Covid in Scotland: Opening festival event cancelled over quarantine rules

Musician Su-a Lee helped launch this year's EIF programme at the Royal Botanic Garden

The Edinburgh International Festival has been forced to cancel its opening event.

The three-day Night Light event was due to take place over the first weekend of the festival at the beginning of August.

A group of French artists who were working on the Royal Botanic Garden show cannot make it to the capital due to quarantine restrictions.

Scottish traditional musicians were also due to work at the free show.

France is currently on the UK government's amber list for restrictions, meaning people have to isolate for 10 days after arrival in Scotland and take two Covid tests.

Preparation for the show, which involved fire sculptures and a large scale fire walk, required the performers to arrive seven weeks in advance.

All other shows at the festival are unaffected by the cancellation.

Three temporary venues are being created at Edinburgh Park, Edinburgh University's Old College Quad and Edinburgh Academy Junior School's playing fields.

Night Light was to be a free event over three days

An Edinburgh International Festival spokeswoman said: "Regretfully we have had to cancel the Aberdeen Standard Investments Opening Event: Night Light scheduled for 6-8 August.

"Without the previously available artists travel exemption from quarantine, it is not logistically feasible for the Carabosse creative team to travel from France to Edinburgh to undertake the necessary preparatory work, which needs to be completed seven weeks before the event itself."

Paul Bush, VisitScotland's director of events, said: "Since its inception in 2015, the opening event of the Edinburgh International Festival has captured the imagination of festival goers and opened it up to a whole new audience.

"Despite the best efforts of all involved, it is regrettable the festival is having to cancel this year's Aberdeen Standard Investments opening event, Night Light."