As football fans were cheering on the final of the world cup, a celebration of a different kind was taking place in the streets of Scotland’s capital.
Yesterday, Edinburgh was awash with music and colour as with just under 20,000 people turning out to get into the party spirit for the seventh Edinburgh Festival Carnival.
The rhythms of salsa joined with African drums and Balkan beats for an explosion of high-energy music alongside the dazzling costumes of sequined Carnival dancers, Chinese dragons and circus performers.
Kicking off at 1.30pm, performers led a procession from the top of the Mound down to Princes Street Gardens before Forth1 radio presenter Ewen Cameron was on hand to officially open the Carnival.
More than 800 international and local groups took part in the free event, which was supported by Edinburgh Council, Edinburgh Chinese Art and Culture Community and international event organisers, Brouhaha.
Performers travelled from the likes of Zambia, Trinidad and Tobago, South Africa, Brazil, Cuba and Jamaica.
Also in the mix were groups from Portugal, France, Iceland, Italy, the Netherlands and the USA.
A number of Edinburgh-based groups were represented, including the Edinburgh Chinese Art and Culture Committee, Edinburgh Samba School, Beltane Society, Pulse of the Place, and Brass Aye.
The carnival, which is a curtain-raiser for the capital’s 2018 Summer Festival season, is part of the Edinburgh Jazz and Blue festival which happens in July each year.
Festival Producer, Roger Spence, said it was an “uplifting, multicultural way” to begin the festival.
Now in its 40th run, the Jazz and Blues festival is the biggest event of its kind in Scotland.
This year’s programme ranges from star names to new Scottish-based players, and from traditional to the avant garde.
Over 10 days, the event will celebrate 100 years of jazz and blues.
Music headliners include guitar greats, John Scofield and Mike Stern, The Bad Plus, new star singer and pianist Kandace Springs and Sarah McKenzie, the successor to Diana Krall.
Go to edinburghjazzfestival.com for more information.
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