Major drive-in festivals to be staged at Ingliston and Dalkeith Country Park

Two major new drive-in events are to be staged in Scotland this summer.
An image showing what the Live From The Drive-In event at the Royal Highland Showground could look like.An image showing what the Live From The Drive-In event at the Royal Highland Showground could look like.
An image showing what the Live From The Drive-In event at the Royal Highland Showground could look like.

The Royal Highland Showground, near Edinburgh Airport, is the only location in Scotland lined up for a series of live drive-in concerts which will be staged at 12 sites across the UK from the middle of next month.

Ash, Beverley Knight, Brainiac, Brand New Heavies, Embrace, Gary Numan, Jack Savoretti, Lightning Seeds, Nathan Dawe, Russell Watson, The Snuts and The Streets will all be playing Live From The Drive-In shows at the Ingliston showground in August, coinciding with the city’s traditional summer festival season.

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All of the shows, which are being masterminded by entertainment giants Live Nation, will have a capacity of around 300 vehicles.

Around 300 vehicles will be allowed at each event at Ingliston.Around 300 vehicles will be allowed at each event at Ingliston.
Around 300 vehicles will be allowed at each event at Ingliston.

Live Nation said each concert would boast “concert-quality sound from a live stage, with a full state of the art sound system, lighting rig and high definition LED screens.”

Meanwhile a new festival billed as ‘Scotland’s biggest ever drive-in tour’ is to be staged in six locations across the country.

Dalkeith Country Park, in Midlothian, will host the launch of The Parking Lot Social in August, which will feature film screenings, live music and comedy, ‘car-a-oke’ and bingo and quizzes at a pop-up arena with 40 ft screens.

The touring arena, which will have a capacity for 250 vehicles at each location, will also visit yet-to-be-announced sites in Glasgow, Perth, Aberdeen, Dundee and Inverness.

The festival, which will see each ticketed event run for between two and three hours, is being planned by the Glasgow-based events company XL Event Lab, which says it has been “designed with social distancing at its heart.”

The festival website states: “We’ve created a spectacular event space and overloaded it with a programme of immersive and interactive entertainment broadcast from our stage straight to your car, allowing us all to come together, while still keeping us that safe distance apart.

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“Crazy times call for crazy solutions and while live entertainment as we know it may be on pause we’ve found a way to deliver it in a new, fun and safe format.”

A spokesman said: “While guests are required to remain in their car, there’s a focus on mass participation at all times to bring the audience together, while keeping them that safe distance apart.

“All tickets must be purchased online as there will be no on-site box office. Tickets are then displayed on the dashboard or scanned from phones ensuring a completely contactless purchase and check-in procedure.

“All audio will be transmitted via an FM radio signal sent to wireless headphones that will be supplied, in a sealed bag, to each guest upon arrival.

“For guests with sensory issues or who choose not to wear headphones, the audio programme will also be available via car radios on a separate channel.

“Queues for the toilets and any other ‘out of car’ areas will be subject to social distancing protocols with customers asked to maintain a safe distance from each other. Event staff will be on hand to advise on this and make sure that rules are being respected.”

Josh Kinnersley, chief operator officer at XL Event Lab, said: “It’s all being done safely and responsibly, so guests and staff can take part in this interactive drive-in festival without worry.

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“We’re working closely with local authorities to make sure that what we’ve got planned is going to be allowed and within guidelines.”

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