Colourful theme for Leith Festival's big community launch

IT HAS spent years trying to shed its image as Edinburgh's place of ill-repute but Leith is to be deliberately turned into a red light district.

Bars and restaurants along The Shore will change the lights in their windows to red for the Leith Festival's big launch on 11 June, with red lighting also installed at the plaza outside Malmaison. Performers will dress in red and a mural featuring images of Leith will be unveiled, also painted in red.

But the red theme was dreamt up in the spirit of celebration, rather than as a cheeky homage to the seedier side of the port's past, according to festival manager, Adele Conn and her assistant Heather Cameron.

Ms Conn said: "We didn't even think about that until somebody mentioned it. Heather and I are both redheads and the colour of the Leith Festival is red, and then after we'd come up with the idea, somebody actually said 'It's a red light district!'"

They originally hoped to turn the Water of Leith red with lights and projections, but had to scale back their plans because of a funding shortfall.

Ms Conn said: "It's proving a little bit difficult, but we're still going with the red light theme, all the bars and the restaurants are going to change their lights to red and there will be two groups of kids, one group of young ladies are painting a mural of 'Leithscapes' in red, which will be unveiled on the night, another group are working on songs to do with Leith, and then we're hoping to release 150 red balloons."

There will also be entertainment from local bands, dancers and choirs. It is the first time the event has held a community launch, and Ms Conn said she hoped it would help boost the number of people taking part in the festival, which runs from 11 to 20 June.

"In the past, we've had the Gala Day on the last Saturday of the festival and everyone comes along and says 'Oh, the Leith Festival!', and we say 'Yes, but you've only got a day left'," Ms Conn said. "So we've moved the Gala Day to the start."

Leith Councillor Gordon Munro said: "Normally a councillor would not welcome a red light area in their ward but this community project will turn The Shore red. What a great way to open Leith Festival."

The opening event at The Shore runs from 7:30pm until 9:30pm on 11 June, centred on the piazza outside Malmaison. The Gala Day begins at 11am on 12 June at Leith Links, with the parade starting at noon from Lochend Park. For full programme details see www.leith festival.com.