Throughout the month of August every year the world’s largest arts festival is held in the beautiful and richly historical city of Edinburgh: Edinburgh fringe festival.
Starting in 1947 with a mere 8 theatre groups, the festival has swelled in size and this year there are now a whopping 49,497 performances of 3,193 shows across 299 venues scheduled to take place. From theatre to dance workshops, spoken word to comedy, the Edinburgh Fringe Festival caters to all and supports both big names and unknown acts at the very start of their careers.
It can often be difficult to find enough activities to keep children happy over the summer months and lots of us are always looking for exciting activities for the family to enjoy. Fringe is a cultural haven and has shows to suit every need ensuring that a visit to Edinburgh Fringe Festival is one of the most rewarding family activities this summer.
What to see?
Fringe boasts an extraordinary 113 shows all specifically tailored for children, which guarantees you will always be able to find something the little ones can enjoy. For a rundown of everything that’s scheduled this year you can order or a program or view it online at https://www.edfringe.com/visit-the-fringe/order-programme.
Elsewhere in Edinburgh
There are many other things to do and see in Edinburgh so if stopping for the festival it’s important not to overlook these. The attractions are not just for kids though and they’ll be plenty for parents, grandparents and visiting family to enjoy. Two main areas you should visit are:
- The Royal Mile: a vibrant street performance that goes on throughout the month along a bustling road with a festive and carnival feel. This is where acts come to advertise their shows and The Royal Mile is full to the brim with bright and wacky costumes, magicians and even acrobats!
- The House of Fairy Tales: wholead interactive problem solving tours of the city which are guaranteed to keep children engaged and interested and also offers parents the opportunity to get to know the beautiful city in a unique and fun way.
Who can go?
Not only parents but also grandparents can join in the festivities at Edinburgh Fringe. Much like McCarthy and Stone retirement properties, Edinburgh Fringe Festival is making a conscious effort to make their shows accessible and enjoyable for the older generation.
If you feel yourself or a relative could benefit from extra assistance or a wheelchair while at the festival, you can contact the Box Office Access Assistants who are happy to help and prove that this prominent festival really is accessible for all!
This list is great, I’m going to the Fringe this year for the first time since I’ve had kids and kind of assumed I’d just have to leave them with other mum while I went out and have fun! They’re pretty young so I’m certain I could take them along to some of the adult performances without them understanding enough to be scarred, which is great cause watching kids stuff all the time is so dull!
I’m mostly relieved that the tram system is up and running at last so I may not have to do too much dragging the kids on foot.
Thanks for all the suggestions!