Summer in the City Great ways to spend your summer days

SUMMER IN THE CITY

It’s gearing up to be a sizzling season with the return of some huge names in live music, a bumper festival line-up and endless places to enjoy the sunshine outdoors with friends or family. Here’s eight great ways to spend your summer days…

Edinburgh Summer Sessions

1. DANCE LIKE NO ONE’S WATCHING

For serious feel-good festival vibes, Calvin Harris makes his long-awaited return to Scotland with a huge headline show at Hampden Park stadium on Saturday 02 July. You can also expect some big names for TRNSMT festival with headliners Paolo Nutini, The Strokes and Lewis Capaldi promising a top weekend at Glasgow Green on 08 – 10 July.

Edinburgh’s Jazz festival is back in town from 15 – 24 July and ready to present a fully live festival with over 130 concerts, curated programmes and free events. Ones to watch include John Scofield, Ambrose Akinmusire and cover artist Nubya Garcia but you’ll also see festival favourites Jools Holland and Davina and the Vagabonds back on stage. Festival regular Soweto Kinch brings a new programming voice to this year’s festival with BLAZE, a strand showcasing up-and-coming talent from the wider UK.

The guys behind Edinburgh’s Neighbourgood market are also running a three-day music festival this summer. Over the Bridge will see some of the UK’s biggest music acts descend on Edinburgh Accies Sports Ground in Stockbridge from 29 – 31 July. James Arthur, Ella Eyre, Feeder and Razorlight are all on the line-up so tickets will go fast, don’t say we didn’t warn you.

Out East Festival 2022 is a family friendly festival in Dalkeith where you’ll find The Cuban Brothers, Sister Sledge, Faithless DJ set, a comedy tent, beer village, kids zone and activities from 06 – 07 August.

Princes Street Gardens will once again come alive with Edinburgh Summer Sessions from 07 – 14 August. Headliners include Michael Kiwanuka, Tom Jones, Simply Red and Simple Minds who recently announced a special second show on Saturday 13 August where all profits will go to UNICEF for children in Ukraine. Connect Festival tops off a great summer of music with Massive Attack, The Chemical Brothers, The National and a whole host of cracking DJs from 26 – 28 August at the Royal Highland Centre.

Michael Kiwanuka

Calvin Harris

Island Records

2. SEE A RISING SOUL STAR

Edinburgh born newcomer, and i-on cover girl, Brooke Combe enjoyed a remarkable breakthrough year in 2021, which culminated in winning the Breakthrough Female prize at the Scottish Music Awards. The 21-year-old rising soul star has been adopted by indie royalty such as The Courteeners and The Snuts, who Combe supported last year and now she’s making waves on the live circuit with a run of UK festivals including a slot at Glasgow’s TRNSMT in July. She’ll also support Michael Kiwanuka at Edinburgh Summer Sessions on 08 August. Her latest single, Miss Me Now, is a stellar offering from the performer and multi-instrumentalist (Combe is proficient on no less than six instruments), with swaggering rhythms, captivating hooks and signature smoky vocals.

WHERE BROOKE WILL BE SPENDING HER SUMMER IN EDINBURGH

EXPLORING THE CITY

“Edinburgh is a beautiful city. I love to take a jaunt around town, go see the swans at Arthur’s Seat, visit the old town and go down the vaults or Mary King’s Close to hear all the old, spooky stories. Wherever I am, I have to end the day with a chippy – I’ll be forever indebted to Edinburgh for chippy sauce!”

DRINKING COCKTAILS

“I’m partial to a Slug and Lettuce cocktail to be honest! I like the one on George street - nothing but good vibes in there. Another good place for fun cocktails is Candy bar. And Brewhemia on Market Street is a favourite spot for a bevvie!”

CATCHING SOME GIGS

“I’ll be seeing a couple of shows at the Usher Hall on Lothian Road. It’s beautiful venue in there and I don’t visit it enough. But mostly, I’m excited to watch Michael Kiwanuka at the Summer Sessions. I’ve been wanting to catch his show for a while and I’m a big fan. It makes that much sweeter than I’m supporting him.”

3. CHECK OUT THE CITY’S BEST ROOFTOP BARS & TERRACES

Sun drenched boozers, awesome cocktails and castle views, you can’t beat al fresco drinks overlooking the rooftops in Edinburgh. Here are five of our favourite spots…

Drink craft beer, eat Neapolitan pizzas and enjoy impressive views at Cold Town House’s rooftop bar. The Grassmarket hang out is full of Instagramworthy backdrops plus quirky touches like ski Gondolas and the bar, a vintage Nissan van.

Keep it casual and cool by heading upstairs for a beer and chicken wings at Doghouse Edinburgh Bar & Terrace. It’s part of Brewdog’s carbon negative hotel and just along from Waverly Station on 5 New Street. It’s a good people watching spot on the east side of town.

Exclusive, luxurious and only recently opened, Gleneagles’ first city hotel, Gleneagles Townhouse on St Andrew Square is home to Lamplighters roof terrace bar with views across the capital’s iconic skyline. Dress to impress.

The terrace at the stylish Johnnie Walker Princes Street 1820 Bar offers more than just whisky and impressive views of the castle, they’ve a huge array of tasty tipples plus a new summer menu bringing in Scottish produce to remind us of the flavours of summer (think fresh cut grass, rhubarb dipped in sugar and street food on holiday).

When the sun shines, arrive early to try bag a table for cocktails on the terrace at Harvey Nichols Forth Floor Brasserie & Bar. Overlooking St Andrews Square with views to the castle and Firth of Forth, it’s a sunny spot offering first class drinks and service.

Johnnie Walker Princes Street

Cold Town House Harvey Nichols Forth Floor Terrace

4. GET YOUR ADRENALIN FIX

Go Ape at Dalkeith Country Park will supply all the thrills for adults and kids. The course boasts mega zip rides across the River Esk, sky-high platforms, high ropes and treetop adventures. If you don’t have a head for heights but want an action-packed activity, try Foxlake in Dunbar. Located 25 miles East of Edinburgh, it offers everything from Cable Wakeboarding on the lake (think snowboarding on water) to open water swimming in a safe environment and Segway Adventures on scenic routes in East Lothian.

Foxlake

5. GO FESTIVAL MAD

Heading up the 2022 Fringe herd are legendary Irish comedy sketch group Foil, Arms & Hog, Edinburgh festival favourite Jason Byrne, the award-winning Amazing Bubble Man, cabaret and variety show La Clique and social media sensation Rob Madge. Best-selling author Julia Donaldson is also back in town with a brandnew show based on her much-loved books. The Gruffalo, The Giant and the Mermaid is set to be a firm family favourite.

Night owls can check out The Flick, Assembly’s late-night den off George Square. During August, self-proclaimed Duchess Diane Chorley will be hosting live entertainment there until 5am. There’s lots of cabaret on Assembly Festival’s line-up including drag show trailblazers Queenz with The Show With BALLS! and original songs, and existential banter from The Idiot Circus.

Head further east to North Berwick for Fringe by the Sea 05 – 14 August. The Haçienda House Party featuring Grammy award-winning DJ Todd Terry and Marshall Jefferson kickstart the 10-day festival which sees over 200 events across music, literature, comedy, science and nature. Hot tickets include the world’s greatest living explorer Sir Ranulph Fiennes talking about his ambition (14 August), the world’s leading expert in soap bubbles Samsam Bubbleman and Scottish comedian Frankie Boyle (11 August).

La Clique

Jason Byrne The Peruvian

6. EAT, DRINK AND BE MERRY

Street food never looked so good at Neighbourgood Market in Stockbridge. From tacos to Peruvian food, there’s food from around the world plus a great selection of drinks on offer from Edinburgh Gin, Innis & Gunn and Damo’s Coffee until 17 July. Edinburgh Foodies Festival is also back at Inverleith Park from 05 – 07 August with top chefs, tasty food and live music. Sample new wines, champagnes and cocktails in The Drinks Theatre and watch MasterChef Champions including Masterchef: The Professionals 2021 winner Daniel Lee, and finalist Liam Rogers plus Michelinstarred and top local chefs cooking their signature summer recipes in The Chefs Theatre.

If you’re quick, you might also be able to catch The Scottish Streefood Awards’ return to The Pitt in Leith from 10 to 12 June. The three-day event will see contenders from across the country compete to take the crown.

7. EMBRACE THE GREAT OUTDOORS

Be a tourist for the day and book tickets for the Maid of the Forth Inchcolm Island Landing Trip. The sightseeing cruise departs from Hawes Pier in South Queensferry and lets you see all the Forth Bridges as well step ashore the beautiful Inchcolm Island, home to an historic 12th century abbey, wildlife and WW1 ammunition tunnel. Or don your running shoes and see Arthur’s Seat in a whole new light. With 90,500 Google searches a month on average and 287,000 tags on Instagram, the 2.4-mile trail has just been crowned the UK’s most popular running trail, according to a new index by performance footwear brand Hoka. For a more gruelling challenge, there’s The Seven Hills of Edinburgh. Combining road running with hill running/walking, it’s just over 14 miles long and takes in Arthur’s Seat, Blackford Hill, Braid Hill, Craiglockhart Hill, Corstorphine Hill, Castle Rock and Calton Hill. You pick your own route, starting and finishing at Calton Hill.

@alittlebitofclaire Inchcolm Island, courtesy of @alittlebitofclaire

8. ENTERTAIN THE KIDS

The Nickelodeon Experience takes over Saughton Park from 01 - 14 July. The immersive outdoor experience will be jam-packed with multi-sensory, interactive zones and you can expect everything from meeting Chase and Marshall from PAW Patrol to braving Henry Danger’s maze and a slime party. Its designed for kids aged 2 to 14.

Superheroes are flying back to Conifox Adventure Park on 14 August. From Batman to Captain America, Spider-Man and Wonder Woman, they’ll be showing off martial arts and getting kids involved in fun activities. For an indoor adventure aimed at kids and adults alike you can climb, balance, jump and swing across different obstacles at Ninja Warrior on Salamander Street Leith.

After dark, there’s an outdoor cinema experience suitable for older kids at Dalkeith Country Park where Adventure Cinema are showing three films, including West Side Story, The Greatest Showman and Mamma Mia on 12 – 14 August at 9.30pm.