The Festival Fringe in August is the world’s largest open arts festival, with over 1,000 shows a day in venues as diverse as church halls and tents to the open air. Sign up for the programme in advance to narrow down what you’d like to see or search on the Fringe’s website nearer the time. Booking accommodation well in advance is also a good idea.

 

The Edinburgh International Festival invites the best of the world’s talent in dance, music, opera and theatre to the city in August. Again planning will make sure you get the best seats in the house for the hottest shows. The International Book Festival fills Charlotte Square Gardens with a tented village of the best new authors, famous names and hot new releases. Get up close and personal with some of the world’s top names with special signing and ‘audience with’ sessions.

 

The International Film Festival has moved from its former August billing to June as from 2008. New local and international films and retrospectives are given the red carpet treatment. Festivals for science, children, jazz and blues draw their own crowds at other times of the year. The run-up to the festive season is marked with Edinburgh’s Christmas of funfairs, traditional markets and open-air skating, while the New Year is heralded by the mother of all street parties with Edinburgh’s Hogmanay. A festival city indeed!

 

Go totally festival via the links to the left. You can sign up for advance information for each, so you don’t miss anything. Sounds like a good plan!