Keep an eye out for all sorts of shows by independent performers: comedy, magic, fire, etc.. The Edinburgh Festival Fringe is a joyous annual event that happens every August. Short street performances are spread throughout the city, particularly centering around the Royal Mile. We were unlucky with the weather in that it was pouring rain the day we visited. And so it was difficult to find shows as well as for the entertainers who had to stall until a large enough crowd had gathered. For the ones that we did stop to watch, they were quite enjoyable. read more

I happened to be visiting Edinburgh for a college reunion during the time of the Fringe Festival, so after meeting up with my friends at the airport, we all headed to the Royal Mile (which I fondly started calling the High Mile on account of its elevation and because so many people were high on life, drugs or alcohol!) to soak in the atmosphere. And what an atmosphere it was! Full of buskers, mimes, musicians, and eclectic acts - from Japanese pop to American tap dancing to an Eastern European theatre group performing a moving play about Jewish children interned at a Nazi concentration camp. It was a warm and sunny afternoon and the crowd was out in force, and I could clearly see the shimmering blue waters of the Firth of Forth in the distance. After stopping by for a wonderful meal of haggis and salmon and IPA at the Whiski Bar and Restaurant (different review for that one), we plunged back into the creativity and madness, enjoying the magical experience that's the Fringe! read more

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Back at the brilliant Fringe and International Festival in Scotland's capital!! If you like diverse forms of theatre, comedy and music you can't fail to have a great time! read more

Ah, August... my favourite time of the year in Edinburgh. The city comes alive and is transformed into a veritable cornucopia of colour and comedy. Hey, them's is big words for me! Seriously though. Pop up bars litter the city centre, from the Spielgelgardens to the bar at the Mound, to the Pleasance Courtyards, Edinburgh becomes a place where you can get food and drink pretty much everywhere. Not just that, but entertainers are all over the place too. From the usual buskers of Rose Street and beyond all the way up to the organised stages on The Royal Mile, there's something going on all over the city from dawn to dusk. Anywhere that has space becomes a stage. The back room of pubs only used for birthdays or meetings become comedy clubs for the four weeks of the Fringe. You can't walk more than 100 yards without being handed a flier for some comedian you've never heard of trying to make a name. Those are the shows I love. Take a chance, see something for free and discover someone that makes you laugh. Of course, there are the big names in town as well - comedians from far and wide flood in to town to take their place on the bill and sample the incredible atmosphere. Honestly, there's nothing quite like The Fringe, and Edinburgh becomes one of the most important and vibrant cities in the world for those four week. If you can, get along, even just for a day and soak it all in. Incredible. read more

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Great fun. Yesterday saw many Street performers. Many the same old thing BUT Moaning Lisa was hysterical. Very different and so funny. He charged to have photo with him but no charge for photo of him. Do many venues with hundreds of talent. Going to Book Lovers Tour tomorrow. read more

Edinburgh Festival - Hysterical ~ Moaning Lisa - Performing Arts Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

WHAT. IS. THIS. MAGIC. ABSURDITY. Edinburgh Festival Fringe is everything I have ever wanted to witness in my life and many more things I never have ever pictured in my head. My bus ticket up to Edinburgh was booked long before I even knew "The Fringe' existed. So when my friend told me to look it up and the website had a one time pop-up notified me of what this was I FREAKED out. A festival where anyone and everyone gets to perform? A festival built on the idea of existing on the fringe? A festival that fills over 500 venues (and bars, coffee shops, eateries, or wherever else space can be had) throughout a city with thousands of shows throughout the end of every summer? SO MUCH YES. I attended the 70th anniversary of Fringe for a week and a half this past August. This first review of it, because I damn well expect to be heading back for more, leaves me in a state of writers block. This festival bursts with so much creativity and oddity that it often left me speechless - or laughing, or crying, or questioning life, or just really damn confused. It left me all the things, and with the amount going on it surely throws every attendee on a completely different ride. Here is a fun one - at one point I saw a group of people placed another layer of posters over the pillars of show advertisements, straight up putting a bunch of theirs to cover the other shows. At the time I was talking to a performer, who told me to go touch the pillar. These pillars are so covered in layers of flyers that they are a giant cushion - like you can run into the pillar and it cushions you! Seriously, try it. It is kind of fun. The last day of the event we walked through as the flyers were getting torn down and you could see how the layers had piled two feet wide. Crazy! And seriously, I have NEVER seen so many flyers in my life. SO much paper. You are walking down the street getting handed flyers every 0.5 seconds and then also getting dragged into "world record group banana eating" - everything happening at once. Yes, I ate a banana in unison with 30 strangers. It was awesome. A Russian circus with ping pongs balls thrown across the auditorium, a recently graduate troupe of folks supporting their friends play, the most awkward comedians, free chocolate passed out to audiences, one man stand-up shows, Australian mock yoga retreats that dress the crowd in odd costumes. There are acts that are absolutely terrible, and acts that are absolutely amazing. Fringe is amazing because it is full of options. You want to spend zero dollars and simply embrace the "Free Fringe"? Do it! You want to go to the fancy shows? Do that! You can play every show, or simply walk down the street to find the next thing that catches your eye. And finally one of my favorite aspects of this whole thing is how many of the performers are out on the street promoting their own shows. Fringe does not seem to divide between a backstage, the whole city becomes the theater. Many shows are in small room, makeshift locations where you might be one of the few there to witness. Such a wacky, weird, wonderful thing Fringe is. read more

There are not many cities in the world which offer something as unique, exciting and popular as the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Set over the month of August, the centre of Edinburgh is taken over by tourists enjoying comedy, plays, musicals, dance, opera and street performers. If there was ever anything that summed up the phrase "something for everyone" it's the Edinburgh Festival. There is a mixture of the great, the terrible and the completley mad but you are guaranteed entertainment. There are a number of venues around Edinburgh offering a huge number of shows by new and old performers and some famous faces thrown in. I met McLovin last year at the Festival. Oh yes, I pretty much don't need to ever meet a famous person again because McLovin wins at everything. If you are in Edinburgh in August, you have no excuse to miss the Festival. read more

Edinburgh Festival - Courtesy of Edinburgh Fringe Website - Performing Arts Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

It's easy to get carried away about the Fringe and just roll out the superlatives, but sometimes a sense of perspective is needed. It may be the most high profile event in Scotland, but deep down the local consensus has always been that while it's great that Edinburgh gets to host such an event, it's not so great that for a month of the year locals should feel alienated and often patronised in their own city. The festival is run by luvvies, for luvvies and with each passing year the trend for quantity over quality becomes more prevalent. Comedy now seems to be the main focus, and having sat through some gems of conceptual theatre that include people rolling around the stage in tinfoil I must say I'm quite relieved. As pretty much every comedian you've heard of is likely to be here, it's easy to pick a show you know you'll like, but it can be fun to risk the tumbleweed and take a lucky dip. As a pointer for quality, simply looking at the posters and flyers can be a good bet. If there's a mention of music, magic or any other gimmick, then get ready to cringe through it. If the comedian looks miserable and tortured, then you'll be rolling around on the floor in no time. If you're visiting The Fringe then you won't be able to avoid the swarm of street entertainers that plague The Royal Mile. So far this year I've seen a guy dressed as Joseph Stalin, playing guitar and another attempting to squeeze his entire body through a tennis racket (before also playing guitar). While the Fringe does indeed bring such deluded souls to the fore, the general buzz, atmosphere and increased profile of the city makes it a good place to be. In cliched terms, you can just walk down the street and really feel that things are happening and for that, I still think it's worthwhile. read more

If you're a fan of cutting-edge, mostly amateur theatre, comedy, music, dance, circus, or cabaret, Eburgh's Fringe Festival is the mecca. With more than 2700 acts from all over the world running over the month of August, there truly is something for everyone. It is fun and super affordable but you can't just stumble into it. Plan, plan, plan. Shows run all day from morning till the wee hours. The Fringe Guide is like a phone book of every show, plus times, locations and age appropriateness. Browse this and find a handful of must-see events, then plan the rest of your viewing around these main events. Head to the Half Price Ticket Booth by the Mound/Art Gallery and buy tickets to fill the rest of your daily schedule. The shows are headquartered around four or so main hubs in pubs, restaurants, masonic lodges - I even saw a show in an anatomy lab. Best if you book all your shows for the day in the same geographic hub. Don't forget about the Free Fringe (These shows are usually in pubs, can be pretty good, but listed in a different directory). Just remember that once you buy a beer and the performer passes the hat at the end, "free" will set you back 5 pounds or so as well. My favourite part of Fringe is actually the interaction with performers at the Mound and Royal Mile as they work to sell you the merits of their show, often with costumes and show previews. Take their show flyers or not but please please please be nice about it either way. These are mostly just young people trying to find their big break. Don't be afraid to take a chance on a show. The guide will let you know whether a show is age-appropriate for young people and general raunchiness but for me, the outlier shows I wasn't sure of turned out to be the best! Be aware that Eburgh is super busy in August. Book accommodation well in advance. I recommend Pollock Halls at the University for affordable and convenient lodging (see separate review.) Buses in Eburgh are easy, frequent and cheap. While you're at the Fringe, don't forget to take a day to hike up Arthur's seat and also visit the wonderful Scottish National Museum. read more

THE CLOSEST I HAVE FELT TO SAN FRANCISCO IN A LONG TIME Admittedly, I was somewhat surprised by all the craziness because I thought that San Francisco had cornered that market but APPARENTLY NOT....(by the way I love how 2 of the other Yelpers are also from San Francisco and are impressed too...) My family and I went last summer and even my dad and mum loved it! AHH TO THE PRESERVATION OF CRAZY! I am just VERY SAD that I wont be able to make it this year! :( read more

I warmly welcome the Edinburgh Fringe. I know this is the opportunity to enjoy the world's biggest show(s) on Earth. Every new year it seems to be growing and expanding. You can watch anyone on the street in a carnival atmosphere and coming rain or shine enjoying themselves with this barrage of music, comedy, dance, military tattoo and storytelling. Hundreds of thousands of tickets, nay, millions are sold to people looking for a good time and yes those will visit the Edinburgh streets in their droves in that 30 days of Capital mayhem. But every year residents and visitors need to be reminded that the Fringe = people - a lot of them! Them being Artists, Punters, Organisers, Volunteers and ..dare I mention it.. opportunists and criminals. The biggest opportunity will be in the accommodation sector - obviously you will be charged a premium as suddenly every performer, visitor, supporting cast, child and his dog needs a place to stay. The closer to the venues the more you pay for a room/flat per night . An advise is to book in advance (like say a year) or to ensure you get to know some people in Edinburgh you can stay a few days with. Unscrupulous and official Caterers, food outlets and the likes will ever so non subtly have or even raise their prices. Not just for visitors, but for residents too. - Portions get slightly smaller. Service slightly less. Certain options become unavailable - either due to complexity of mass producing or simply due to the high demand. Traffic will be a nightmare - especially in town, near the venues. I was never good in close condensed crowds. With all these people you get the pickpockets, ticket touts, the illegal beggars and other characters looking for Fringe benefits (pardon the pun) So be wise, inform yourself and stay alert. Apply common sense. So you can enjoy the Fringe I like the Fringe, but not so the additional hassle read more

Comedy Heaven. Boozer Paradise. Wacky Central. Nostalgia Overload. Edinburgh at its Finest. I am flying 5000 miles for this in August. If I missed the Festival, even Martians would hear my screams of anguish on their big red planet. read more

Love love love the Fringe! Love love love Edinburgh. Bid a sad farewell to the best city in the world tonight, after three days of festival madness! If you haven't been - go! Your world will never be the same again. But be careful - you will not want to leave... read more

Definitely the place to be in the summer!! I have attended several Festival Fringe and the atmosphere is just incredible! (Okay sometimes a bit overwhelming when you're a local working on the Royal Mile :)) Loads of street shows, theater performances, stand-up comedy with a huge amount of free events... This is one of a kind experience! Just book your tickets, you won't regret it! read more

A completely ridiculous, over the top, sensory overload experience. If you are uptight at all please just stay away from Edinburgh in August. If you decide to go - plan to stay up late, get up early, and nap in-between. The locals have adapted to this yearly invasion and are usually really great help. I saw the strangest, coolest, add artsy superlative here, black box theatre presentation. Then I saw a just OK American comedian who probably would have been better if not for the annoying drunk lady who heckled him but that was fun too. Any kind of music you care for is to be found, The street art and performances are a cacophony of bag pipes, electric guitars, and drums mixing with voices of orators and singers. Ear plugs are a good idea especially as your stay goes on. If there is ever a time to be a tourist - this is it. I don't mean the stupid-rude kind but the wonderment-of-it-all kind. Take time on your walk to and from to experience what is going on around you. There's no such thing as a plan beyond knowing what time your must see things start. Be ready to drop everything and follow a sound or smell. Put your smartphone away and look up! You'll be glad you did. read more

August has to be my favourite time of the year in Edinburgh a the Fringe comes to town. You could literally spend the whole month (and thousands of pounds) being entertained. You haven't lived life to the full until you've been to the Fringe. read more

Teens and twenty something's in every nook and cranny doing tributes from Monty Python to sh*t faced Shakespeare and the seriousness of a night with Dementia. A must see event. Go a week or so late so you can take advantage of the reviews. read more

Having been somewhat of an Edinburgh novice when I first moved here, I had heard of the Fringe FEstival - but, if truth be told, I had no idea what It was. Boy, was I in for a shock when August came around. The Fringe is unbelievable - the population of Edinburgh doubles literally overnight as the comedy and performing world decends upon the Scottish capital for nearly a monts worth of japery, comedy, performing, and general fun. Yes, you get the big stars returning time and time again (so book your tickets early), but the real joy is going and seeing comedians who you have never heard before in thier tiny venues scattered across the whole city. If you are lucky, you may be watching the next Michael McIntyre (who started at the Festival) - and if not, well, you will still be seeing somebody funny. If you cant decide who to go and see, I suggest heading down to the concessions stand, where performers (for one show only) half thier ticket prices, so take the advantage and see as many as you can. There is always the E4 Big Purple Cow, in the centre of George Square which shows the biggest of the acts and performances - including Jim Rose Circus (an excellent act, but for over 18's only!). The best thing about the Festival however, is the Royal Mile. Without a shadow of a doubt, you could easily spend two days slowly making your way down this famous stretch of road - and not just because of the massive amount of people! The street performers who show themselves here are among the greatest performers ever, and draw massive crowds, but with good reason. The atmosphere is one of an excited buzz, fun and fresh. I love it. read more

Edinburgh Festival - From the Fringe website. - Performing Arts Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

If you haven't been to this before: GO If you have : GO AGAIN Words can't really do this festival justice. The whole city comes alive and there is a reason for it's international popularity. Whether you are on a budget or have some pennies to spare, there are constant street shows, comedy, dance, song, theatre and numerous combinations to watch and there seem to be events everywhere, so one visit really doesn't do it justice. Take advantage of the late bar openings and the general buzz of the city. Yes there are a lot of tourists and prices can be quite high in bars/restaurants/hotels at this time and it can be hit and miss with what you see,but it's a great and unique festival and I can't recommend it enough. read more

Every single review of the festival has had 5 *. Enough said Well....I may as well say some more.... I worked in the festival last year, and it was AMAZING. I had only ever visited the fesitval as a tourist so I was fully expecting to hate it and resent everything about it as I was having to work 12 hour shifts 6 days a week. No, it made me love it more. The people in the city are amazing. I've lived here on and off for more than 10 years and I felt like a tourist. It is like an entire new city. It's like Atlantis...only real!! The shows they have are amazing, there's no other way of saying it. The Meadows are spectacular, the gardens are filled and everyone is happy! I worked in The Assembly Rooms on George Street and it was so much fun. I met so many lovely people and celebrities. There's nothing more I can say as it's all been said before me. Come to the festival 2010 - trust me on this one. read more

The Fringe is almost upon us once again, and I could not be more excited at the prospect. It's the place where all the Players come out to play around Edinburgh. Expect to find a very eclectic mix of shows, from high profile comedy acts in the Underbelly venues to lo-fi theatre at its finest. From events you've waited months for to surprise free comedy acts that you decide you'll take a chance and see, the Fringe is delightful, and a different brew every year. The city truly comes alive and into its own every August, and you'll find that most surrounding venues, pubs and restaurants get involved for a slice fo the action. My favourite thing to do is to wander the streets and see where my feet take me. I always find some good comedy, some of which you don't have to pay for if it's in a certain place. The say the world's a stage, and Edinburgh is certainly the perfect platform for this theatrical bonanza! read more

The Edinburgh Fringe is immense, I can't believe it's nearly that time of year again. It's so hard to review as every year it's completely different but one thing is a definite - there is something for everyone. Expect to be mesmerised, expect to laugh you socks off, maybe even cry at a few serious plays and heck you might even be bored by a few terrible freebies but you will always be thoroughly entertained. My one criticism of The Fringe would be the fact that it's not very well sign posted. On my very first trip here many moons ago I didn't know Edinburgh very well at all and found it very hard to navigate my way from theatre to theatre to check out the events I'd bought tickets for and some of the venues were quite far out. Not really a criticism though... more an observation. read more

Im from Los Angeles California and I traveled with my college and performed at Venue 13 down royal mile. This experience was amazing!!!! we performed and did publicity for 2 weeks and meet so many amazing people in scotland! I saw some crappy shows but the good ones I saw were simply amazing !! recommendations: wolf spring awakening the last 5 years I have to come back to the Fringe festival!! I want to come to just enjoy more of the shows instead of performing in them! Five stars!! read more

So much fun! I planned a trip to Edinburgh then realized it was during Fringe--I barely even knew what it was at the time! I'm so glad I got to experience it. Every nook and cranny of the city seemed to have performance spaces. The city is PACKED with people!! Over a couple days we saw a handful of comedy shows, about half were great and half weren't. Many shows are free--or you can get half-price ones too. I would highly recommend visiting the beautiful city of Edinburgh during Fringe!! read more

I have to confess I have not been able to enjoy the Fringe this year as much as I had liked. But last year it was quite good. The main hub I would say is obviously the royal mile. Has lots of really good street performers , pubs, and food. Unfortunately its insanely packed!!! Like I have never seen so many people jammed into one little strip of land. I thought I was watching a George Romero zombie movie as everyone seems to be shuffling around trying to walk up and down the area. If you dont believe me look closely at the photo I posted from the bus. Its people as far as the eye can see! So if your going to brave the mass horde of people please make sure you dont loose your wallet or your kid or something . Other then that theres tons of great shows around the city in different venues. Its a festival that brings people from all over the world and you get to see some great artists . Prices vary depending on the shows. Enjoy ! read more

Edinburgh Festival - From the Bus. Sooooo many people , watch for Pick Pockets folks! - Performing Arts Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

Edinburgh festival happens once a year in August. The whole city is in a festive mood. It is a celebration of art. If you ever go to UK in the month of August, your visit is not complete until you visit the Edinburgh Festival! That was where a few years ago I fell in now with Jazz music, had my hands read, watched the castle lit in the night. Its really amazing! I probably may not be using the proper words. All I can say is its a must visit!! read more

Absolutely fantastic, amazing, awesome, plus more enthusiastic adjectives. Maybe I'll slip the word magnificent in here, as I've wanted to use it in a review for ages, but it's not exactly a word you can shove in anywhere, seeing as it usually describes palaces and mountains and other such things of an immense nature. Being from Edinburgh, this of course makes me instantly biased when it comes to my opinions on the merits of the Edinburgh Fringe, but the facts are that this festival has been going for many, many years now, and is internationally renowned for the quality, multitude and variety of shows it offers, plus, and I think most importantly, it gives smaller acts, who often pass under the radar, a chance to shine. After many Augusts of experiencing what can be the frustration of trying to enjoy every part of the Fringe to the full, which is actually impossible, because it would take you around six years to see every single event happening at the festival, I've learned to plan ahead a bit. I figure out what I want tickets for in advance, as soon as the brochure comes out, but I also just go with whatever I feel like seeing on the spur of the moment, once the Fringe actually starts. Sometimes it's the random shows that can seem a bit dubious when you look at the flyer, that turn out to be surprisingly amazing. There is absolutely without a doubt something for everyone here, and I implore anyone thinking of coming to Scotland in August to visit Edinburgh and take in the crazy, chaotic, cultural carnival of amazingness that is the Fringe. August is when Edinburgh is at its best and most vibrant - you must experience it, you must! read more

another san franciscan enjoying the fringe festival. not at all shocking. saw some good theater, music and comedy all in one day. also saw a dude in his underwear on a ladder juggling swords and ate a sandwich filled with six tiny sausages. some of this took place inside a gigantic upside down cow. read more

Edinburgh Fringe Festival is a huge annual event in August, so demand for housing is very high. The venue choices are varied, locations could be any available space for the event and its audience. It's better to plan out what you wish to see and if you could obtain tickets for your desired performances. Some are sold out due to high demand, others may be available on the day of the performance. Some work their hearts and body out only to a very small audience. Be open, adaptive, and improvise. read more

Once-in-a-lifetime epicness. However, plan ahead, research thoroughly.

Was there many years ago, and hope one day to go back. In Edinburgh right now and bummed I can't stay.

I first performed at the Fringe when I was a senior in High School... 4 years later and I've been back every year since! Unfortunately only as a tourist, but this year I'm getting more and more excited as August gets cloer because I'm producing my first show... I've never felt more at home or more alive than when I'm walking the streets of Old Town surrounded by everything Art.... or walking up the Royal Mile in the 4 am mist after having one pint too many at The Globe Pub :) I tell anyone who has a passion for Art that they have to make at least one trip to the Fringe in their lifetime... or hell even if they aren't huge fans of theater etc, it's work coming for the Whisky tours and Arthur's seat alone! read more

Was there for the 2010 Fringe and it was a highlight. Haven't been since I was a kid and it's a totally different experience as an adult. Performers and artisans all over, saw the military Tattoo, which was a truly special experience. The crowd is so much fun and for such a busy time for the city, it was still safe feeling and clean and for the most part, appropriate for all ages (at least during the day). Something for everyone - during my husband's first trip to Scotland (my mum is from there so I've been many times) it was the highlight of his trip! read more

Agamemnon at the Greenside venue. Spend an hour in an evening watching The theatre School from Kent put on this excellently performed Greek tragedy. All characteurs are believable, acting beyond their years. Agamemnon's Queen gave a truly powerful performance. Vicky[Tunbridge Wells] read more