Jazz and blues festival kicks off in Edinburgh tonight
It's beginning to feel a lot like festival season
Festival season is getting underway in Edinburgh this weekend.
The Jazz and Blues festival kicks off today (July 15).
Founded in 1978, Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival is now one of the largest and most respected jazz and blues festivals in Europe.
The festivities takes visitors through the entire history of the genre.
"It's absolutely amazing to be starting the festival." Festival Producer Fiona Alexander told Forth 1.
"We've had two years of not a full festival. So to be back to where we were before and to be starting our journey of 130 concerts, it feels quite amazing.
"So it's absolutely fantastic. To be back to what feels like normal."
A number of concerts are taking place across the Capital on Friday and across the weekend.
One of the main attractions is Jools Holland at the Festival Theatre.
Festivities continue through the weekend with two free events.
Fiona Alexander said:
"So on Saturday, between one o'clock and four o'clock the Mardi Gras is going to be transformed into a mini New Orleans. We've got four stages across the Grassmarket and lots of bands will be strutting their musical stuff.
"Then on Sunday, between one and six on Princes Street and in Princes Street Gardens, it's the Edinburgh Festival carnival, and we have a parade with 800 performers. So if you like dancers, musicians in flamboyant costumes, lots of sequins, lots of feathers, this is definitely the one for you."