Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo

The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo is an annual series of military tattoos performed by British Armed Forces, Commonwealth and international military bands, and artistic performance teams on the Esplanade of Edinburgh Castle in the capital of Scotland. The event is held each August as one of the Edinburgh Festivals.

The Tattoo performance takes place every weekday evening and twice on Saturdays throughout August and has never been cancelled due to inclement weather.^[3] However, in 2020 and 2021 the performances were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2010 the event became the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo after HM Queen Elizabeth awarded the Royal title in celebration of its six decades of existence. Since 2012, each performance has included a fireworks display. From 2005 to 2015, a son et lumière element projected on to the facade of the Castle. In 2016, the projection technology on the castle was upgraded to utilize modern projection mapping technology. In 2018, laser technology was used for the first time.^[7]

Since 2004, the Edinburgh Military Tattoo has also held free abridged performances at the Ross Bandstand in Princes Street Gardens, entitled "Taste of the Tattoo",^[8] and as of 2008 also in George Square in Glasgow.^[9] The Edinburgh Military Tattoo has also toured overseas, visiting New Zealand in 2000 as part of the Tattoo's 50th anniversary celebrations. It visited Australia in 2005 and returned to the Sydney Football Stadium in February 2010 as part of the Tattoo's 60th anniversary celebrations.^[10] In February 2016 the Tattoo sold 240,000 tickets when it was staged in Wellington, New Zealand and Melbourne Australia.^[11] The performance was held at ANZ Stadium, Sydney in October 2019. There were also plans to take the show to China in 2020, with performances in Shanghai, Beijing, and Guangzhou.^[12] Due to the COVID-19 pandemic these plans were suspended.

As of 2021^[update], Anne, Princess Royal is the patron of the event, with the main corporate sponsor being Edinburgh Airport.^[13]

Each service is usually represented by bands from the British Armed Forces, along with drill and display teams as well. On special occasions, the Tattoo will feature bands from more than one service at the same time. In both 2002 and 2012, bands from all three services were featured to mark Elizabeth II's Golden and Diamond Jubilees. In 2003, the music of Westlife was featured at the event.^[15]

From 1950 until 1994, the show mainly featured acts from military organizations. However, the show began to diversify and feature civilian acts beginning in 1995. While this was initially met with resistance from some fans, the inclusion of civilian acts has become more and more present in the show over time. One of the most popular acts featured at the Tattoo is the Top Secret Drum Corps from Basel, which has performed in the 2003, 2006, 2009, 2012, 2015, 2018, and 2022 Tattoos. By 2018 performers from 48 countries had appeared in the tattoo since its inception.^[3]

Since 2014, a house pipe band was introduced to allow individual pipers and drummers from not only Scotland but across many parts of the world to play in the Tattoo. Known as The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo Pipes and Drums, they join in with the massed pipes and drums each year and are the first pipe band with no military connections to play in the Tattoo.

A stage band made up of volunteer musicians from around the world was assembled for the 2019 program. The 2022 programme included Banda Monumental de Mexico, the United States Army Field Band in its debut Tattoo performance, the Highland Divas, the New Zealand Army Band and the United States Air Force Honor Guard Drill team.

Producers of the Edinburgh Tattoo have included:

• Lt Col George Malcolm of Poltalloch – Produced a pageant on the Castle Esplanade in 1947 entitled "The King's Men" and produced the first Edinburgh Tattoo in 1950.
• Captain Forbes Taylor – Produced the 1952 Tattoo. As a professional film director, Captain Forbes Taylor provided the experience upon which the format for subsequent Tattoos were set and included the first overseas performers.
• Brigadier Alistair MacLean of Pennycross – Director of the Tattoo from 1950-1953. Producer of the Tattoo from 1953-1959.
• Lt Col Duncan Carter-Campbell of Possil – Served with the Cameronians (Scottish Rifles). Producer of the Tattoo from 1960-1967.
• Brigadier Jack Sanderson – Former Scots Guards officer. Producer of the Tattoo from 1968-1975.
• Lt Col Leslie Dow – Served with the Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) and became producer in 1976-1991.
• Major Michael Parker – Producer of the Royal Tournament (1974–99), the Berlin Tattoo as well as the VE & VJ Day commemorations in 1995. Producer of the Tattoo from 1992–1994.
• Brigadier Melville Jameson – Served with the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards and former commander of the Highland Brigade. Producer of the Tattoo from 1994–2006.
• Major-General Euan Loudon – Served with the Royal Highland Fusiliers and former GOC 2nd Division and Governor of Edinburgh Castle. Producer of the Tattoo from 2007-2010.
• Brigadier David Allfrey MBE – Served with The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards. Producer of the Tattoo from 2011-2020.^[17][18]

Following the retirement of Brigadier David Allfrey in 2020, the role of Chief Executive and Producer was split into two positions. The current two leaders of the Tattoo are:

• Chief Executive: Major General Buster Howes CB OBE - Royal Marines officer and former Commandant General Royal Marines. Joined the organisation in June 2020.^[19]
• Creative Director: Michael Braithwaite - British producer of live events. Joined the organisation in October 2020. ^[20]

• Basel Tattoo
• Royal Nova Scotia International Tattoo