 90 local Community Groups and Charities across the city including its official Charity Partners. Building on last year’s success, Edinburgh’s Christmas aims to offer more tickets to communities and charities than ever before.
Donations and money raised across both Edinburgh’s Christmas and Hogmanay festivals will this year also be split across local charities Social Bite, When You Wish Upon A Star, One City Trust and Simon Community Scotland. Charity donations can be made on-line when purchasing tickets and also at fundraising points around Edinburgh’s Christmas.
The spirit of giving continues with Social Bite’s Festival of Kindness, which includes the 10m tall Kindness Tree and Gift Donation point on Castle Street, dedicated to spreading goodwill to those who need it most. Donations can be made to help provide thousands of Christmas dinners, food packs and gifts to homeless and vulnerable families, children, and individuals, or for shelter to those without a roof over their heads this winter.
The annual Winter Windows schools competition, where children have submitted artworks representing their idea of winter and the festive season, will return this year with 24 winners. Winners, whose artworks will also be showcased on Edinburgh’s Christmas social channels, will be selected for display along walkways in West Princes Street Gardens.
Edinburgh’s Christmas celebrations will include access to the iconic Ross Bandstand in West Princes Street Gardens which will host a programme of free and ticketed community-focused events in association with various local charity partners. A programme of festive fun will be available offering families colourful entertainment through the Light Night Concert (Sun 17th November), St Andrew’s Day Ceilidh (Sat 30th November), Nativity Carol Concert with Edinburgh Churches Together (Sun 1st December), and this year When You Wish Upon A Star celebrates 20 years of the Santa Run (Sunday 8th December), with another fundraising event, giving children of all ages a chance to join in the festive fun.
The deadline for application submissions is 23:59 on Sunday 10th November and applicants will be informed of the status of their requests by Wednesday 13th November. Successful applicants must then book by Friday 22nd November.
Applications can also be made via email at communities@unique-assembly.co.uk. Tickets will be limited per applicant/group, and applicants will be asked to include details of their organisational aims and how they would like to use the tickets. Event producers invite applications from charities and volunteer organisations, including from those who work with refugees, people with disabilities, young carers and other disadvantaged groups.
Residents with an EH postcode are eligible for a 20% discount on tickets to all of Edinburgh’s Christmas events.
More information can be found on the edinburgh-christmas.com website.
Irene Brown
Radio Summerhall Arts 