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Today marks the official start of the 2024 Edinburgh Festival Fringe, which will run until Monday 26 August. Artists from 58 countries will be represented at the Fringe this August, with 849 shows from Scotland and 608 from Edinburgh itself.

With a vision to give anyone a stage and everyone a seat, at this year’s Fringe the average ticket price is less than £13. There are 456 free shows and another 686 using the ‘pay what you want’ or ‘pay what you can’ model, ensuring Fringe audiences can experience a variety of work at an accessible cost.

This August there are now 3,663 shows* (3,317 within the printed programme), who will undertake over 52,000 performances across the month. Since programme launch on 12 June, 346 more shows have registered and are now searchable on edfringe.com and in the official Fringe app. 

The Fringe street events programme began this morning and will run from 11:00 every day from 05 – 26 August, with world class performers taking to the Royal Mile and Mound all day, and something for everyone. This year the programme also features ‘Innis & Gunn on the Mound’, a new Scottish food and drink village amidst the street events action on the Mound. In addition, Who Gives A Crap are supporting with the provision of toilets on the Royal Mile.

Supporting artists by facilitating a range of services via the Fringe Society, so far this year the Media Office has accredited over 700 reviewers, editors, journalists and broadcasters from 22 countries, who will be instrumental in boosting artists’ profile. In addition, to date, some 1,300 arts industry professionals from 56 countries have accredited, and will be on the lookout for shows at the Fringe to offer onward touring or TV and film adaptation opportunities. Fringe Central is also fully open to support all artists performing at the Fringe this summer, with a programme of events tailored to help performers at any stage of their career, and free mental health support for artists returns in partnership with Health In Mind.

Shona McCarthy, Chief Executive, Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society, said: “After months of planning by a cast of thousands, I am absolutely thrilled to welcome everyone to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2024! I want to say a massive thank you to everyone who has worked so hard to get to this point, including artists, venues, producers, promoters, staff and too many more to mention. Now it’s time to enjoy this amazing festival you’ve created.”

“The Fringe Society exists to support the artists, media and arts industry taking part in the Fringe. Our team will be at Fringe Central throughout August with on the ground support, advice and a fantastic programme of events for all participants. Now it’s over to the Fringe audience, please get ready to Unleash Your Fringe and experience work from established names or first time and emerging performers. The best way to support artists over the coming weeks is to go and see shows.”

New shows added since programme launch (June 12)

Below is a small representative sample of shows that have registered since programme launch on12 June. The full list of shows at this year's festival can be found at edfringe.com.

Head to The Last Incel (Underbelly) to ‘log into the world of the incels’ or Love is (Bedlam Theatre) for ‘a queer experimental sci-fi show’. I Wrote This Show Last Night (Zoo) is ‘a show about not knowing what you should be doing in life - but doing it anyway.’  ‘Sing, dance and party all night long’ to all of the Abba’s greatest hits at Dancing Queens (The Three Sisters) or join ‘an immersive one-man show about being single in your 30s’ at Best Man (Underbelly). ‘Fresh from opening for David Sedaris around the world’, Rob McGlade performs ‘sections from his upcoming humorous memoir’ in Rob McGlade: bíttör basturd bàttör burgur (PBH's Free Fringe).

Learn ‘everything about the mysterious and powerful relationship between music and cinema’ at Zic Zazou Company (French Institute in Scotland) or explore a ‘new mash-up of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Tempest, and Macbeth humorously explores some of society’s current affairs at A Midsummer's Tempest (theSpaceUK). ‘Taking place at the world’s most unpopular kissing booth’, Angel Baby is at PBH's Free Fringe, or ‘come and hear some of the UK's best organists play a superb series of recitals’ at Cathedral Celebrity Organ Recitals (St. Mary’s Episcopal Cathedral).

Fellanies: Say Ur Prayers (a bit) (Hoots Comedy) has ‘sacrilegiously talented acts, daft games and rancid confessions’ while Incognito Improv: People Pleasers (Laughing Horse) explore the hidden struggles of those who live to please others. Jimmy Carr returns to the Fringe with Jimmy Carr: Laughs Funny (Edinburgh Playhouse) as does Katherine Ryan (The Fringe at Prestonfield) and Russell Howard's Wonderbox: Live (Assembly). Rachel Galvo: The Shite Feminist (Greenside) is a form of radical self-love.

*edfringe.com listings include shows which may be performing across multiple spaces and also shows which have been cancelled but may appear within the printed Fringe programme.

Thumbnail photo credit: The Ice Hole (2023), Pleasance. Photo: Roberto Ricciuti.