Grand cultural parade opens Edinburgh Festival Carnival

A grand parade of cultural performances including dragon and lion dancing, drum performances and jazz music on Sunday opened the 2014 Edinburgh Festival Carnival on Princes Street and in Princes Street Gardens at the city center.

The carnival officially started the Summer Festival season and a series of Edinburgh Festivals, which consist of Jazz and Blues Festival from July 18 to July 27, Art Festival from July 31 to Aug. 31, Edinburgh Military Tatto from Aug. 1 to Aug. 23, Edinburgh Festival Fringe from Aug. 1 to Aug. 25, Edinburgh International Festival from Aug. 8 to Aug. 31, and Book Festival from Aug. 9 to Aug. 25 among others.

Enjoying the performance at the Garden theater, many spectators and visitors joined the performers from Italy, China, and India, among others, danced and applauded in tune with the music.

More than 600 performers, including 200 from Edinburgh-based groups such as Edinburgh Chinese Community Festival Committee and representatives from 19 countries who came together to present the free event, played their part and bring a flavor of the exotic carnivals to Edinburgh.

In its third year, the annual event was organized by the Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival which was set up in 1978.