A Guide to the Fringe!
If you tell enough people you live and study in Edinburgh, chances are someone will mention the Fringe. Fear not though, they aren’t referring to a universal Edinburgh hair style, instead the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.
The Fringe is the world's largest performance arts festival hosted every year in August, during which the city takes on a whole new vibe as a hub for comedy and theatre. This year the Fringe will take place from the 2nd to the 26th of August, and this guide should tell you everything you need to know and should expect.
Where does the Fringe take place?
The Fringe takes place across the city, but the majority takes place in Old Town. During the Fringe almost every single place you can think of becomes a venue, bars, clubs, theatres, restaurants, even the Burrito and Shake basement.
Some key areas you might want to head to are George Square, Bristo Square and Pleasance. These locations feature a number of venues, pop up bars and food trucks.
How do I know what to watch?
With over 3000 shows, knowing what to see can seem overwhelming. The best way to see what’s on is to check the official Fringe program. They also have a handy app you can download.
During the Fringe a number of Edinburgh based publications also publish reviews for different shows, so you can see what is worth going to and what you’ll give a miss. The best places to read these reviews are:
How much do Fringe shows cost?
The price of Fringe shows varies. Some can be quite pricey, but the Fringe also features a whole subcategory of entirely free shows with most being pay what you can. The Free Fringe list can be viewed here.