{"id":3436,"date":"2016-08-01T07:01:44","date_gmt":"2016-08-01T11:01:44","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.insightvacations.com\/?p=3436"},"modified":"2024-05-16T16:33:35","modified_gmt":"2024-05-16T15:33:35","slug":"ten-facts-royal-edinburgh-military-tattoo","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.insightvacations.com\/blog\/ten-facts-royal-edinburgh-military-tattoo\/","title":{"rendered":"Ten Facts You Never Knew About the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo"},"content":{"rendered":"

Thanks to the Edinburgh Festival, which spans almost the whole of August, Scotland\u2019s capital isn\u2019t just on the map for holidaying Brits each summer, but draws in a huge international clientele too. And the festival\u2019s crowning glory is undoubtedly the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo. A tremendous spectacle of pipers, drummers, acrobats, military marching bands, cheerleaders and dancers, if the Tattoo\u2019s outrageous antics \u2013 which include motorcycle teams performing gravity-defying stunts \u2013 fail to catch your attention, the romantic castle with its Esplanade and ramparts illuminated against the inky night sky will. With the Tattoo fast approaching, here are 10 little-known facts that any first-timer should know.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a><\/p>\n

Diamond Pipes \u00a9 The Royal Edinburgh Military Tatoo<\/p>\n

1) A \u2018Tattoo\u2019 isn\u2019t a skin stamp<\/strong><\/h3>\n

The word comes from the closing-time cry \u2018Doe den tap toe\u2019 (Turn off the taps) in the pubs of the Low Countries. The British adopted the practice of playing a regiment\u2019s drums and pipes through the streets to signal that the keg taps should be turned so that soldiers would return to their barracks before their evening curfew lapsed.<\/p>\n

2) International in Scope<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Far from being a small-town provincial affair, the Tattoo attracts performers from over 48 countries across six continents. This is reflected in its audience too, as a third of attendees come from overseas.<\/p>\n

3) Well Established<\/strong><\/h3>\n

The first Tattoo took place in 1950, when there were just eight items in the program. This year pays tribute to HM The Queen\u2019s 90th<\/sup> birthday by celebrating \u2018Tunes of Glory\u2019.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a><\/p>\n

The Imps \u00a9 The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo<\/p>\n

4) Sells Like Hot Cakes<\/strong><\/h3>\n

With a cast of over 1,000 and an exhilarating program that includes thunderous military flybys, spectacular fireworks, rousing anthems and a holiday atmosphere, it\u2019s unsurprising that 95 per cent of tickets are usually gone several months in advance.<\/p>\n

5) A Logistical Wonder<\/strong><\/h3>\n

If all the cables required for the Tattoo were spread out from Edinburgh, they would reach Glasgow.<\/p>\n

6) Happens Come Rain or Shine<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Scotland is notoriously fickle when it comes to good weather, and yet not a single performance of the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo has ever been canceled.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a><\/p>\n

Tattoo Highland Dancers \u00a9 The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo<\/p>\n

7) Home Advantage<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Edinburgh Castle is HQ to one of Scotland\u2019s most senior cavalry regiments, The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards. Also known as the Carabiniers and Greys, the oldest surviving cavalry of the line in the British Army is always at the center of the Tattoo\u2019s pipe and drum action, and boasts not one but three mottos, which range from the Stuart royal family\u2019s \u2018No one provokes me with impunity\u2019 to the reserved maxim of the Prince of Wales\u2019, \u2018I serve\u2019.<\/p>\n

8) Gives Back to the Community<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Over the years, the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo has given $10 million to service and civilian and arts organizations, such as the Edinburgh International Festival.<\/p>\n

9) Traditional to the Bone<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Custom dictates that the famous Burns anthem, Auld Lang Syne, is sung at the end of each Tattoo, so make sure you\u2019re on friendly terms with your neighbors. And it\u2019s preceded by a spotlit Lone Piper, who plays a haunting lament. The first of these pipers, standing high up on the castle walls, was Pipe Major George Stoddart. He played in every performance for the first 11 years and his son, Major Gavin Stoddart, has upheld his mantle ever since.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a><\/p>\n

2013 Finale \u00a9 The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo<\/p>\n

10) What To Wear<\/strong><\/h3>\n

If you really want to get into the spirit of things, purchase a kilted skirt for the bonnie lass and high-waist Highland trews for the lad at the Tattoo\u2019s official shop.<\/p>\n

If talk of the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo has inspired you to experience the festival for yourself, why not book a place on the Country Roads of Scotland<\/a> trip, which offers the Tattoo as one of its Signature Experiences.<\/p>\n

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