This year, Castle of Light is helping to mark the city's epic 900th anniversary with a showstopping celebration suitable for all ages. Getting the party started, pupils from the local Royal Mile Primary School joined Rex the lion on the esplanade to officially ‘switch on’ this year’s event for its seven-week run.
Electrifying Edinburgh’s iconic skyline for a fifth fantastic year, Castle of Light pulled out all the stops with an immersive after-dark trail, transforming the historic castle grounds with all-new light and sound displays celebrating 900 years of history and setting the festive season ablaze.
From mythical creatures to long-lost tales, visitors reveled in the opportunity to walk in the footsteps of some of Scotland’s most famous figures before dancing through the ages in Crown Square.
This year, the creators are also taking the opportunity to shine a spotlight on the lesser-known stories of Edinburgh’s trailblazing women, inspired by Edinburgh author, Sara Sheridan’s book ‘Where are the Women?’.
Illuminating the Lava Wall with stories of the tenacious women that history forgot, guests came face to face with figures spanning the 12th to the 21st century, including Scottish
science pioneer Mary Sommerville, explorer, naturalist and photographer Isabella Bird, and Sophia Jex-Blake, one the ‘Edinburgh Seven’, with Sara joining the team on opening night to see her writing come to life on the Castle walls.
Emma Bowie, regional visitor & community manager at Edinburgh Castle, said:
Castle of Light has truly become a jewel in Edinburgh's bustling winter schedule, and this year’s celebration is particularly special as we mark the city’s 900th anniversary.
“This year’s event is all about bringing people together to revel in the capital’s incredible history as it comes to life on the castle walls. From uncovering the inspiring stories of Edinburgh’s trailblazing women to soaking in the vibrant energy in Crown Square, Castle of Light showcases the incredible depth of Scotland’s past while creating unforgettable
memories for the present. It’s a spectacular way to celebrate this milestone year with family and friends this festive season."
Brought together by a consortium of the finest digital and visual talent in Scotland, in partnership with Historic Environment Scotland, Castle of Light will run for seven weeks throughout the festive season, on select dates until Saturday 4 January 2025. A special access night will also take place on Sunday 8 December.
Ticketed entry slots will run every 15 minutes between 4.30pm and 7.30pm each evening, with last entry between 7.30pm and 7.45pm. The event closes at 9pm.
For more information and to get your tickets, visit www.castleoflight.scot. Advance booking required. Concession rates, family tickets and discounts for Historic Scotland members are also available.
About Castle of Light
Dates: Castle of Light will run every Friday and Saturday, until Saturday 4 January 2025. The event will also run on Sunday 15 December, Sunday 22 and Monday 23 December, Sunday 29 and Monday 30 December, and Thursday 2 January.
A special access night will also take place on Sunday 8 December. Hosting a reduced capacity, the event will include a designated quiet space, British Sign Language (BSL) tour slots, ear defenders to help manage noise and volunteer guides to support the event.
Time: Timed entry from 4.30pm to 7.30pm, last entry between 7.30pm and 7.45pm. The event closes at 9pm. It is suggested that you allow around 60 minutes to fully experience the show but you can take as much or as little time as you like.
Cost: Adult (16-64yrs) £22; Concessions (65yrs+) £16; Child (7-15yrs - must be accompanied by an adult aged 16+) £12. Family tickets and HS Member discounts are also available.
About Castle of Light’s consortium partners
War Productions Limited
War Productions Limited has been trading since 1989 and has a strong focus towards the artistic use of digital video.
Beginning as a lighting company, WarPro’s creative bent shifted towards the use of live projection in the very early days of the technology as production company for Orbital, Aphex Twin, Shamen and more. WarPro has specialised more and more in the creative use of projection for an ever growing commercial and artistic client base.
Double Take Projections
Double Take Projections Ltd is an innovative Scottish design consultancy specialising in creating immersive visual experiences using a technique called Projection Mapping. It is a bespoke company, creating unique one-off spectacles, and is able to radically alter the character of an environment or object by projecting from different angles onto a variety of surfaces.
Double Take has years of experience of producing and designing some of Scotland’s biggest Light shows. Double Take is a one stop shop for projection activity, designing content, designing social content and marketing material.
NL Productions
NL Productions is a creative event production company based in Leith with more than forty years’ experience in the industry.
Over the years, NLP has built up a large number of professional relationships across a wide variety of industries based on trust, reliability and a high standard of communication and project management.
Andy McGregor
Andy McGregor has over 25 years’ experience as a multimedia artist, designer and creative director. With a background in music, contemporary art and multimedia design, Andy has consistently worked at the boundaries of design, art, technology and performance.
He has produced work for high profile organisations such as The National Galleries of Scotland, Glasgow Life, Venice Theatre Biennale, Edinburgh International Science Festival, Harper Collins Publishing UK, Abbotsord Trust, The Queen’s Gallery at Holyrood House and Drambuie Distillers.
About Historic Environment Scotland (HES)
- We are the lead body for Scotland’s historic environment, a charity dedicated to the advancement of heritage, culture, education and environmental protection. It is at the forefront of researching and understanding the historic environment and addressing the impacts of climate change on its future, investigating and recording architectural and archaeological sites and landscapes across Scotland and caring for more than 300 properties of national importance. We are also the lead on delivering Scotland's strategy for the historic environment, Our Past, Our Future.
- Historic Scotland, Scran, Canmore, The National Collection of Aerial Photography (NCAP), The Engine Shed, Stirling Castle, and Edinburgh Castle are sub-brands of HES.
- View our press pack and keep up to date by registering to receive our media releases. Already registered? You can unsubscribe at any time by following the unsubscribe link, included in every email.
For further information, please contact:
Historic Environment Scotland Media Office
07721 959 962
communications@hes.scot