Flotilla of Lights

The Flotilla of Lights returns to Edinburgh's Union Canal on Saturday 7 November, starting at 6.30pm. It's a free event, and it runs along a stretch of the canal between Harrison Park and the Leamington lift bridge, so you can pick your spot on the towpath and watch the boats drift past.

There are around fifteen boats in the flotilla, each decorated with lights and cruising slowly towards the city. There are musicians on board and others along the canalside, and the whole thing lasts about 45 minutes. It's a slow-moving parade on the water rather than a fixed show, which means you can move along the bank as the boats pass.

It started ten years ago when a small group of boaters decided to bring some extra brightness and fun to a winter night on the Union Canal. They decorated their boats, cruised towards the city with live music, and the crowds that turned out grew year after year until it became a community tradition. The Lowland Canals Association still organises it, and they call it the most colourful canal event of the year.

There's a photograph competition running alongside it, too, with the best entry winning £30. It's free to watch, and it kicks off at 6.30pm on Saturday 7 November, between Harrison Park and the Leamington lift bridge.