Edinburgh International Festival’s Opening Event is a blend of immersive installation, live performance, music, video projection and captivating storytelling titled Where To Begin. Taking place from Friday 2–Sunday 4 August, tickets are available now for this large-scale communal experience. 

Taking its cue from the Festival’s 2024 theme ‘Rituals That Unite Us’, Where To Begin will transform the grounds of George Heriot’s in Edinburgh’s Old Town in a journey of imagination and speculation about what hidden power may be found in the areas world-famous vaults and tunnels. Participants will be led on a journey through the grounds before watching an intricate video projection detailing the story of why they are gathered there. Adding to the romantic, dramatic atmosphere is the time of the event; each experience will begin at 9.45pm, as dusk arrives and the inky night descends on the historic grounds. The evenings will be held in partnership with single malt scotch whisky The Macallan. 

Edinburgh International Festival Director, Nicola Benedetti said, ‘This year, we've invited everyone to participate in our 2024 theme, Rituals That Unite Us. Opening Event: Where to Begin in partnership with The Macallan, marks the first of a new ritual, both for our Festival and the city. We know audiences will be blown away by this spectacle, and we're proud to show the formidable creative power and potential of Edinburgh and its people to the world. It's an event that beckons us to find new ways to experience and appreciate our city.’

Where To Begin, Edinburgh International Festival, Friday 2–Sunday 4 August; main picture: Daniel Quirke. 

Crafted without compromise; Please savour The Macallan responsibly. Do not share with anyone under the legal purchase age.