Andy Beill has heard it enough times: “I’d love to visit the Fringe one day.” So do it. Since his first taste he wouldn’t miss it. But there are certainly things worth knowing to make it possible and to get the most out of your time there.
Beill adds a big disclaimer: this is all based on what he has learned from doing the Fringe the way he likes to do it. Your entertainment tastes may differ. You might prefer to only buy tickets for acts you’ve seen before, or to take punts on things you’ve never heard of. You may be happy with the cheapest accommodation, or want a luxury stay. You may stay outside Edinburgh and travel in each day, or drop by for a single day.
Beill goes for the comedy, for four or five nights. Longer might be nice but there are costs to justify. He follows enough comedy to know which acts he already rates, and otherwise tries anyone with a solid recommendation. He enjoys a drink but also wants to feel fresh enough to do it all again the next day, and those are long days.
When to go
If there is a particular act you are desperate to see, check which dates they are playing. Plenty will do the whole month, but some may only do shorter runs. The festival officially gets under way on Friday 7 August, but there is near enough a full schedule for a couple of days before. Tickets for these preview dates may be cheaper, as is accommodation before the full throng of the crowd arrives. There is still plenty of festival atmosphere on those days.
There is more buzz on a Friday and Saturday, and accommodation prices fluctuate accordingly – call it dynamic pricing if you like. A £120 double room can jump to £200 on a weekend night. These prices are generally available months in advance; a quick look now shows some hotels are still available for a last-minute decision. If you baulk at the idea of a single night in a run-of-the-mill chain hotel costing over £200, look at the average nightly cost once you factor in a less expensive midweek or Sunday. One night at £200 suddenly averages over two nights to £160. Also consider how far you are travelling and what time you will get there. If coming by train, you may have limited time on your first night.
Booking tickets
Planning is strongly advised. Hyped shows will sell out in advance, so you will be lucky to hear of something through word of mouth and find tickets available for your remaining time, or that doesn’t clash with something else. Shows are typically an hour long. The main venues are roughly only 10–20 minutes walk apart, but you are dealing with heavy crowds of slow walkers and need to allow time for getting in and out of shows. No one likes a latecomer.
Getting around
Distances are walkable, but there are hills, and at some stage you may find yourself on the wrong street level and need to find the stairs. Taxis and Ubers are available, but generally not a worthwhile option if you are able to get about on foot. Consider getting one to take you and your luggage to your accommodation, if only for the chat with a driver gleeful at the annual opportunity for constant fares.
Where to eat
Don’t waste your time on eating out. Most well-rated restaurants will be booked up anyway. You are not going for the culinary experience. Take opportunities to eat when you have a sufficient window in your plans, but squandering a couple of hours to seek out a restaurant with a free table is time you could have spent having fun. Some venues have food trucks on site, and their offering is more than good enough. Pleasance Courtyard has decent looking options but always strikes Beill as unreliable on whether they will have what you want or get your order out quickly. A better bet is George Square Gardens, which has a much wider offering and you will be able to take your pick without a long queue.
Also note a lot of pubs in Edinburgh are wet pubs, meaning they don’t serve food. Enjoy the novelty of having a drink without someone’s ketchup-stained plate left on your table.
What to drink
Many people are enjoying a drink at the Fringe, but it is a very different vibe to a typical music festival or big gig. This is an arts festival after all. Come the evening, there is plenty of merriment to be found should you seek it. You just won’t be among an all-out lash wherever you go, and it is all the better for it. If you are having a drink, be very mindful whether pints are what you want in your system when you are seated in a show for the next hour. Know your own body.
How to spend time outside shows
You’re in one of the UK’s most distinctive and majestic cities. Enjoy the sights of castles in unexpected places. Go to some classic pubs: the beautiful Bennets Bar, the tiny Dagda Bar. Have a diner breakfast in the City Cafe. Give Greyfriars Bobby a wave, but restrain yourself from rubbing his nose. All this and more, if you can comfortably fit it in. You don’t want to spend your whole time in darkened comedy rooms.
As mentioned, Pleasance Courtyard and George Square Gardens are convenient places to hang out for a drink and soak in the festival atmosphere as people come in and out of shows. Likely some of the performers themselves too.
Who to see
It is helpful to get suggestions from guides to the festival, but what is funny is subjective. See if the writer has suggested other comedians you like, which may give you a steer on their tastes. Edinburgh Comedy Awards nominations, for best show and best newcomer, are announced on Wednesday 26 August, with winners three days later, so you have very little time once these come out to try to nab tickets at the very tail end of the run. But seeing who has been up for the awards in the past may give you an idea of their standard. Big name winners still come back to play the Fringe. This year you’ll find TV stars Frank Skinner, Rich Hall, Bridget Christie and Tim Key among a number of past winners reappearing.
One last tip: the Fringe is a great opportunity to see international acts flying in from America, Australia, Ireland, and beyond. If you live in London and are reading this on The Standard, be mindful that you can see comedy year-round here, whether at famous theatres, mixed bill nights, or as Work in Progress (WIP) shows ahead of the Fringe. And on that final point, Beill has compiled a guide to the best WIPs he has been to this year and where to see the finished shows at the Edinburgh Fringe for 2026.
