It is the annual pageant of military music and colour which illuminates Edinburgh Castle during the festival, attracting thousands of tourists and fans of martial prowess and musicianship.
This year, however, the 67th running of the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, is celebrating tolerance and the celebration of difference in a world of political and military tumult.
Brigadier David Allfrey, unveiling the programme for the 2016 event, which takes place from August 5-27, said 1200 performers from all over the world would be taking part, which he said was "significant".
He said it was notable that at the "centre" of this year's show is a display from the Jordanian Royal Guard, Band and Drill Team, which will help mark 100 years since the Great Arab Revolt.
"We are living of course in a world which is having 'a bit of moment' it is fair to say, there have been all sorts of really difficult things happening, are happening, and I don't doubt will happen," Brigadier Allfrey said.
"We are living in a world where differences are not being enjoyed, people are being set against other people, and I think what is wonderful about the Tattoo, and the Edinburgh festivals, is that we are here celebrating our glorious differences."
He added: "When you watch the awful things that are happening in the world, because people do not get on or don't believe in each other, I think there is to need to say 'hang on, there are opportunities to get together', we have [the Olympics] Rio coming up, and I think music is remarkable in many ways and it can cross many boundaries.
"This is where the world comes in August, there is all sorts of craziness going on, and for a moment you can suspend all those difficult issues
"I am not suggesting the Tattoo offers any sort of utopian vision of the future, but it is incumbent on us to play our part."
Brigadier Allfrey said that by the end of this year the Tattoo will have sold 460,000 tickets, including those sold in Australia and New Zealand earlier this year.
Without going into detail he also said security of both audience and performers was being taken "very seriously".
The producer said by 2020 the event could have a TV audience of 1bn people.
The 2016 military spectacle will also mark The Queen's 90th year and the anniversary of The Battle of Jutland.
There will be a Massed Pipes and Drums with eleven Regimental and Commonwealth band, including 250 pipes and drummers.
The Tattoo has invested £250,000 invested in new projections technology.
The team behind the projections also worked on Danny Boyle’s 2012 Olympic Games Opening Ceremony.
Ticket sales are already high, at around 96% sold at present, with 2016 set to be the event’s eighteenth consecutive sell-out year.
The Tattoo was first performed in 1950 and is estimated to generate £77m a year for the Scottish economy.
Brigadier Allfrey added: "The centre act is that of the Jordanian armed forces, we have 130 Jordanian service men and women with us.
"That part of the world is not enjoying a great time at the moment and it is so important that we have a group like this, setting out for us what is extraordinary about that part of the world."
Why are you making commenting on The Herald only available to subscribers?
It should have been a safe space for informed debate, somewhere for readers to discuss issues around the biggest stories of the day, but all too often the below the line comments on most websites have become bogged down by off-topic discussions and abuse.
heraldscotland.com is tackling this problem by allowing only subscribers to comment.
We are doing this to improve the experience for our loyal readers and we believe it will reduce the ability of trolls and troublemakers, who occasionally find their way onto our site, to abuse our journalists and readers. We also hope it will help the comments section fulfil its promise as a part of Scotland's conversation with itself.
We are lucky at The Herald. We are read by an informed, educated readership who can add their knowledge and insights to our stories.
That is invaluable.
We are making the subscriber-only change to support our valued readers, who tell us they don't want the site cluttered up with irrelevant comments, untruths and abuse.
In the past, the journalist’s job was to collect and distribute information to the audience. Technology means that readers can shape a discussion. We look forward to hearing from you on heraldscotland.com
Comments & Moderation
Readers’ comments: You are personally liable for the content of any comments you upload to this website, so please act responsibly. We do not pre-moderate or monitor readers’ comments appearing on our websites, but we do post-moderate in response to complaints we receive or otherwise when a potential problem comes to our attention. You can make a complaint by using the ‘report this post’ link . We may then apply our discretion under the user terms to amend or delete comments.
Post moderation is undertaken full-time 9am-6pm on weekdays, and on a part-time basis outwith those hours.
Read the rules here