07.08.2009

Military Festival starts in Edinburgh

It’s been just a week after the end of one of the largest world military festivals, Basel Tattoo, that the oldest European festival, fairly recognized as the origin of military music forums – the Military Tattoo - is now in full swing. The Edinburgh Military Tattoo is celebrating its 60th anniversary in the framework of the 250th anniversary of Robert Burns.

The Scottish spectators will see a magnificent show featuring numerous international groups and bands on August 7-29 in Edinburgh, including the world famous joint bands of drummers and bagpipers and the band of the British Royal Air Forces.

The continuation of the British Military Tattoo will be the International Military Music Festival Spasskaya Tower that will take place on September 5-10 on the Red Square in Moscow.

Popularity of such festivals in the world has been confirmed by the recent military band festival in Basel (Switzerland). The spectacular events were seen by about 100,000 people when around 2,000 famous international groups were performing on a special arena in Kaserne Basel (former military barracks) on July 18-25.




The main world festivals:

The International Military Festival in Virginia  
Held in Norfolk in the frame of the Festival of Arts since 1997; one of the largest forums of its kind in the USA.
Period: April.

The Norway Military Festival
Held in Oslo since 1994. The main objective is to promote the traditions of the Norway armed forces.
Period: May.

The Royal International Military Festival in new Scotland
Held in New Scotland with the support of the Government of Canada. Took place for the first time in 1979 to mark the visit of Elisabeth I to New Scotland in the framework of the international meeting of the Scottish clans.   
Period: first week of July.

The Basel Festival of Military Bands
Basel Tattoo, a yearly festival of military bands in Basel (Switzerland). Spectacular performances are viewed from a special arena in Kaserne Basel (former military barracks).
Period: end of July.





The Edinburgh Military Tattoo
Held under the aegis of the British Royal Family. Takes place in front of the Edinburgh castle since 1950.
Period: the first three weeks of August.

The Swedish Army Festival
Held in Stockholm and aimed at promotion of military traditions of the Swedish armed forces.
Period: August-September.

The International Military Music Festival Spasskaya Tower
Held in Moscow on the Red Square. Takes place according to the Decree of Dmitry Medvedev, the President of the Russian Federation.
Period: September.

The Military Festival in the Netherlands
Held since 1953. A year before that, the band of the Armed Forces of Netherlands took part in the Edinburgh Military Tattoo (as the first foreign participant). Impressed by the show, the direction of the Armed Forces of Netherlands decided to organize a proper military music forum.
Period: September.

The Berlin Military Festival
Held since 1995 under the aegis of the Federal Ministry of Defense of Germany. Today it is one of the leading European military music forums.
Period: October-November.