Edinburgh Fringe 2013 -Tips Welcome

datimms

Hi,

I'm due to be travelling up from London to Edinburgh for the Fringe festival from the 8th -11th August (with the possibility to extend to 13th).

I haven't gone to Edinburgh before and am keen to get in some sights as well as seeing some excellent acts. I haven't booked accommodation yet but will probably stay at a hostel as my budget is really low - and as I'll be on my own I'm hoping to meet folks.

I'm wondering how the festival all works. Should I buy tickets in advance? Just turn up on the days? Are there money/schedule/food traps to avoid? Money saving opportunities to be had? Any tips for enjoying my time in Edinburgh? Any local knowledge that would come in handy?

Many thanks in advance,
Dave

ailuro2

Book your hostel now, Edinburgh is very very busy around Fringe time, all budget accommodation may already be booked up, you might need to look at staying on the outskirts and bussing it in.

The_One_Who

As above, you may well have missed the boat on the budget accommodation. Towns and cities surrounding Edinburgh, including Glasgow, can get booked up during the Festivals.

I'll presume that you've looked at the programme to see what's on? If there is anything you absolutely must see, I'd book before you go. If you are going for the experience, the atmosphere and just to see a couple of things, I'd go to the Virgin Money Half-Price Hut on the Mound. Be warned: it WILL be busy. Everywhere is busy at this time of year.

Don't try to cram in show and show. There is lots of free street entertainment to be had, and most of it is pretty good. Make up a picnic and sit and watch it for a few hours.

barbarawright

Worth downloading the Edfringe app as it tells you what is on sale at the Half Price booth (which isn't that handy for many venues so you don't want to keep going back to it). Don't book a whole day's shows in advance because you want to be spontaneous about seeing stuff that is being talked about or that someone gives you a flyer for. Don't do too much trotting back and forth between the Old and New Town - it's a long walk with a hill! As good a way as any to choose is to go to one of the larger venues - Pleasance, Gilded Balloon etc and see what is on there.

And get your accommodation sorted as soon as possible - you could always book in Leith or Portobello by the sea which is only a 20 minute bus ride into town but which are nice for a stroll alng the beach in the morning.

mrsjanebanbury2009

Arthur's Seat is well worth a stroll up
http://www.edinburgh.org/see-do/free-attractions/green-spaces
and I agree about not booking too much in advance - go and stroll in the Royal Mile and you will be inundated by people giving you leaflets.
There's a also the Free Fringe http://freefringe.org.uk/ which has got to be worth a look!

Tuesday_Tenor

I think you've seriously underestimated the accommodation issue:

People are probably booking up accommodation now for the 2014 festival!

People have to stay 50 miles away as Edinburgh is choc-a-bloc!

One thing to note for future use:
I have a friend who one year served as a volunteer steward at the Quaker Meeting House, which is used as a venue for the Fringe Festival. I can't remember the exact details but she got free or cheap accommodation with a local family in return for stewarding at, I think, one session per day. So she got to see that event, and was free the rest of the day as well.
There's a general e-mail address on here:
http://www.venue40.org.uk/quakers_edinburgh_fringe

shmeeko69

Hi Dave,

You're cutting it a bit fine hoping to get accommodation in Edinburgh for the Fringe? It would probably be better in getting hostel digs in Glasgow and paying the return train fair from Queen St. Glasgow to Edinburgh Waverley.

Places to see - Camera Obscura, Royal Mile, Arthur's Seat and Dynamic Earth, behind the ugly parliament building.

Drinks - The Playfair, Omni Centre, Mile End Pub, Royal Mile and The Theatre Royal, Next to the Playhouse. Avoid Rose Street prices £4 upwards beer and ales.

# For a great view and a decent snack/drink try the Mercure Hotel on Princess Street. Go in through the front entrance and walk upstairs to the first floor which is open to the public and get yourself as eat by the window #

Eating - Shezan Indian Restaurant, Union Street (BYOB) - Superb!

All the best

pogofish

Good luck getting accomodation at this late stage! :eek:

Also watch-out for the surprisingly common Edinburgh accom trick of taking your booking at a reasonable price, then coming back to you at the last minute with a "problem" regarding your booking and either offering you an alternative in some hell-hole/dump miles away or trying to lever a lot more cash out of you.

Also check the Scotland board for a good established thread on things to do/places to eat in Edinburgh - a lot of info there.

surfsister

well we went last year and had a ball!! there are loads of free events on at which you turn up on the day. Don't book up just go with the flow and you can get reduced tickets on the day anyway unless you really want to see a show! Also take any flyers from anyone, as on the day or just before shows, as some shows hand out free tickets - we got lots of these by walking through busy areas.
As for accommodation we hired a huge student room and 3 of us (a family) slept in the one room in 3 beds!!! I'm not sure how my daughter did this but there are sites around, do a Google searches for cheap accommodation. It might not be great but we were out from about 9 to 11 at night so hardly saw the room except for sleeping!!

there is also usually a literary festival on at night and for free we saw famous authors and got a fiver of books. I got a poetry book in the reduced area by a poet we had just seen and got them to sign it!

enjoy!!!

also book travel soon depending where you live!