During the second weekend of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, audiences eagerly embrace the invitation to Fill Yer Boots with a vibrant and varied program. Over 1 million tickets have been distributed thus far, and numerous individuals are enjoying street performances and free shows. The 2023 Fringe remains as relevant, thrilling, accessible, and diverse as ever.
Although this significant milestone marks a crucial moment, both the festival and the broader cultural sector still have a lot to accomplish in their ongoing recovery from the pandemic. Being an open-access festival, the artists themselves are the essence of the Fringe, bravely presenting their work in Edinburgh every August. Consequently, the Fringe Society encourages all festival attendees this August to persistently engage with performances and embrace exploration throughout the upcoming two weeks.
The popular Street Events programme attracts crowds who come to enjoy local and international street performances daily from 11:00 to 18:00. Artists take advantage of this opportunity to promote their upcoming shows to passersby. Alongside the outdoor programme, there are 439 free shows and 614 Pay What You Can/Want shows at different venues, providing something for everyone.
The Quaker Meeting House is hosting the Fringe Central Artist Hub this year, where numerous artists gather to connect with fellow peers, participate in a diverse range of events, and receive guidance and support from the Fringe Society team.
The Fringe app, which returned this summer, has now had over 55,000 downloads; with Nearby Now and Shake to Search functionality helping audiences take a chance on watching something new while between shows or simply offering a randomised performance.
Shona McCarthy, CEO of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society, expressed that they faced uncertainty about the summer of 2023 due to challenges during the previous autumn. However, despite the current cost of living crisis, audiences have enthusiastically engaged with the diverse Fringe program across various genres. The average ticket price is less than £12, thanks to the dedicated efforts of artists and venues to make the Fringe as accessible as possible. McCarthy encourages everyone to support this significant event, book more tickets, and fully immerse themselves in everything this extraordinary festival has to offer.
