Sometimes it feels like every street-food trader in Scotland descends on the capital come the summer. Edinburgh Folk & Food Festival (18–27 July) is a great way to pick out a few of your favourites ahead of the August mayhem. Based in George Square, this year’s renaming sees a roster of chilled folk performances added to the bill, but the focus on good food hasn’t changed. Sarah Rankin will host a series of conversations about Scottish food culture in the new Piccolo Kitchen, where local chefs Tomás Gormley, Barry Bryson and Daniela Forbes will also be shaking their pans with a range of demos and tastings. If you’re into cooking, Edinburgh Food Social’s hands-on technique workshops look fun too. Street-food vendors including The Tuskers, Choola, Lazeez Street Food and Cala Cala will be there for the full two weeks, with the Producers Market making a welcome return on the final weekend.

Foodies Festival at Inverleith Park (1–3 August) is a brilliant way to start the festival month off with a bang (bang chicken). The roster of celebrity chefs includes Gary Maclean and Hebridean Baker, Coinneach MacLeod, alongside a gaggle of MasterChef, Great British Bake Off and Great British Menu winners. Get up close and personal with dishes, ingredients, wine, beer and cocktails through a series of masterclasses and tastings, while the Kids Cookery School will keep the junior gourmets happy. Music headliners include Scouting For Girls and The Wanted 2.0, while Symphonic Ibiza will get the well-fed crowd on its feet.  

Edinburgh Folk & Food Festival, George Square Garden, Friday 18-Sunday 27 July; Foodies Festival, Inverleith Park, Friday 1-Sunday 3 August.