Against the backdrop of Edinburgh’s historic castle, The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo is one of the most popular events in the city’s already impressive calendar. Celebrating the skills and talents of military bands and display teams from across the globe, over several weeks of performances — this year between 4 and 26 August — audiences enjoy massed pipes and drums, marching bands, dancers, and mock battles, all performed with clockwork military precision and showmanship. With a yearly attendance now of over 200,000 and a 100,000,000 strong worldwide television audience, it is hard to believe that this enormous spectacle had such humble beginnings.
Let’s start with the name.
