Ready, Steady, Ceilidh! Edinburgh Festival Fringe

If you are looking for an interactive Edinburgh Festival Fringe experience for all the family, then Ready, Steady, Ceilidh! is for you. An engaging introduction to that old mainstay of Scottish culture, the Ceilidh – a traditional Scottish party with music, dancing, stories and jokes – the show delivers both fun and child-friendly dances.

Our young children (aged 6 and 3) particularly enjoyed the mock battle with a rival clan, dancing the modified version of the Gay Gordons and the Hat Dance. A great location in the world-famous Spiegeltent Palazzo (once again resplendent in leafy George Square Gardens) and a celebrity host in the form of stand-up comic and TV presenter Iain Stirling (kids might recognise him from popular CBBC shows like ‘The Dog Ate My Homework’ and ‘Help! My School Trip is Magic’) and Ready, Steady, Ceilidh! becomes even more alluring.

The music meanwhile is directed by Stuart Cassells (founder of The Red Hot Chilli Pipers) and Alex Silverman and played by some of Scotland’s best traditional musicians including Martin O’Neil and Hayley McInnes. With such a winning combination of location and talent, it is perhaps unsurprising that even the most reserved members of the audience during out show ended up spending the entire show spinning around the floor and cheering for more! We’d highly recommend this show for wee ones and their accompanying not so wee ones who’ll enjoy the fiddle and bagpipe fuelled musical thrill ride.

Venue: Assembly George Square Gardens, Spiegeltent Palazzo

Time: 12.30

Running time: 50 minutes

Dates: 31 July – 25 August (no show Monday 11 August)

Tickets: £10-£12

Bookings:assemblyfestival.com; tel: 0131 623 3030; Assembly box offices at Assembly Hall, Assembly Roxy, Assembly George Stare and Assembly Checkpoint