THE EDINBURGH FESTIVAL
07
August is the month that Edinburgh comes alive.
What’s known as the ‘Edinburgh Festival’ is
actually many different festivals that together
make up the largest arts festival in the world.
The International Festival, the catalyst for the
festival reputation, has a programme of classical
music, opera, dance and theatre, often with a
contemporary twist that makes it a lot more
accessible than it might sound.
The Fringe, as the name suggests, grew up
around the edges of the International Festival
as an unprogrammed alternative, but in terms
of scale it has now surpassed its older relative.
Don’t get overwhelmed by the cost of the shows,
either - there are special price nights, the Free
Fringe, and plenty of street performances.
The Book Festival brings top authors from
around the world to give talks and do readings.
Add in the Art Festival, Mela Festival, Book
Festival, plus the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo,
you have the ‘Edinburgh Festival’.
This organised chaos creates excitement and
fun and when visitors rave about how amazing
it all is, they aren’t exaggerating. The city takes
on a whole new persona for a month, and the
transformation is not to be missed.
At the peak of the
festival there are more
than 1,000 shows a day!
Royal Mile