The Beginnings

The Edinburgh International Festival began in 1947 to bring culture and the high arts to the theatres of Edinburgh following the oprresion of the war. It occurs annually in August. But there were plenty of arts not covered by so high brow an event in the capitial of Scotland and so a Fringe Festival was set up alongside this cultural event.

So comedians, musicians, alternative theatre, University review shows and the like perform in various small halls nad rooms around the city. Street performers also take over the High Street, the Royal Mile between the Tron and the Mound.

Some names who have been at the fringe

Hinge and Brackett

Meathead's Entry

Wow! What can I say about the Edinburgh Festival. It is the largest festival of its kind in Europe, if not the world, and is held in the country's most beautiful city. Where else can a group of teenagers from a small town in North Somerset perform just before the best dance group from the huge country of South Africa? Where else does the average attendance never top 5 but still attracts top performers such as Alan Davies, Jenny Eclair, and Baddiel and Skinner? The Edinburgh Festival takes place in August each year, during which the population of the city doubles, swelled with performers, tourists, and people just wishing to join in the biggest piss-up apart from New Years Eve. It has venues all over the city with churches, playing fields, and schools play host to a vast range of drama, music, comedy and entertainment. It includes everything from the Tattoo to Howard Marks, from a stand up show for Amnesty International to the wierd and wonderful "Circus of Horrors". Pubs and clubs stay open almost until dawn, people just don't bother sleeping. Walking through the streets of Edinburgh during the festival is a wonderful experience. You are bombarded with people thrusting advertising leaflets at you, human statues, street theatre, live music, and a fantastic feeling of... well, fun. There is no other way of describing it. The Festival is a massive number of people just having fun. Go!