The Edinburgh Festival Fringe

Thousands of performers take to hundreds of stages all over Edinburgh this August to present shows for every taste for the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. From big names in the world of entertainment to unknown artists looking to build their careers at the Fringe, the festival caters for everyone and includes theatre, comedy, dance, physical theatre, circus, cabaret, children’s shows, musicals, opera, music, spoken word, exhibitions and events.

The Fringe takes place all over the city. Shows play not only in established year-round venues such as the Traverse Theatre, Cabaret Voltaire and The Stand comedy club, but also in ad-hoc spaces in rooms above pubs, public parks and even moving vehicles. Some venues, such as the Assembly Rooms, Gilded Balloon, Pleasance and Underbelly, are big enough to constitute a festival in their own right, although the smaller, unexpected places often host gems to be discovered.

In addition to the weighty guide produced by the Fringe, detailing in excess of 30,000 performances of more than 2000 shows, many venues publish their own brochures. Others have established sub-festivals which also appear under the Fringe umbrella, such as The Edge, which brings together up-and-coming bands with major names, and the Edinburgh Comedy Festival, which promotes comedians appearing at the city’s larger venues.

If you love comedy, dance, theatre, circus, cabaret and musicals The Grassmarket Hotel highly recommends you catch the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Our iconic property is located in the heard of all the Fringe actions so ideal for exploring the city. Book now to experience…