10th August: Edinburgh Royal Military Tattoo

In full swing in Scotland at this time of year is the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo. Here are some things about the event which you may not know.

1. The word "Tattoo" comes from the Dutch phrase "Doe den tap toe", or just "tap toe", meaning "last orders" or literally, "close the (beer) tap". It was a signal, played by a regiment's Corps of Drums or Pipes and Drums each night, to tavern owners telling them to turn off the taps of their ale kegs so that the soldiers would go home to bed at a reasonable hour. By the 18th century, it was being used to mean the last duty call of the day, and also a ceremonial form of evening entertainment performed by Military musicians.
2. The first Tattoo to be held in Edinburgh took place at at the Ross Bandstand at Princes Street Gardens in 1949. Its theme was "Something About a Soldier". The first to be held at the castle was in 1950, in front of an audience of 6,000.
3. Now, the audience is more like 217,000 and it has sold out completely in advance for the past ten years.
4. If you can't get tickets, never fear - it is always broadcast by the BBC and is shown in 30 countries. In Australia, it is traditionally shown on New Year's Eve.
5. The Tattoo has never been cancelled due to inclement weather.
6. The first regiment from outside the UK to take part was the Band of the Royal Netherlands Grenadiers in 1952. The first non-military drum corps to participate were the Swiss Top Secret Drum Corps, who first performed at the 2003 Tattoo.
7. The Tattoo has been known as the "Royal" Edinburgh Military Tattoo after HM Queen Elizabeth awarded the title in celebration of six decades of the event.
8. Princess Anne is the patron and the main corporate sponsor is the Royal Bank of Scotland. As well as raising over £5 million for charity over the years, it generates £88 million in revenue for Edinburgh's economy annually.
9. The British Armed Forces (ie the Royal Navy and Royal Marines, the British Army and the Royal Air Force) take it in turns to be the lead service, and each year's event has a theme celebrating an anniversary, organisation or event. The theme for 2015, the 66th Tattoo, is "East Meets West".
10. Each performance ends with a rendition of the National Anthem and Auld Lang Syne, then a Flag lowering ceremony with a lone piper playing from the ramparts. The performers then march off the esplanade and down the Royal Mile to the tune of Scotland the Brave.