On the Rocks: What’s to come?

On the Rocks Festival is back for its fifth year, kicking off this weekend with a bang. Saturday 6^th April will see the opening of the festival with numerous events including the returning fashion show Sitara*, followed by a night of buzzing glamour and music at the Big Band Opening Bash in Venue 1. The festival is the largest student-run arts festival in Scotland, incorporating all types of art from photography to comedy.

OTR began as an initiative to combine the annual film and theatre festivals, and has grown to become a huge production with over 40 events hosted annually, the majority of which are sell-out performances. On The Rocks has even attracted the attention of several highly influential actors and actresses including Sean Connery, Judi Dench, Hellen Mirren, Joanna Lumley and Simon Pegg, who are festival patrons. Last year’s festival was a booming hit, with a play of Macbeth heading off to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival over the summer.

On The Rocks 2013 will take place between 6^th – 14^th April, and is panning out to be our best festival yet. Many familiar acts will be returning, but this year will also host a variety of new events. Having collaborated with Lightbox, there will now also be the official photographers throughout the festival. An array of things will take place each day, ranging from music cafes, open mic nights, film screenings, theatre, comedy and art exhibitions, and will draw to a close with the Big Top Ball on Saturday 13^th April (with an actual big top tent!), and a Castle Ceilidh on Sunday 14^th April.

For a full line-up of events, locations and ticket prices, check out the festival programme or look for copies around town. The box office for ticket sales this year will be held at Our Story café on Bell Street. They will be open on weekdays from 2pm to 5pm, and weekends from 11am – 4pm. For more info, just visit the website.

images  ©  OTR