Edinburgh Fringe: When is the festival and where can you get tickets?

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What is the Edinburgh Fringe Festival?

The Edinburgh Fringe is the largest arts festival in the world, which takes place in the Scottish capital every summer. This year it runs from 3-27 August.

It began in 1947 and has grown to become a major cultural event that attracts performers and tourists alike from around the world.

Who performs at the festival?

The Edinburgh Fringe has become something of a rite of passage for young performers in the UK, and increasingly for international acts too.

It has launched the careers of many comedians such as Rowan Atkinson, Jo Brand, Eddie Izzard and Tim Minchin, who all performed there before becoming household names.

The festival has also been a testing ground for many shows which have gone on to enjoy success around the world, such as Stomp and Jerry Springer: The Opera.

How can I get tickets?

You can purchase tickets for shows through the official Edinburgh Fringe Festival website.

You can also buy them from the various venues once you're in Edinburgh - and keep your eyes peeled as you may even find performers selling them around the city.

Where are the shows performed?

The Edinburgh Fringe often incorporates as many as 4,000 shows across 300 venues. While some of the main locations include Assembly, Gilded Balloon, The Pleasance and Underbelly, many other paid and free venues are employed throughout the festival.

One of the charms of the event is how the festival seeps out into various parts of Edinburgh, with bars and rooms being used for shows, as well as tents and pop up venues.

What are the best shows?

Whether you're a fan of theatre, music, dance, comedy, or something entirely different, you're bound to find something to fit your niche in Edinburgh.

The Independent has listed the 13 best comedy shows you should see this year, and you can also check out theatre critic Lyn Gardner's full round up of all the best shows.

The work performed at the festival often reflects the contemporary, and this year a number of #MeToo themed shows will tackle sexual abuse.

You can read the full list of shows being performed on the Edinburgh Fringe Festival website, which is also available as a booklet.