Aberdeen Standard Investments Opening Event: Night Light is cancelled, but all other performances are going ahead as scheduled.

This morning we had to regretfully announce that the Aberdeen Standard Investments Opening Event: Night Light scheduled for 6-8 August is cancelled. While the news may come as a blow to all who were looking forward to attending the event in the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, we would also like to take this opportunity to assure you that it has no impact on any other performances in this year’s programme.

Our decision to cancel Night Light came about from a particular set of circumstances specific to this event. As Festival Director Fergus Linehan explains, ‘This event is quite different to our other projects as it requires the artist's presence in Edinburgh at a very early stage. Unfortunately, the exemption from quarantine for international artists has not been reinstated and so travel for the creative personnel involved in the preparatory production of Night Light is now untenable.’

Our opening night events have a long history of capturing the imagination of festival goers, signalling the beginning of a month-long celebration of culture and artistry in a city that really is like no other. Paul Bush OBE, VISITScotland’s Director of Events says, ‘While this [cancellation] will be disappointing to all those who enjoy the opening event and its role in signalling the start of Edinburgh's August festivals, the wide selection of events across the International Festival's programme remain unaffected and will reinforce Scotland's reputation as the perfect stage for events.’

We are well and truly on the way to realising this year’s programme for August, which features a majority of UK-based artists and performers. As always, we look forward to welcoming you back and seeing you at our other performances, many of which take place in the outdoors from specially built stages in the Old College Quad, Edinburgh Park and Edinburgh Junior Academy.

And we are also looking forward to continuing our ongoing partnership with Aberdeen Standard Investments. ‘As title sponsor of the opening event, Aberdeen Standard Investments, are clearly disappointed, but supportive of the decision to cancel this year’s event due to unprecedented circumstances,” says Simon Bailey Global Head of Brand Management at Aberdeen Standard Investments. ‘We will work with the Edinburgh International Festival to explore other possible ways to support the Festival to be as inclusive and far reaching as possible.’   

We can’t wait to enjoy this Festival with you.