Artists and visitors flock to Edinburgh as Fringe gets under way

Thousands of artists and visitors are flocking to the capital as the Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2026 is now officially under way.

Artists from across 74 countries are set to perform in over 4,200 shows in nearly 300 venues across the city, from bars and parks to theatres and concert halls.

The Fringe Society will be supporting artists at its new permanent home, Fringe Central, which was unveiled in June.

The former schoolhouse at 6 Infirmary Street in the Old Town officially opens as the festival’s new hub on Friday after more than a year of refurbishment.

Historically, Fringe Central was the name given to the Fringe’s annual temporary pop-up hub for artists, media and arts industry during August.

This year, it’s a permanent place for everyone who takes part at the Edinburgh Fringe, as well as a base for the Fringe Society team.

Tony Lankester, Chief Executive of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society, said: “I want to say a massive thank you to everyone in the Fringe Community – artists, venues, producers, promoters and the wider teams – who have worked tirelessly to bring this year’s Edinburgh Fringe to life.

“Without your creativity and commitment, the Fringe simply would not be what it is today.

“This year we encourage audiences to Mix It Up and full jump into the kaleidoscopic variety of performances on offer.

“The best way to support all artists – from established names to those making their Fringe debut- is to buy a ticket and attend a show”.

The average ticket price is £13 this year, with hundreds also available free of charge.

There are also 796 shows where you can pay what you want, or pay what you can.

Organisers say the vision for this years festival is to give “anyone a stage and everyone a seat”.

The festival is running until Monday August 31.