With some thousand events held every single day over three weeks, it’s hard to begin to sum up the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, which is as diverse as it is huge. The big ticket items tend to be well-known comedians that sell out great halls, but for each of these there are a score of first-timers putting on plays or shows...

Held in village of marquees in the gardens of Charlotte Square this annual Book Festival attracts many best-selling and critically acclaimed authors and poets for readings, talks, debates and even signing. The range of topics involved is broad, from fiction to memoirs to cook books. Children’s books are a real strong point and a good portion of the program dedicated...

In 1947, in the grim post-war years, Edinburgh decided to cheer itself up with an arts festival that immediately became an annual event and eventually spawned several sibling festivals, not least the Fringe Festival. It’s since become of the world’s premier performing arts events, offering ballet, contemporary dance, classical music, opera and drama; all performed in major venues across the...

This longstanding film festival – running since 1947 – brings to the silver screen many World and art house movies that are otherwise hard to find. It’s program of shorts is another great and unusual strength. Otherwise there’s plenty of mainstream cinema too and the festival is strong on Scottish talent and always has a few British and World Premiers....

International jazz and blues aficionados gather to celebrate their musical style for ten days in Edinburgh in late July/early-August every year. Lots of local talent surfaces too and the fun spread across several very good city centre venues. The opening Saturday is best known for its free Mardi Gras-style parade along the Grassmarket in Edinburgh’s Old Town (location of this...

There’s a good mix of playing with tomorrow’s gadgetry and giving some serious thought to the role of science in society at the Edinburgh International Science Festival. Venues across the city are used and there’s a substantial program for kids Edinburgh’s creative technology hub, Summerhall, is the most significant of several venues and where this entry’s map marker has been...

While military marching bands have generally fallen out of favour as attractions, Edinburgh’s Military Tattoo is as popular as ever – and pretty much sells out for its three-week run every year. The key is doubtless the dusk setting beside Edinburgh Castle, but the choreography is also hugely impressive and the nightly fireworks a superb finale. The lament of the...

A huge agricultural show on the edge of Edinburgh, the Royal Highland Show draws some 1,000 exhibitors and 4,500 head of livestock, all here to compete for various trophies in front of close to 200,000 visitors. The main attractions are the events: sheep shearing, show jumping, sheep driving, tugs-of-war, dog obedience trials, falconry and farriery. And there’s music too, in...