Edinburgh Festival Fringe

Edinburgh Festival Fringe: Edinburgh's biggest showcase for the performing arts

The Edinburgh Festival Fringe is an annual performing arts festival held in Edinburgh over three weeks in August. The organisation describes it as one of the greatest celebrations of arts and culture in the world and as the greatest platform for creative freedom on the planet. Its next edition, the 80th, is scheduled for 6–30 August 2027.

During the festival, hundreds of stages across the city host shows for every taste, from big names in the world of entertainment to unknown artists looking to build their careers. The organisation stresses that anyone can take part and that it works to make the Fringe an open, accessible and welcoming festival for all.

Participation by artists and industry professionals

The festival offers resources, practical advice and step-by-step guides for artists who want to bring a show to the Fringe, organise a show, take part in the Fringe Street Events or promote a show. It also provides arts industry services, with guidance on navigating what it describes as the world's largest arts marketplace, accreditation and dedicated access for first-timers at the Fringe.

For those who want to run a venue, the organisation publishes advice on how to register a venue, the applicable codes and legal requirements, and the support available for workers and volunteers.

Programme, tickets and accessibility

The festival website brings together the official programme, its own app, the Fringe Box Office and a venue map. The organisation has introduced various accessibility measures, including the Venue Access Awards, enhanced performances and a Sighted-Guide service for people with visual impairments.

Commitment to schools and communities

The Fringe Society runs engagement projects with schools and communities, aimed at educational institutions, teachers and community groups, and promotes a community ticketing initiative.

The Fringe Society and public support

Behind the festival is the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society, a registered charity (Registered Charity SC002995) that relies on public support to sustain its work: supporting artists, assisting audiences and celebrating the Fringe and what it represents around the world. There are options such as Fringe Friends, Patrons, donations, philanthropic giving, legacies and the Keep it Fringe programme, as well as corporate sponsorship and advertising opportunities.

The organisation also publishes news and a blog. Recent milestones featured on its website include the awarding of the Fringe Young Writers Award 2026, aimed at writers aged 16 to 21 who covered that year's festival; the close of the 2026 edition with more than 2.8 million tickets issued for the 79th edition; and plans, together with Screen Scotland and other partners, for a new content-focused event in Edinburgh in 2027.

Location and contact

180 High Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1QS, United Kingdom