St Andrew's Day events unveiled

Culture Minister Mike Russell helped promote St Andrew's Day activities with children in St Andrew Square Gardens

A programme of St Andrew's Day events has been announced, which the Scottish government says will be the biggest ever.

The festivities will form part of the finale to the year-long Homecoming Scotland activities.

They include a family festival, film showings, music events and a fireworks display on St Andrew's Day itself.

The celebrations also mark the start of the winter festival season, which runs through Hogmanay ending on Burns Night.

The St Andrew's Day programme for Edinburgh was announced by Culture Minister Mike Russell..

This year's celebrations will be the biggest and best yet, filled with more activity in Edinburgh than ever before Mike Russell Culture Minister

Mr Russell said the events would be centred on the capital's St Andrew Square Gardens

He said: "St Andrew's Day is a day to celebrate all that is great about Scotland, our culture, our heritage, our innovations and our people.

"This year's celebrations will be the biggest and best yet, filled with more activity in Edinburgh than ever before and over 40 exciting enhanced and new events across the country."

The gardens will host a "family festival" on 29 and 29 November, while other Edinburgh events include a Scottish film showcase, a massed pipes and drums parade, and a firework display over Edinburgh Castle on St Andrew's Day itself, 30 November.

Events across Scotland include a programme of traditional music events in Dumfries, a Gaelic festival in Inverness, musical events in Glasgow and a Son et Lumiere in St Andrews itself.

The Scottish government has committed up to £434,000 towards St Andrew's Day celebrations across Scotland, the same as last year but with a bigger spread of events.