We're delighted to announce the return of Fringe Days Out, our flagship community engagement programme, for 2026. Fringe Days Out supports Edinburgh-based community groups by providing free Fringe tickets to deliver an entire festival experience paid for by the Fringe Society. Through Fringe Days Out, more than 20,000 community group participants have visited the festival since 2017, with the many having never experienced the Fringe before.
This year, Fringe Days Out launched at the Heart of Newhaven, a community hub in North Edinburgh that hosts a range of community groups. The Lord Provost of the City of Edinburgh, Robert Aldridge, joined Fringe Day Out community groups Vintage Vibes and Gig Buddies to celebrate the launch of this year's programme. Encouraging community groups to continue to embrace the Fringe in their own way and on their own terms, the event also featured a performance by performer Greg Sinclair from the show Tongue Twister, part of this year’s Made in Scotland showcase.
Our partner organisations work with a range of groups in Edinburgh and the surrounding area, including young people, single parents, isolated older adults, disabled and autistic people, ethnic minority communities, refugees and asylum seekers, LGBTQ+ people and many more. This collaboration has fostered long-term, meaningful relationships and helps us better understand how it can open doors and allow communities to celebrate the arts, culture and creativity on their own terms.
Alongside the launch of Fringe Days Out, we've published an independent report studying the impact of Fringe Days Out, produced by Ruthless Research and funded by the Scottish Government. The report highlights the positive effects Fringe Days Out has had on local Edinburgh communities such as:
- around one in six respondents (17%) were first-time Fringe-goers
- 95% of the community members felt welcome at the Fringe following their visit
- 52% of the community partners reported that Fringe Days Out had led them to work with the Fringe Society in other ways.
The Fringe Society looks forward to further developing the relationships forged by Fringe Days Out, ensuring this project supports community groups across Edinburgh and the festival remains a force for good in the city.
Tony Lankester, Chief Executive of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society, said: ‘Fringe Days Out is a real privilege for the Fringe Society to deliver and a joy to relaunch for 2026. Fringe Days Out is a wonderful example of how the Fringe Society collaborates with Edinburgh's communities to break down long-term barriers and celebrate this amazing festival. It is vitally important that the Fringe Society continues to ensure that our Fringe Day Out community partners feel empowered to enjoy the Fringe in their own way and on their own terms.’
The Lord Provost of the City of Edinburgh, Robert Aldridge, said: ‘Fringe Days Out by the Fringe Society is really important as it helps local people to take part in this world-class festival taking place on their door-step. I’m proud to support Fringe Days Out 2026 and all it does to show the fringe is for everyone across the city and not only in its peak month of August.’
Sam Maggs, from Fringe Days Out community partner Gig Buddies, said: ‘Fringe Days Out gives Gig Buddies members a sense of ownership in their community. A lot of the time, access barriers and needing support can mean people feel disconnected from the place they live in. Fringe Days Out means that Gig Buddies members are part of the Fringe that's on their doorstep.’
