Celebrating Leith Weekender
with Cinema on the Shore by Cinescapes
****Update on the Demise of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II****
The Leith Culture and Heritage group, and Leith for Ever team are saddened by the announcement that Queen Elizabeth II has passed away. This is truly the end of an era, and will be felt by all whether monarchists or not.
Following the announcement on Thursday we have been considering whether the Celebrating Leith event should proceed.
At this time we feel that the event should go ahead as planned. We will hold a minute of silence during the opening of the stage as a mark of respect.
We feel it is fitting that we continue to reflect on our heritage and culture, and to bring people together to celebrate our community at this sad time.
Leith for Ever have partnered with Cinescapes to bring you the Celebrating Leith Weekender, with a pop up cinema on the shore in partnership with cinescapes.
On the 17th and 18th September we will be celebrating some of the arts, heritage and community Leith has to offer. We will have community market stalls at the market, performances at Custom Wharf, and a range of tours. Plus we highlight some great events happening in Leith on or around that weekend! Click a link below to go to a specific section, or scroll down to find out more…
At the Market….
17th September 10am - 4pm
Leith For Ever
Pop by to find out a bit more about what Leith for Ever is all about, how you can get involved, and to chat about what is happening on the day. We will have various books, leaflets and info on local organisations available. Come and say hello!
Girls Rock School
Girls Rock School Edinburgh run free music classes for all women and trans people who are 18 to 118 years of age. They teach vocals, guitar, bass and drums at wheelchair accessible Leith venue the Biscuit Factory, and occasionally run songwriting, DJ and music tech workshops. They will be available to chat about what they do and how you can get involved. They will have T shirts and badges for sale, and will be taking donations.
Dr Bell's Family Centre
We are a child-friendly family and community centre, based in the heart of Leith. Dr Bell’s aims to be a welcoming place where families with young children can get encouragement, support, and advice in a relaxed environment. Our mission is to support families living in Leith with at least one child under the age of 5. We offer group and family support, creche and counselling services. Our groups have been tailored to support our families to give their little ones the best start in life, while also support their own wellbeing. For everyone and focusing on the most disadvantaged – to minimise stigma, we play a significant part in creating community cohesion by bringing together people of different cultures around a shared agenda – the welfare of children.
Leith Sea Cadets - Unfortunately the Leith Sea Cadets will no longer be in attendance.
Leith Sea Cadets have been offering high quality and life-changing training to young people in Leith for nearly 80 years. The aim of the Sea Cadets is to prepare young people for responsible adulthood, while offering exciting opportunities to learn to sail, row, cook and fix engines, among other things!
Leith Boy’s Brigade
The Boys’ Brigade strives to provide children and young people with a safe and caring place to learn, grow and discover. With groups based at Duke Street URC and South Leith Parish Church we offer active, creative and adventurous activities for boys from P1 - S6. Come and say hello to find out about the history of the BB’s in Leith and see how you can get involved.
House of Jack
House of Jack is a dance studio based in Leith (Ocean Terminal), focussing on street and performance dance styles including hip hop, breaking (breakdance) and musical theatre dance. As a non-profit organisation, we offer affordable classes for kids and adults, as well as holiday camps, youth company training, performances, shows and events. We welcome all ages and levels of ability and run classes every day, with more than 40 classes per week - learn to dance in a fun, encouraging environment! Pop past our stall to find out more, and grab some free balloons and badges.
Citadel Arts Group
Citadel Arts Group is based in Leith and many of our projects celebrate the vibrant culture of this community. Citadel Arts Group is fascinated by Leith history and has compiled many books of the stories of local people. Copies of these are on sale on the stall including Memories of Leith Hospital, stories of the Leith ex-whalers and Leith Women at Work.
We believe theatre is a total experience. It begins with the creation of a script through Citadel's Playwrights Workshop, grows in rehearsal, and culminates in a stage or audio performance which touches and challenges audiences. Our aim is to reach people who do not often have access to live theatre in their own communities. Citadel Arts Group also runs a youth drama group and welcomes collaborations. Find us at the market to hear more about past projects and our current work.
Ukrainian Club
Leith has been the heart of the Ukrainian Community for 70+ years by being the home of the Consulate, Church, Community Centre and Holodomor memorial. As the cultural heart of the Ukrainian Community, Leith has provided a focal point over the years including celebrating the most recent Eurovision Win, Political Milestones, 30 years of Independence as well as moments of social gathering. Over the last six months, the Ukrainian Community Centre at 14 Royal Terrace has been at the centre of Edinburgh's response to the war in Ukraine and arrival of Displaced Ukrainian People in the city. In February, shortly after the start of the war, a humanitarian aid collection was set up which attracted the support of 1,000+ people over a three-week period and supported six lorries of aid to Poland and Ukraine. As well as Humanitarian aid, the community centre has been hosting events, gatherings and information sessions for Ukrainians arriving to ensure their social, cultural and initial resettlement needs are met.
Come and meet some of the people who have been supporting those who have been displaced over the last year, and find out more about how you can help or support those who need it. Donations will be collected on the day, Please do not donate clothes at this time. The following items are needed as a priority:
Non-Perishable Food
New Shoes (Trainers)
New Underwear
Nappies, Baby Milk and Baby Food. Buggies
Medical supplies incl Paracetamol and Ibuprofen
Toiletries
Monetary Donations can also be taken with great thanks.
Leith Festival
Come and have a chat with some of the Leith Festival board and Volunteers, find out how you can get involved with the festival, or share your stories of festivals gone by. We will be promoting our new Leith Festival Live programme, and will have a selection of Leith Festival merchandise available.
Leith Festival began in 1907 with the Leith Pageant organised to raise funds for the Leith Hospital. Since then Leith Festival has had some great times, and is now going from strength to strength as we return from the pandemic. We would love to welcome some new faces to the board to help with ongoing organisation of next year’s festival as well as other events throughout the year.
LeithLate
Picturing Leith is a public art project being led by LeithLate to examine the past, present and future of the Leith History Mural.
Unveiled in 1986 by Artists Collective, Leith History Mural is a well-loved local artwork located on the gable end of a tenement next to Leith Library. After almost 40 years of exposure to the Scottish elements, the mural has deteriorated badly with some areas lost entirely. Come and tell us what you think.
Leith SWI
Leith Scottish Women's Institute (SWI) is a community group set up in 2013 to bring women together to make new friends, try new things and have fun. We meet twice a month on Tuesday evenings in Duke Street. We have a varied programme of activities from chocolate tasting to knitting and soldering to paddleboarding! Annual membership is just £40 (no other fees on top of this). All women welcome. Find us on facebook, instagram and on our website.
On the stage….
17th September, 12pm - 4pm
Opening Address
MSP for Edinburgh North and Leith Ben McPherson opens our stage.
Rocking out with girls rock school
Participants from girls rock school show us what they can do!
A trip down Memory Lane with Tom Wright - CANCELLED
Interview with Tom Wright, a founder of the Leith Football Memories project. Football Memories started in Glasgow, but now has local groups all across Scotland. The group provides a social space for people to come together and remember past games, particularly those living with dementia and and those close to them.
Unfortunately Tom can no longer be with us on Saturday. Instead we will have an interview with…
History of Fire with Dave Farries
Come and hear about the history of the fire service in Leith and Edinburgh. Find out about the new museum of fire soon to open in MacDonald Road and some of the artefacts you will be able to see there.
Dylan Wilson
Dig Dylan Wilson, founder of Edinburgh label Khymera Records and the self-proclaimed inventor of 'Bedroom Rock'; Dylan's music is a dreamy nostalgia for times you never really had, laid down on acoustic guitar and harmonica.
Lives: Re-imagined: Interview with Artist Sasha Callaghan
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be an 'inmate' in one of Leith's poorhouses? Wonder no more! Artist Sasha talks to us about her project, reimagining the lives of six disabled Leithers from times past.
Ukrainian Choir
We welcome the Ukrainian choir to our stage. The Ukrainian choir reformed in recent months, joined by our newly arrived guests, to perform at the celebration to mark 31 years of Ukrainian independence. They will be bringing traditional Ukrainian music to Leith.
House of Jack Dance
House of Jack dance studio's Youth Companies bring energetic hip hop choreography and freestyle to the stage in a performance from both the Mini Jackers and Jackin' the Box
Edinburgh Academy of Music and Sound
Based in Giles streets the Academy of music and sound bring us tunes from some of their fabulous students.
Leith Writings
New work inspired by Leith Links. Authors from the new Leith Writings anthology perform readings to give us a taster of what we can expect from this year’s tales. The next anthology is due to be published in November this year. See other events for more!
Luna’s Paradise, brought to us by Sketchy Beats
We round off the afternoon with Luna's Paradise, an original indie project based in Edinburgh, started by multi-instrumentalist and songwriter Luiz Henrick.
The project started during the first lockdown of the COVID-19 pandemic, when Luiz had to return to Brazil and turned an empty house into a jam house, using equipment borrowed from friends. In this house, Luiz immersed himself in songwriting and began to venture into sound production, even though he did not have adequate recording equipment.
Two of these home recordings, ''Fantasy'' and ''Rock N' Romance'' were released on spotify earlier this year and perfectly represent not only Luna's Paradise's roots but also the direction of the project.
Luna's Paradise is being very well received by the public due to the open-minded sound and overall aesthetic the band is bringing to the local scene.
Pop Up Cinema
Leith Stories
12pm-4pm 17th and 18th September
Join us in the Custom House loading bay to see archival Leith footage, and add your own stories to our new contemporary audio archive. Leith is changing. Help us create a contemporary audio archive about Leith to share with future generations of Leithers and visitors.
Cinema on the Shore
7pm-10pm on the 17th september, and 11am-10pm on the 18th September
Cinescapes brings us cinema on the Shore! A weekend-long programme of Scottish and international films to buzzing Leith shore! Enjoy pop-up drinks and food from local vendors, music and a packed selection of movies to suit everyone.
This year, our programme explores stories of seaside communities and folklore, and high-seas adventures - an outdoor cinema experience that ties in with the incredible, maritime location of Leith’s shore area.
From animated shorts, to thought-provoking documentaries and well-loved, cult movies, our family-friendly selection of films brings together emerging young filmmakers and Oscar-winners, drama, comedy and thrills.
Tours
Various dates and time from Saturday 17th September to Saturday 24th September
Click on the tour title to be taken to the booking page.
Leith Euro Walk
Sunday 18th September 2pm
Leith is a wonderful, distinctive buzzing port district, home to long time locals and hip creatives. It is also a community that have consistently shown that they want positive, peaceful and thriving relations with Europe. In this walk you can take time to appreciate the many European landmarks in Leith. The walk itself is one of a growing number of freely available EuroWalks that have been developed by European Movement in Scotland affiliated local volunteer groups. You can find out more about us on our website The European Movement in Scotland and details of all our walks at Euro Walks in Scotland.
History of the Shore
Tuesday 20th September 6pm
Tim Bell of Leith Walks takes us on a jounrey through the history of the Shore area.
Trainspotting
Thursday 22nd September 6pm
Tim Bell of Leith Walks explores the social and economic circumstances that led to Leith becoming a heroin hotspot, and became the inspiration behind Trainspotting.
Treasure Hunt by Invisible Cities (TBC)
Take some family time and explore Leith through this interactive Treasure Hunt by Invisible Cities.
LeithLate Mural Tour
Saturday 17th September 2pm
LeithLate's popular mural tours have been running for 8 years and take in some of the highlights of Leith's public art. Including Leith’s famous history mural.
Pick up a heritage trail map from the Leith for Ever Stall on the 17th September, or download it here. By Leith Trust and Historic Environment Scotland
Other Events
Artefacts from the Museum of Fire
17th September 10am-4pm, Custom House, access through the Loading Bay.
Explore the history of the fire service in Leith and Edinburgh. See some of the uniforms and other historical artefacts from the Fire Museum Collection, and have a chat with the staff.
Edinburgh Fire and Rescue service have been developing a new Museum of Fire in MacDonald Road, in the meantime they bring us some of their favourite objects from the Fire museum collection.
Edinburgh Tool Library
17th September 10am - 4pm, access from the Dock place Market
The Edinburgh Tool Library is a library of tools! We offer tool borrowing and use of workshops to our members, and we also organise outreach build sessions and larger community builds. Pop in to our new workshop space in Customs House to have a look around and say hello to some of our fabulous volunteers.
Colony of Artists Festival
17th and 18th September 11am-6pm, Abbeyhill Colonies
THE COLONY OF ARTISTS IS AN ECLECTIC EXHIBITION IN THE ARTISAN COMMUNITY in the ABBEYHILL COLONIES, EDINBURGH where our community of artists will take part in our 17th Annual Exhibition in their own homes and gardens. Support your creative community and come along to say Hello!
Summer Anywhere Festival
16th, 17th, and 18th September, All day and Evening, Wee Hub at Ocean Terminal, Sketchy Beats, and The Mother Superior Bar.
A free festival of Spoken Word, Poetry and Music. A cornucopia of Scotland's finest poets. Makars, legends and new voices alongside folk music and some of the finest open mic events in Scotland. Check out the link below for the full programme and latest updates.
Leith Writings Live - POSTPONED Date TBC.
19th September, 1pm Argonaut Books
Author’s from this year’s Leith Writings anthology share some of their work in a casual readings session at Argonaut Books. Drop in for a listen, a browse and a coffee - a perfect way to spend the bank holiday Monday afternoon!
Talk - George IV’s visit to Leith
20th September 7pm, Leith Community Centre
The Leith Local History Society are pleased to present the latest in their series of talks exploring aspects of Leith’s History. Eric Melville will present on the visit of George IV in 1822, the first monarch to visit Scotland in nearly 200 years, King George made his landing at Leith Docks.
Doors Open Days in Leith
Edinburgh Doors open days weekend is the 24th and 25th September. Here we highlight the Leith venues that will be open to the public - Click the header to be taken directly to more information.
A full list of all places open for Edinburgh doors open days can be found on the Doors Open Days Website
Custom House
24 September 2022 (10:00 - 15:00)
Custom House, one of Leith's most distinctive Georgian buildings, is now a buzzing creative hub and hireable event space in the heart of The Shore. It is the oldest custom house in Scotland, now an A-listed Georgian Building. Custom House was designed by Robert Reid in a neo-classical style constructed between 1810-12 with alterations by William Burns in 1825.
EDINBURGH OPEN WORKSHOP
24 September 2022 (10:00 - 16:00)
Edinburgh Open Workshop – an Open Access Makerspace in the heart of Leith. We are a co-working facility built on a pay-as-you-go model – offering membership-based access to a fully equipped wood, metal, paint, and textiles workshop, with long term resident maker space, art studios, and a creative learning program of classes and workshops to help you gain the confidence to ‘Make it Yourself’.
OUT OF THE BLUE DRILL HALL
24 September 2022 (10:00 - 14:00)
Out of the Blue Arts and Education Trust’s mission is to provide affordable and appropriate spaces, resources, projects and opportunities for the residents of Edinburgh to be creative in multiple locations. On Saturday 24th September, we will be running hourly tours of the Out of the Blue Drill Hall from 11am until the last tour at 2pm. Please arrive at least 15 minutes before your preferred tour slot to sign up for a place. There will be sign up sheets available for each tour from 10am.
The bustling monthly Out of the Blue Flea Market will be open in the Main Hall from 10am-3pm.
SEAFIELD TREATMENT CENTRE - VEOLIA
24 and 25 September 2022 (09:00 - 15:00)
How has Edinburgh’s waste been treated in the past? How is it treated today? From sewage being tossed onto the streets, to the Gardyloo ship, to today’s modern treatment methods including how green energy is generated in the process. Three tours will be offered per day for Doors Open Days 2022. Each tour will have 12 spaces. The tours will last for a maximum of 2 hours each. Visitors will be expected to book on tours in advance using the eventbrite booking form and bring their tickets with them.
SOUTH LEITH PARISH CHURCH
24 and 25 September 2022 (10:00 - 16:00)
South Leith Parish Church, founded in 1483, has been the ?Church in the Midst? the historic parish church in Leith for over 500 years. Our historic building, redesigned by Thomas Hamilton in 1847, has within it many historical and architectural items of great interest including a unique hammer beam roof and magnificent stained-glass windows. The church has many royal connections including the coat of arms of Mary of Guise and Mary Queen of Scots.
The wonderful pipe organ will be played by our organ player Billy Campbell for 10-15 minutes on the hour each hour at 12pm, 1pm, 2pm and 3pm.
