INTERNATIONAT ARTS FESTIVALS

The Edinburgh Festival is the largest arts festival in the world and has been running since 1947. It comprises mainly the International Festival and the Fringe Festival, with a smaller jazz festival, a film festival and a book festival running at more or less the same time.
Both Festivals showcase international talent, though the International one focuses on world class acts in the areas of music, opera, drama and dance, while the Fringe concentrates on giving space to hundreds of smaller, innnovative, wackier music and drama groups - that perform all day and much of the night too, just about anywhere there is space for a couple of chairs.
Fringe standards vary from sensational, next generation world-beating artists, to totally crap performers who embarrass everbody in the theatre except themselves.
The whole three week event, set in beautiful, walkable Edinburgh at the best time of year is a must-do at least once for anyone interested in the arts, but book accomodation well ahead.