Get Ready for August 2024
Everyone uses the same word to describe Edinburgh: dramatic. From the majestic Castle towering over the city centre, through the ancient backstreets of the medieval Old Town, to the historic heart of the New Town, the city takes the breath away at every corner - and this rich history has been the inspiration for all of its festivals.
Every August during the Edinburgh Festivals the capital of Scotland becomes the world’s cultural melting pot, with citizens of the city and the country joined by artists and audiences from every corner of the globe in celebration of culture and creativity. Some people wonder whether these Festivals could just as easily take place in any city, not realising that the Festivals are authentically rooted in Edinburgh and have become part of the intangible heritage of Scotland.
So let’s see what we’ve got in store for you this year across our six August festivals.
Edinburgh International Festival [2 to 25 August]
Founded in 1947, the International Festival was the inspired idea of Rudolf Bing, a cultural pioneer and Jewish refugee of the Nazi regime. He joined with civic and artistic leaders to create an event that would transcend political boundaries through a global celebration of performing arts in Scotland’s beloved capital city. Over the following years the International Festival has flourished, deepening their commitment to artistic excellence and cultural curiosity. They welcome the world to Edinburgh to experience their hand-picked programme of the finest performers in dance, opera, music and theatre. This year the Edinburgh International Festival celebrates Rituals That Unite Us as they inaugurate new and reimagined rituals, in a programme that will bring artists and audiences closer together than ever before. Take a look at some of the 2024 highlights.
The Edinburgh International Festival runs from 2 to 25 August – and you can browse the programme online HERE or download the full brochure HERE.
Edinburgh Festival Fringe [2 to 26 August]
The Edinburgh Festival Fringe is one of the greatest celebrations of arts and culture on the planet. For three weeks in August, the city of Edinburgh welcomes an explosion of creative energy from around the globe. Artists and performers take to hundreds of stages all over the city, presenting shows for every taste. Venues can be anywhere, from existing theatres and concert halls to repurposed spaces like bars, parks, buses and shipping containers. The Fringe street events bring colour, excitement and vibrancy to outdoor areas, free of charge. From big names in the world of entertainment to unknown artists looking to build their careers, the festival spans every genre of live performance, including theatre, comedy, dance, physical theatre, circus, cabaret, children's shows, musicals, opera, music, spoken word, exhibitions and events. Read some of our tips for Fringe first-timers.
The Edinburgh Festival Fringe runs from 2 to 26 August – and you can browse the shows online HERE or read through a PDF of the full brochure HERE.
The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo [2 to 24 August]
Set against the backdrop of Edinburgh’s historic castle, The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo is one of the most special events in Edinburgh's calendar. Bringing together audiences from across the globe, the Tattoo celebrates the skills and talents of military bands and cultural performers from around the globe. There are few such immersive and moving festival moments, a fact to which any of the over 220,000 people who experience it live every year can attest – not to mention the further 100 million watching on television around the globe! Audiences get into the spirit and stamp and cheer to the sounds of the Massed Pipes and Drums, clap along to the Tattoo Dancers and watch in awe at precision drill from military performers. In 2024, the Tattoo is excited to present Journeys! A Show that will transport audiences on an international cultural journey, bringing together the voices and stories that connect the cast, audiences, and cultures of the Tattoo. Meet the Cast of the 2024 Tattoo.
The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo runs from 2 to 24 August – and you find our more information and buy tickets HERE.
Edinburgh Art Festival [9 to 25 August]
Edinburgh Art Festival is the UK’s largest annual festival of visual art and was founded in 2004, through an ambitious partnership of galleries, to create a platform for visual arts at the heart of Edinburgh’s summer festival offering. Since its beginnings, the festival has featured exhibitions from artists at a pivotal point in their career, alongside the best emerging talent, major survey exhibitions of historic figures and a programme of new commissions. In 2024, EAF (Edinburgh Art Festival) marks its 20th Birthday and invites you to join them to pause and reflect on the conditions under which we live, work, gather and resist. Bringing together museums and galleries from across Edinburgh with a programme of specially commissioned work, the EAF24 programme traces lines through personal histories, the natural world, post-colonial landscapes, and the global political stage. EAF24 connects to our context and the city — to the people and movements who inspire change, who resist inequity, isolation, destruction, and despair (in large ways and in quiet ways). Take a look at some of the festival highlights.
The Edinburgh Art Festival runs from 9 to 25 August – and you can browse the programme online HERE or download a PDF of the festival brochure HERE.
Edinburgh International Book Festival [10 to 25 August]
The world-leading festival of words, literature, and ideas. Since 1983, the festival has welcomed hundreds of thousands of visitors to engage with the world’s greatest and emerging writers, thinkers, artists, and performers. Each year, they programme innovative events that capture the hearts and minds of audiences, both in Edinburgh and online. These take the form of on-stage conversations, workshops, creative masterclasses, think tanks, and more, all informed by a culture of open dialogue. The 2024 programme has the theme Future Tense as they move into a new era and home at Edinburgh Futures Institute (EFI), the state-of-the-art surrounds of what was Edinburgh’s Royal Infirmary. Along with a change of location, the Festival has been refocused to put fresh perspectives, relevance, and active learning in the spotlight, with over 500 events that will empower audiences by bringing new and often opposing points of view together. In a present full of tensions and seemingly intractable issues, the Festival will create conversations aimed at finding new pathways to change. Find out more about some of the festival highlights.
The Edinburgh International Book Festival runs from 10 to 25 August – and you can browse the programme online HERE or download a PDF of the festival brochure HERE.
Edinburgh International Film Festival [15 to 21 August]
Established in 1947 as the International Festival of Documentary Films, the Edinburgh International Film Festival is renowned around the world for discovering and promoting the very best in international cinema - and for heralding and debating changes in global filmmaking. EIFF seeks to spotlight the most exciting and innovative new film talent, in a setting steeped in history. Spanning 7 days in 2024, the relaunched EIFF will honour 70+ years of festival history, showcasing the very best talent in filmmaking in a re-energised format that is rooted in a local Scottish context whilst embracing the international diversity of creative expression. With 37 new feature films, 18 World Premieres, 4 special retrospective screenings, 5 short film programmes and a strand of thrilling Midnight Madness screenings - this year’s Festival programme features musical odysseys, dystopian worlds, laughter in the face of darkness, vivid portraits of characters from the fringes of society and reimagined inner and outer spaces, all from filmmakers across the UK, US, Canada, Mexico, Norway, China, Kazakhstan, Belgium, Iran and beyond. Dive into the films featured in this year's festival.
The Edinburgh International Film Festival runs from 15 to 21 August – and you can browse the programme online HERE or download a PDF of the festival brochure HERE.