Everyone should visit Edinburgh Festival once in their life
Lucy Jones takes us through the Edinburgh Festival and explains why everyone needs to go at least once in their life.
What is it?
Only the largest arts festival in the world! It’s actually made up of two festivals – the Edinburgh International Festival and the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. It makes for three unmissable weeks of theatre, music, comedy and art in the theatres, pubs, clubs and street corners of the Scottish capital.
Why is it special?
The Edinburgh Festival takes over the whole city and you can feel the buzz in the air as you walk through the streets. Thousands of people flood in from all over the world, turning Edinburgh into a noisy, chaotic, exciting and vibrant world. You don’t need to plan ahead and organise tickets months out either – there are lots available on the day to all kinds of shows, so you can just roll up and see what's playing. There’s also an incredible vibe around all the bars and pubs in the city. The Scots love a drink and they all switch into party mode during the festival. Add that to the long, sunny summer days and you’ll find yourself in party mode 24 hours a day.
Who performs there?
Some of the world’s most famous comedians have launched their careers here. Think Monty Python team, Billy Connolly, Rowan Atkinson, Eddie Izzard, Emma Thompson, Stephen Fry, Dylan Moran, Bill Bailey, Steve Coogan, Ricky Gervais, Tim Minchin and more. So, the humble stand up act you’re watching one night could realistically be the next big thing. Lots of seasoned comedians return every years to perform because they have such a fondness for the festival. Then, of course, there are the newbies trying to break into the business and who are giving their all to crack the big time.
What about Edinburgh itself?
Edinburgh is easily one of Europe’s most beautiful cities. It’s an 18th century beauty that was dreamed up as a city of high culture and education, populated by literary giants and forward thinking scientists. The imposing Edinburgh Castle is perched on a hill overlooking the city while the Old Town’s jumble of medieval houses run along beneath it. The New Town is more spacious and genteel, but just as charming.
When is it?
The festival is held in August each year. In 2017 it will run from August 4 to 28.