In 1947, Jewish refugee and theatre impresario Rudolf Bing had the idea to heal international wounds of war through a celebration of culture. The programme of theatre, ballet, opera and orchestral music he brought together became known as the Edinburgh International Festival. Thus began the association of Edinburgh with cultural summer festivals that has lasted almost 80 years to date, branching out to cover almost every conceivable creative discipline, from circus to cookery, blues to sculpture, short films to military marches. 

The big guns

Edinburgh International Festival (1–24 August) is the one that started it all and is still going strong in its eighth decade. This year the theme is ‘The Truth We Seek’. Early announcements for the line-up include an acrobatic reimagining of Orpheus And Euridyce from Opera Queensland (featuring Australian contemporary circus legends Circa) and Scottish Ballet’s new gender-fluid, inter-generational production of Mary Queen Of Scots. The full programme is launched in March. 

Edinburgh Fringe (1–24 August) is a madcap free-for-all that sprawls across town, and though it’s administrated by The Fringe Society, technically it’s owned and run by no one. Major multi-site operations such as Assembly, The Pleasance, Underbelly, The Stand and Gilded Balloon are all part of the Fringe, but there’s oodles more besides. The wild-west ethos means anyone can take part, from A-list stand-ups and world-class dance troupes to university student theatre groups taking over the local pub’s back room. Look out for the Tolstoy-length programme of around 3500 shows come early summer.

Essentially a fringe to the Fringe, the Free Festival (31 July–24 August) now claims two decades of widening access to the arts and providing space for performers and audiences without large budgets behind them. In many ways a visit to the Free Festival is like a nostalgic visit to the Fringe in its olden days: it’s a roulette wheel of quality, but run with love, grit and ingenuity. 

Celebrating its 75th birthday this year, the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo (1–23 August) graces its spectacular location on the Esplanade of Edinburgh Castle with military pageantry and international cultural exchange. Even if you don’t manage to bag a ticket, you can still set your watch by the fireworks display over the castle every night. 

Out of town

North Berwick’s Fringe By The Sea (1–10 August) has become a refreshing mainstay of the Edinburgh-adjacent summer festival season. The short train ride from the capital is well worth it to immerse yourself in fresh sea air, marquees with author talks, live bands, comedy and cookery demonstrations. This year the theme is ‘Timeless Treasures’ and the festival is featuring films for the first time. The central hub in the Lodge Grounds is packed with gourmet street-food stalls and has a proper grassy, bunting-laced festival vibe. 

One-form festivals

Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival (11–20 July) is the funk equivalent of a klaxon signalling the start of Edinburgh’s festival season. Lower key than some of the other festivals, it nevertheless attracts world-class superstars, with over 130 gigs in genres from hip-hop to contemporary to big band. The festival’s free Mardi Gras and Carnival events during opening weekend help start the season in style. 

With its fantastic new home at Edinburgh Futures Institute just off the Meadows, Edinburgh International Book Festival (9–24 August) provides a peaceful escape from the Fringe crowds, as well as the chance to catch your favourite authors in the atmospheric Spiegeltent. Plus there’s always an excellent children’s literature programme. 

Edinburgh International Film Festival (14–20 August) made a welcome return last year, showcasing local and international talent. This is its second year under the directorship of Paul Ridd, and for filmmakers on the up, submissions for short films and features are open until April.  

Get your visual art fix at Edinburgh Art Festival (7–24 August) which spans the city’s galleries, from Talbot Rice in the city centre to Inverleith House in the Botanics, as well as out-of-town sculpture park, Jupiter Artland. This year, a one-night, experimental mini-festival, Jupiter Rising x EAF, is set to celebrate queer artists, while the legendary Andy Goldsworthy is exhibiting work at National Galleries Scotland. 

Food fests

Assembly Food Festival (dates tbc) fills George Square with mouthwatering food and drink stalls, from Hawaiian poke and Japanese gyoza to gourmet mac‘n’cheese. It’s free to enter and there are live events to enjoy too.

Scran also comes in all its varieties at the Foodies Festival (1–3 August) at Inverleith Park. This established regular of the festival season is packed with Michelin-starred chefs, cookery TV-show champions and stages dedicated to specific techniques such as barbecue. Providing the festival soundtrack are headline music acts, which this year include The Wanted and Symphonic Ibiza.  

This article was originally published in The List’s Guide To Scottish Festivals 2025, which is available in print from stockists across Scotland or to read online