EDINBURGH FRINGE THEATRE FESTIVAL

**COURSE DATES: AUGUST 9-22**

The Edinburgh Fringe Theatre Festival first flourished in the early 1960s as an artistic alternative on the margins of the upscale International Arts Festival on which Edinburgh’s post-war tourist economy was built. But in terms of its size, economic importance, artistic significance, and sheer excitement, the “fringe” quickly overshadowed its purported center.

Each year, Edinburgh plays host to more than 20,000 shows in over 250 venues across the city during  August. Despite logistical evolution, the Edinburgh Fringe has retained its counter-cultural, grass-roots identity. The Fringe offers performers an opportunity to find new audiences, win awards, and bring international recognition to their work. Anyone who experiences the vast array of theatrical possibilities on display at the festival can only be inspired about the future of theatre and performance.

Although other Fringe Theatre Festivals have appeared in New York, Toronto, Dublin, and elsewhere, the Edinburgh Fringe Theatre Festival remains by far the largest and most influential.

The exchange rate varies (and is currently good for U.S. visitors).  Student tickets to performances remain relatively inexpensive: between $8.00 and $20.00 per show. The recently opened “Forest Fringe” venue, which boasts being the new “fringe of the fringe,” offers all of its many shows free of charge. The ubiquitous street performances on High Street and elsewhere are also free.

For more on the Fringe, visit and explore their website.