The Fringe is probably one of the most popular events held in Edinburgh, Scotland. It takes place annually in August for three weeks in conjunction with other arts and cultural festivals, which are known collectively as the Edinburgh Festival. The Fringe boasts of a zany mixture of different acts that make it the biggest performing arts festival in the whole world. The Festival Fringe Society is the organizer of the event. It is in charge of selling tickets, publishing the programme, and giving advice to the performers. The office of The Fringe is found along the Royal Mile.



The Fringe showcases a wide selection of shows. These are mostly performing arts, in particular the comedy and drama genre. Also involved in the programs are music and dance. The theater events usually include classic plays of ancient Greece, Samuel Beckett, and Shakespeare. They also show newer works, even experimental ones. No selection committee approves what acts are to be shown, so any type of event may be held.

Comedy is also a popular theme. Comedy shows offer free admission. This is partly because the audience is consuming enough food and beverage in the venue to be able to pay for the show. However, don't expect to see established comedians here. Most of the time, up and coming comedians are the ones who perform. Also, there are open microphone sessions, wherein some audience members go up the stage and attempt to entertain the crowd with their comedy acts.

Unlike the other events of the Edinburgh Festival, the venues of the acts of The Fringe are not your usual performance halls and theaters. The Fringe takes over less conventional locations, such as the streets, schools, church halls, temporary structures (i.e. Udderbelly and Spiegeltent), the back of a taxi, public toilets, and even in the homes of some of the members of the audience. However, some may also be held in proper theaters (i.e. Bedlam Theater), historic castles, custom-made theaters (i.e. Music Hall), and conference centers.

Furthermore, the performers also come from diverse backgrounds. Some are non-profit while others are commercial. Some only perform at The Fringe, while others hail from famous theater groups and perform all-year round.

What makes the The Fringe very interesting and appealing is the fact that you would never know what to expect. In fact, you wouldn't know what kind of acts you could find. A world-famous theater troupe could present or a novice group could take over the stage. The quality of the shows does not really matter for that is not the point of the festival. The Fringe simply serves as a conglomeration of ideas and achievements in the performing arts in the UK and worldwide. It serves as a venue where people can experience a feast for their senses by watching these shows that occur simultaneously.

However, for those of you who can't go to Edinburgh to see The Fringe in person, you have the option of watching it through the Internet by accessing its official website. By visiting this website, you will be able to see the reviews and ratings of the events made by the attendees themselves. It also has an online television channel that features the webcasts of some of the acts. Also posted are interviews with a few of the performers and a news bulletin that updates you of the current happenings.