Capital reasons to enjoy Edinburgh’s other festivals

A series of events are making Edinburgh an especially attractive destination.

There are plenty of good reasons to visit Edinburgh this year.

The first is to see the Edinburgh International Science Festival which takes place from April 5-20.

It will host all manner of events, and be great for the kids during the Easter holidays.

The highlights include:

GastroFest, a mini-festival about the science of food and drink.

Making It, a celebration of “DIY” science.

Scotland Decides, a series examining the political questions shaping our scientific future.

Science at the HeART of Things, an exhibition and installation programme showcasing artists inspired by science.

The Reading Experiment, a campaign celebrating science writing in all its forms.

Last year’s Edinburgh Medal recipient and Nobel Prize winner Prof Peter Higgs will appear, one of many leading scientists and speakers at the Festival.

Another great reason to visit the Scottish capital is Tradfest, a festival inspired by the traditional arts of Scotland.

It takes place this year from April 29 to May 11 and celebrates traditional Scottish arts in many contexts.

This includes song, story, arts and crafts, music and dance. It will embrace the Scots and Gaelic languages and the arts of Scotland’s diverse communities.

Last year’s Tradfest, the first ever, received rave reviews, and if you enjoy Scottish culture in its many guises a wee trip to the capital should be on the cards.

Two exhibitions at the National War Museum and the National Museum of Scotland will mark the centenary of the First World War.

Next of Kin will open at the National War Museum on April 18.

Reflecting how families coped with the absence and loss of their loved ones, and kept objects as a way of remembering them, the exhibition will present a portrait of Scotland at war.

Next of Kin will be on display for a year before touring around Scotland until 2017.

Common Cause: Commonwealth Scots and the Great War, is at the National Museum of Scotland from July 11, and will explore the complex relationship between Scottish identity and the emerging national identities of the former British Empire.

In 1914, as the world prepared for war, thousands of men enlisted in Scotland. But thousands more Scots and those of Scottish descent joined up across the world.

In May, the Whisky Stramash will take place.

Designed to appeal to consumers with an appetite for adventure as well as whisky purists, the two-day event on May 24 and 25 will take over the Surgeon’s Hall in the Old Town.

Big name brands including The Dalmore, Isle of Jura, Dewars and Glenfiddich, as well as small independents within the industry, are signed up to showcase their whiskies in their own inimitable style.

Not your average whisky event, the Whisky Stramash has attracted more than 4,000 whisky lovers from across the globe since its launch in 2012, and is devoted to bringing whisky to the masses in its own unconventional way.

It showcases new ways to enjoy whisky with madcap molecular mixology stations as well as bringing famous whisky brands to life with interactive experiences.

Tickets at £26 are on sale now from ticketsoup.com.