The Assembly rooms in Edinburgh have been host to distinguished personalities such as Chopin and Dickens, Seamus Heaney and Norman MacCaig. The Assembly rooms were opened in January 1787. This was the venue for public dances or 'assemblies'. It continues to remain the venue for the annual ceilidh-cum-dance party on Hogmanay night. This party features a mixture of traditional Scottish dance music as well as the popular and contemporary music. Over the past few decades, this elegant Georgian building has become the focal point of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, which attracts thousands of visitors to the city. The Assembly Rooms in Edinburgh have seen many author readings, prestigious among them being Isabel Allende, J.K. Rowling and Ian Rankin. Many a cultural and business event is held at the Assembly Rooms in Edinburgh. There have been royal visits to the Edinburgh Assembly Rooms -- King Harald of Norway in 1994, HRH The Prince of Wales in 1997 and HRH The Queen in 1999
