Things to do in Scotland, United Kingdom: The Best Music Festivals

Reviewed By madmadeleine - Los Angeles, United States

I want to review the Fringe Festival however, tripadvisor only has a listing for the main festival and not for the Fringe. They should change that. The Fringe Festival is huge and it is not the main festival. It only exists because 70 years ago the snooty people who ran the main festival turned away several groups of performers who came to participate, and instead of going home with their tails between their legs, they started the most lively and inclusive arts festival in the world. Over 3000 different performances over one amazing month in August. They deserve their own listing. There were so many choices. With over 400 pages of show descriptions, the Fringe guide included a map and several comprehensive indexes including show title and venue. I used it along with the Fringe site and the Fringe app to find shows, and then used a low tech solution, pen and paper, to create a one page calendar with time slots so we knew what show were were headed to next. We had an amazing time. If you love theatre, music, comedy, street performers and being in the center of a lively arts scene, book your lodgings early and go. I wore my Fitbit and it told me I averaged walking about 9 miles a day and climbing the equivalent of 33 flights of stairs. The venues are distributed throughout the Old Town and the New Town and walking is the best way to get around. Traffic is often snarled so taking a taxi or a bus would probably be slower. Wear comfortable walking shoes and get in shape. It is a kind of marathon.