Edinburgh Fringe Festival Help

The_Grateful_Ghoul

I have always wanted to experience the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

I am sure as with any big event Hotels will double in price etc during the event so was wondering if anyone on here could help make the trip a little easier to plan.

Best Time to visit in August?
Best Places to Stay?
Planning what to see?
Finding our way around?

I guess I am essentially asking for an idiot's guide to the Festival, any useful resources would be appreciated.

Huge thanks in advance:beer:

ecossesays

As you would expect, Edinburgh during August is pretty busy to say the least. Hotels are often full and jack up their prices to reflect the demand. Book early but be prepared to pay more than you would normally expect.

Where to stay? Anywhere within your budget and close to the city centre.

When in August? Any time really. Its going to be busy as hell no matter when you come! It may be worth noting that during preview week tickets for shows tend to be cheaper as performer use these performances to fine tune their acts. This is when most of the locals such as myself tend to try to go along as we are tightfisted and its a tad quieter than the rest of the month which is pretty much mayhem. Quite often during the last week of the Fringe you can get hold of 2 for 1 or half price tickets. The best place to get all the info on this is at edfringe.com

You will also be able to order a copy of the festival guide from there from early May for its June 11th release edfringe.com/story.html?id=2569&area_id=33
This is basically your Fringe bible detailing every show thats part of the official fringe programme. Don't leave home without it. I would recommend planning your trip before you come, booking all your tickets online and then picking them up from the venues. There was a high profile cockup with the ticketing system last year and lots of people, including myself, didn't recieve their tickets in the post on time so if you are visiting from afar this is the safest option.

The edfinge website has a lot of info about accomodation, tips for newbies, how to get around and what to do so give it a good look and you'll be sorted!

Anyways, hope that helped. You'll have a great time at the Fringe I'm sure. I might even let you buy me a pint :beer:
Its not letting me post the links as I'm a new user apparently but I'm sure you know how to copy and paste.

The_Grateful_Ghoul

Huge Thanks for your reply my friend.:beer:

EssexHebridean

Also there is a whole host of other information available through the festival itself. Everything from leaflets being thrust into your hand as you walk along the High Street to the daily reviews on the Scotsman etc. Some of the newspapers will do giveaway info booklets and there always used to be a daily sheet also giving details of all the shows that are on.

Even if you have tickets, for anything that you know you're seeing that is likely to be popular it's worth joining the queue for half an hour beforehand - seating is nearly all on a first come, first served basis, and it is possible to get stuck with restricted views especially in some of the temporary spaces if you arrive last minute. Having said that some of the temp spaces also offer some wonderfully unusual seating solutions - I have found myself sat on banks of giant squidgy plastic cubes and lounging on scatter-cushions before!

My gut feeing (backed up by a quick browse on Hotels.com) suggests that you may have left it quite late to book accomodation for this year now - having said that you just could get lucky, there are still some travelodge roms available (although not for Saturday nights) but not at what I would class as sensible prices.... Avoid the weekend of the August bank holiday down in England as it's even busier than normal then. A thought - it's worth checking out the bus routes to allow you easy access into the city and then looking at sightly more remote locations to stay. There are a huge number of B&B's out near the zoo, for example, to the West of the City, and lots of buses running in and out, including night buses.

Take time just to wander around taking in the atmosphere - the High Street is excellent for Street Theatre and for a pound or two in the hat plenty of entertainment is just waiting for you.....

Enjoy!

pogofish

Getting a Scotsman first thing each morning is good for getting free tickets and info in the daily supplement - You do need to be early for the best tickets sometimes.

In the past, finding wherever the BBC has based their operations can also be very good - They often dish out freebies for recordings/televised shows etc and it was just good for performer spotting in the bar. Last time I was at the Fringe, this was all going on around the Pleasance courtyard & dropping past on a daily basis for a drink and a read of the info boards etc was always worthwile.

Also look out for shows that try to tempt you-in with free drink or food.

Centre of Edinburgh is pretty compact so all the main venues are a fairly short walk from each other Although the hills may make you feel a bit footsore at the end of a long day.

Yup, Travelodge is good weekdays and the new SYHA place off Leith Walk does single rooms & they also used to open a summer hostel in the student halls on the Cowgate, which was decent & right in the midst of things. You had better move fast and get somewhere booked - Accomodation is always in demang.

zahidf

Just a quick question, would you say that its possible to drive up from London to Ednibrugh and get cheap/free parking anywhere near the action.

Lima

I would recommend you head up for the beginning of the Fringe as there are higher chances of getting reduced price/free tickets.

Having previously worked in the comedy side of the fringe several years ago there will be plenty of chances for cheaper tickets:

The opening weekend is now classed as the preview weekend when a show may be half price or 2 for 1. This is done as it is generally still quiet by festival standards and it is possible that the act is delivering the show for the first time and will still be a bit rough round the edges.

Every performer relies on reviews to sell their show and everyone wants a full house when the reviewer is in, typically a promoter will paper (give away free tickets) a show in the 60 minutes in the lead up to the show to ensure there is as much laughter as possible to help with the review.

In addition to the above the free paper Metro have a box office on the Princes Mall shopping centre of Princes street which has different shows every day at half price.

Hope this helps

pogofish

zahidf wrote: »

Just a quick question, would you say that its possible to drive up from London to Ednibrugh and get cheap/free parking anywhere near the action.

Not in central Edinburgh IME. Avoid at all costs would be my suggestion.

There are several park & rides round the city though:

http://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/internet/transport/parking/cec_park_and_rides

alanrowell

zahidf wrote: »

Just a quick question, would you say that its possible to drive up from London to Ednibrugh and get cheap/free parking anywhere near the action.

No way - and most of the park and rides don't allow overnight parking.

Why don't you just get the train, it's half the travel time and if booked in advance (ie NOW) will be cheaper than the petrol for the car let alone wear & tear on you and the car

alison74

Here's my guide to the Edinburgh Festival HERE

scotsbob

As you correctly say, prices in Edinburgh esacalate during the festival. Glasgow is only 40 miles and 40 minutes away. Many people coming at festivaltime find that it is cost effective to get accommodation in Glasgow and travel through each day on the train. Cheaper and no parking worries.