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Edinburgh Festival Fringe and Free Fringe

performance in the Spiegeltent in George Square Gardens

Street performer in Parliament Square during the Fringe

Fringe street performer

Fringe performer breathes fire whilst on the Royal Mile during the Fringe

Fringe performer breathes fire during the Fringe

People sit outside at night in the E4 Udderbelly venue during the Fringe

E4 Udderbelly Fringe venue in Bristo Square

The largest arts festival anywhere in the world, the magnificent and world-famous Edinburgh Festival Fringe hosts a range of outstanding events and performances.

The 67th Edinburgh Festival Fringe will take place from 2 - 26 August 2013, and will no doubt once again thrill the thousands of spectators who gather in Edinburgh’s famous cobbled streets and historic venues.

Edinburgh is the world’s festival city and the Edinburgh Festival Fringe is the largest arts festival in the world, and one of several festivals which takes place in Scotland’s capital each August. In 2011, the Fringe featured 41,689 performances of 2,542 shows across 258 spectacular and varied venues. With just under 1.9 million tickets sold, there really is something for everyone here, and more.

From household names to street performances, the Fringe has everything from theatre to children’s shows, exhibitions, music and comedy. Throughout the summer, the Fringe completely takes over the city’s historic Royal Mile and art house venues, with groundbreaking performances and showcase events. You will soon discover that everything and everywhere in Edinburgh becomes a venue during the Fringe, taking in large theatres, bars, restaurants, churches and even the odd caravan!

Within the Fringe, you can uncover the excellent Free Fringe, a spin off that reflects the tough economic times. With 607 shows in 2011 completely free, why not grab some great entertainment whilst giving your purse a rest?

Make sure you take the time to embrace the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, a truly unique and remarkable experience that has launched the careers of many big stars including Eddie Izzard, Jude Law, Stephen Fry, Hugh Laurie and Billy Connolly to name but a very few.