St. Ronan’s Silver Band is getting ready to take part in one of Edinburgh’s most prestigious events on the weekend.

Riding of the Marches

The Innerleithen band is to perform as part of the city’s ‘Riding of the Marches’ — the annual re-enactment of the Edinburgh Riding of the Marches, which had been held in abeyance since 1718 only to be revived again in 2008.

St Ronan’s will entertain the crowds on the famous Royal Mile while they await the return of the massed ranks of horses, which lead the event though the city. Led by Bandmaster Stephen Baird and Band Sergeant David Lindsay, St. Ronan’s Band will play outside the City Chambers from 2.00pm

500 years

The Riding of the Marches commemorates, almost 500 years to the day, the return of the Captain of the City Band, Randolph Murray clasping the Ancient ‘Blue Blanket Banner’ with the tragic news of the defeat of the Scots at the Battle of Flodden.

Blue Blanket

The Blue Blanket is the affectionate name for the ‘Standard of the Crafts within the Burgh’ of Edinburgh and in 2011, the Convenery of Trades commissioned a modern representation of it which will be received by the Lord Provost upon the Mercat Cross of Edinburgh.

"We are delighted to be representing the county of Peeblesshire at this historic occasion," explained Band Secretary Keith Belleville to 4BR.

"We hope to bring a sense of fun as well as well as that of dignity to the crowds on the Royal Mile and our Bandmaster Stevie Baird has planned a real mix of music for the occasion."

We hope to bring a sense of fun as well as well as that of dignity to the crowds on the Royal Mile and our Bandmaster Stevie Baird has planned a real mix of music for the occasionSt Ronan's Band

Homecoming

The Band’s performance will culminate moments before the Captain gallops up from John Knox’s House with the Blue Blanket with ‘Return to the Ridings’ commissioned by the Royal Regiment of Scotland for the Year of the Homecoming in 2009.