The Scottish capital will come alive to beat of the drum and the wail of the bagpipe tonight for the preview performance of the The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo.
This year’s tattoo will centre around a Homecoming theme of “our home, friends and family”, and feature acts from across the globe.
And yesterday, the parade square of Redford Barracks, in Edinburgh, gave the city a taste of what is to be expected tonight.
The barracks this week hosted the first rehearsals of the events, which will start with tonight’s preview ceremony.
The events, which takes place with the backdrop of Edinburgh Castle, kicks off tomorrow at 8pm, and will run until August 22.
The annual event has drawn in acts from more than 46 countries over the years, drawing in an audience of around 220,000 annually.
The 2014 tattoo cast includes military musicians from the Brit Award-winning Royal Scots Dragoon Guards, the 2nd, 3rd and 4th Battalions of The Royal Regiment of Scotland, The Queen’s Royal Hussars and the 1st Battalion The Royal Irish Regiment.
This year will also host musicians from Shetland for the first time, with The Shetland Fiddlers among the many acts playing.
The home nation musicians will be joined by others from across the Commonwealth, such as The Australian Federal Police and Tasmania Police.
There will also be performances from The Band of the Armed Forces of Malta and the Tattoo Highland Dancers, Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force Steel Orchestra, The Royal Army of Oman and The Massed Bands of HerRoyal Marines.