All-day tribute marathon in which twelve local acts each play one of The Beatles' twelve studio albums in full, with food, drink and kids' activities.
The Beatles Marathon UK returns to Portobello Town Hall on Saturday 14 November, running from 12:00 to 23:00. It's the third edition of the event, which brings together twelve local acts to play through the Beatles' twelve studio albums in full and in chronological order. The day starts with the first song on Please Please Me and carries on through to the last track on Abbey Road, with each band taking on one album.
There's a personal story behind it. The marathon is run by siblings Stuart and Scott McGachan and their sister Clare, who grew up with the Beatles' music thanks to their father, Pat. Pat was diagnosed with motor neurone disease in 2021 and died in 2023, and the event stands as a tribute to him and to everyone battling MND. It first launched in 2023 at the Assembly Roxy before moving to Portobello Town Hall in 2024, and it's back again this year with local bands and volunteer musicians filling out the line-up.
It's set up as a family day, with food and drink on site and kids' activities and games running from 12:00 to 17:00. You don't have to stay for the whole thing, either — you're free to come and go as you please throughout the day. All proceeds go to the My Name'5 Doddie Foundation, which has already received more than £20,000 from the previous two marathons.
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An all-day pass for an adult is £20, and a family ticket for two adults and two children is £50, with children under six getting in free. The whole thing runs from 12:00 to 23:00 at Portobello Town Hall, 147-149 Portobello High Street, Portobello, EH15 1AF.
