The Edinburgh Festival goes out each year with literally many, very large bangs, in its annual Festival Fireworks Concert.

Beneath Edinburgh Castle, the world-renowed Scottish Chamber Orchestra will play while a fireworks team based in the castle provides synchronised visual accompaniment.

You need a ticket to hear the SCO playing at the Ross Band Stand in Princes Street Gardens, but the majority of spectators tune into local radio to hear the live broadcast and watch the pyrotechnians paint the sky in explosive colour.

Vantage points can be found around the city, from Princes Street to Calton Hill. Inverleith Park is also popular, not just for its great views of the castle, but also the fact that there is a live video link and top notch sound system to capture the Concert in the Gardens that accompanies the fireworks display. It's not as exciting as being up close, under the castle, but you can avoid the uptown crush of Princes Street. Get there earlyish to bag a good spot.

2008 Programme

The Scottish Chamber Orchestra plays:

Dvořák Slavonic Dances (Excerpts)
Brahms Hungarian Dances (Excerpts)

Tickets

Due to the popularity of this event, please note the special ticket sales arrangements:

Ross Theatre tickets (£25) go on sale with all other Festival tickets. Princes Street Gardens tickets (£10) are allocated in three ways:

1) By postal ballot, limited to six per customer. Please send separate payment and application with SAE to Hub Tickets, The Hub, Castlehill, Edinburgh EH1 2NE. Closing date for the ballot is Monday 19 May.

2) Online - an allocation will be released for sale at 11.00am on Monday 21 July at www.eif.co.uk These are limited to four per customer.

3) The final allocation will go on sale on Sunday 24 August at 10.00am only from the counter at The Hub. These are limited to four per customer.