HI Hostels Blog

Experience Edinburgh Festival Fringe and more

There can be no doubt that summer has arrived as the magnificent bands, bikes, dancers and singers of the Edinburgh Military Tattoo brings in the festival season. Held on the esplanade of Edinburgh Castle until the 28th of August the tattoo is just the first of many events going on in the city this summer.

Indulge on the Festival Fringe

The biggest of these events is of course the Edinburgh festival fringe, which this year has over 40,000 performances at 258 venues. With both festival veterans and newcomers sharing the stages and limelight. Rumor has it that even the great actor and director John Malkovich may be handing out flyers in the streets to promote his new play based on the work of Harold Pinter. The festival offers a unique opportunity for unknown performers to launch their careers, an example of which is Eddie Izzard who performed circus acts and plays with a small group of friends before he became famous. Officially the festival starts on the 5th until the 29th of August though Scotland based dancer Julie Chilvers tells us “the streets of Edinburgh are already filled with high spirits and a festival atmosphere days before the events officially started”.

Video by Alan Stanton

Edinburgh Festival on a budget

If the fringe festival leaves you wanting more, or you are on a tight budget then don’t despair.  The FREE Edinburgh festival is coinciding with the main events and offers an array of Comedy, Cabaret, Music, Theatre and far more all for free. We caught up with the Off off off broadway company who are offering one of their popular plays free of charge. The three-piece company told us that they had chosen to perform at Edinburgh for free this year as a chance to meet and mingle with passionate artists and festivalgoers.

The free festival is all about community and helping each other out which is an ethos that they felt was important. The Off off off broadway company will be staying in hostels in the city and are hoping to get to know like-minded people from around the globe. When asked why they have chosen to stay in hostels writer and director Polis Loizou replied, “People rely on hostels, they are part of the experience.  As much as tents are to Glastonbury, hostels are to Edinburgh”. If you want to catch Laura Louise Baker, Jaccq Hugo and Polis Loizou their show is on from the 15th to the 20th of August at 4:45pm in the Princes Mall opposite Edinburgh Waverley train station.

Beyond the fringe

The festival atmosphere in Edinburgh keeps going with The International festival that offers music, opera and visual art from across the globe is on from the 12th of August to the 4th of September. Soon followed by the International Book festival from the 13th to the 29th of August and the Mela festival, which celebrates cultural diversity through the arts and takes place on the 2nd to the 4th of September.

Hostel Accommodation

The city offers a large range of entertainment for all audience types and places it within a beautiful historic setting. This is a truly unique experience. If this sounds like the right place for you then we still have rooms available at our Edinburgh Metro hostel. Situated in the heart of the city with single lockable rooms or private apartments comprising of 4, 5 or 6 rooms with a kitchen and bathroom. Bedding is included, there is no curfew and a take away breakfast is available making this an ideal place for joining in with the fun of the festivals.

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