The Edinburgh Military Tattoo

Set against the spectacular backdrop of the floodlit Edinburgh Castle, almost a thousand musicians, pipers, drummers, singers and dancers perform on the cobbled Esplanade. Each year some of the most  memorable highlights are the stirring performances of the Massed Pipes and Drums and the Massed Military Bands that emerge from the huge castle gates playing the stirring battle tunes of Scotland's famed regiments.

Add to this the spectacular displays from the many overseas performers who bring music, action and colour to the event and you have a winning blend that always keeps the Tattoo fresh, exciting and alive, even for the many faithful fans who return here every year.

This unforgettable spectacle is brought to an emotional and poignant close each evening as a lone piper, spotlit high on the castle ramparts, plays a haunting lament. Fireworks, a mass chorus of 'Auld Lang Syne' from the audience and the roar of jets from a military flypast bring the curtain down on a truly memorable night's entertainment

Called 'the most spectacular show in the world', it's enjoyed by a huge international TV audience in over 30 countries. But there's just no substitute for being there as part of the 217,000-strong audience that snap up Tattoo tickets each year for its three-week season.