What is the Edinburgh Fringe Festival? 

Every summer, the Edinburgh Royal Mile turns into a sea of people. 

 

Weave through the crowds and you’ll find musicians, magicians and entertainers alike. And you’d better make sure you have a free hand to accept the dozens of flyers you'll be plied with. 

This is Edinburgh Festival Fringe. It is chaos, and we love it. 

 

What is Edinburgh Fringe? 

The festival began back in 1947, when 8 theatre groups were not invited to the Edinburgh International Festival. Despite this, they showed up to perform on the fringes of those ‘official’ performances.  

It’s grown ever since, becoming a festival in its own right. 2.6 million tickets were issued in 2024 alone, in a city with a typical population of 500,000. 

Even if you’ve never heard of the Edinburgh Fringe, you’ve probably heard of some of the shows that originated here in some form: Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, Fleabag, SIX the Musical. 

 

The majority of shows are comedy, but you can find everything from cabaret to circus to musicals to theatre. The programme, each page filled to the brim with shows, is 384 pages long this year. 

 

The Face of Fringe 

Every year, a new poster is revealed. 

 

These two are from 40 years ago, 1985, which also happens to be the year Mercat Tours was founded. You’ll recognise some of Edinburgh’s landmarks around the breakdancing Shakespeare: St Giles’ Cathedral, the Heart of Midlothian, quintessential Edinburgh tenement buildings.

On the left is the 1985 School campaign, which features a student’s drawing.

 

What Should I do if I’m Visiting Edinburgh in August? 

If you’re visiting Edinburgh in August, get ready to embrace the chaos. 

In addition to the Fringe Festival, Edinburgh also hosts the International Festival, the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, the Edinburgh International Film Festival and the International Book Festival during August. Suffice to say, it gets busy. 

Add in that Oasis will be performing in Edinburgh during this time as well, and we’re prepared for an especially lively summer. 

And even if you’re in the city in August, ready to welcome the sea of people, it can still be overwhelming at times. But don’t worry there are still lots of quiet spaces you can visit to escape the crowds. 

 

4 Quiet Spaces to Escape to During Edinburgh Fringe 

Not only can you visit the Edinburgh vaults to cool off during hot sunny days, they’re also a quiet place to get away from the bustle of the Royal Mile. 

You can join us underground on a tour of the Blair Street Underground Vaults where history, archaeology and ghost stories collide. 

 

There are also plenty of hidden gems to discover along the Royal Mile itself. Dunbar’s Close Garden is a 17th-century-style knot garden tucked away off the busy street. 

Though it’s centrally located, it’s quiet, peaceful and provides multiple places to sit down for a rest. 

 

 

Right next to Dunbar’s Close Garden, you’ll find Canongate Kirkyard.  

Edinburgh’s graveyards have long and dark histories, and Canongate is no exception. It’s full of stories of grave robbers, literary heroes and... unfortunate deaths. 

Canongate Kirkyard is often quieter than some of the city’s other graveyards, but it holds just as many stories. 

 

Any Outlander fans might recognise Bakehouse Close. It was used as a filming location for the show, but it’s interesting in its own right, as well. Step into the 18th century and admire the city’s old architecture. 

Although Edinburgh can feel hectic in August, it’s still worth a visit. You’ll never run out of things to do, shows to see and places to go. 

Our top tip: plan in a few quiet escapes while you’re building your itinerary. Join us on an underground vaults tour and discover a hidden gem while getting away from the crowds.