Edinburgh Big Beach Busk: Music event will return to Portobello for tenth time this year

The Edinburgh Big Beach Busk will be retuning for a tenth time this year, with Portobello beach set to fill up with hundreds of musicians.

The huge busking event was originally conceived as a way of giving a space to Edinburgh buskers who may be squeezed by the Festival.

Last year around 450 took part, filling up the mile-long promenade.

It will be back on Saturday, August 31 starting at midday and running until 6pm. Hundreds of musicians and performers are expected at the inclusive event.

Paul Lambie, who organised the first Beach Busk and and has since seen it grow and grow, posted his thoughts on the event's Facebook page.

He said: "The Busk is something I've been working on for the past decade. It's grown year on year into something quite beautiful.

"This was conceived as an antidote to Edinburgh's frantic Festival. A lot of local musicians who would normally gig or busk in the city get squeezed out when the carnival comes to town so we brewed up our own day of music. On the last Saturday of August each year I've invited every musician I know to come Busk and muck about on Portobello Promenade. They've asked their friends and word's got out. About 450 came last year.

The Big Beach Busk grows a little every year and it's now a firm fixture in our seaside suburb's social calendar."

However Paul suggested he did not want to see the beach busk become commercialised.

He said: "I spent a week deeply immersed in the Edinburgh Festival Fringe at the start of the month and it's more important to me than ever before that this tiny alternative grass roots festival day stays small.

"The Fringe is crassly commercial, intently focused on funnelling you toward the souvenirs and concession stands.

"With regular annual growth how do we keep this brilliant Busk going without it becoming a monster?"

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