Generous tweeters make Twestival “fantastic”

By Cara Sulieman

WHEN Scotland’s tweeters get together for the first time later this week, they will raise money for charity and grab themselves a whole host of goodies at the same time.

The Edinburgh Twestival, organised solely through the social networking site, is happening this Thursday, along with a whole host of similar parties across the world.

And when the tickets are pulled out of the hat for the raffle, the tweeters have the chance to win a variety of generous prizes, all donated via the site.

But it’s the auction that will lead to some competitive bidding.

With two tickets for the Grandstand at Silverstone up for grabs alongside a day’s worth of PR and space on the sought after Second Life site.

All money raised during the evening is going to charity: water, a charity that helps bring fresh, clean water to communities in developing nations.

Jim Wolff, one of the organisers of the Edinburgh Twestival, is overwhelmed by the generosity of the sponsers.

He said: “Everything we’ve got for the night, we’ve got through Twitter. Canongate have given us books for the raffle, people have offered to play music, and even the venue was found through Twitter.

“It’s amazing to see the power of Twitter bringing all these things together.”

A spokesman for Whyte & Mackay said they had jumped at the chance to help raise money for the charity.

He said: “We have access to a number of tickets for the Silverstone F1 thanks to our association with Force India and when we heard what was being planned for the Edinburgh Twestival and what the worthy cause behind it was, we were only to happy to donate two tickets and be involved.

“We wish Twestival – in Edinburgh and globally – every success in their fundraising endeavours.”

Revellers at the party will also get 50% off all future orders from the bad boys of Scottish brewing – BrewDog beer.

Twestival 2009 takes place on Thursday February 12 at Hawke and Hunter in Edinburgh and at the Sith Café in Glasgow.

Twestival season for Tweeters

By Cara Sulieman
TWEETERS across Scotland are meeting up to celebrate the internet sensation and raise money for charity.

With over 175 parties celebrating Twitter across the globe later this month, Scotland’s two biggest cities are getting in on the act.

Both Edinburgh and Glasgow will be hosting the parties, dubbed Twestivals, to raise money for charity: water.

Organised in a short space of time over Twitter, the parties show the power of the website and its concept.

Jim Wolff, one of the organisers of the Edinburgh Twestival, got involved after hearing about it on the website.

He said: “There was a Twestival in London last year and I was following the feed for Twestivals on my Twitter.

“A message was posted saying that they were looking for people to organise Twestivals around the world and I instantly said I would do it.

“It has been a lot of work to organise it, but one of the great things about Twitter is that you get instant results. We set up a profile for the Edinburgh Twestival on the site and have used it to post requests for things like raffle prizes.

“Everything we’ve got for the night, we’ve got through Twitter. Canongate have given us books for the raffle, people have offered to play music, and even the venue was found through Twitter.”

There is a huge variety of technically themed music taking place on the night, with performances from Peter Gregson, an electronic cello player, and Amazing Rollo, an artist who creates music with Wii consoles.

But Jim wants to make it clear that the night won’t all be about computer and technical know-how.

He said: “We wanted the night to have a tech edge without being too geeky. There will be some stuff that involves a lot of software and computers, but it will be enjoyable too.”

With plans afoot to show all of the Tweets from and about the night to the crowd, Twitter will never be too far from the minds of the audience.

Twitter is a micro-blogging site where users can post messages under 140 characters. Similar to the status update on networking sites such as Facebook and Bebo, users let the people following know what they’re up to.

With celebrities like Stephen Fry, Gordon Brown and Barack Obama all regularly updating their Twitter, it has become a social phenomenon overnight.

In Glasgow, their Twestival is being held at the Sith Café in the city’s west end and includes a knitting guessing game, amongst other things.

Twestival 2009 takes place on Thursday February 12 at Hawke and Hunter in Edinburgh and at the Sith Café in Glasgow.

All proceeds will go to charity: water, a charity that helps bring fresh, clean water to communities in developing nations.

To buy a ticket for the events go to www.amiando.com/twestivaledinburgh or www.amiando.com/twestivalglasgow.

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