How to describe the Edinburgh Fringe? It’s seeing four shows in a day, being herded into boiling hot rooms already sweating because you had to run up 40 stairs to get there on time. It’s pushing through swathes of tourists on Grassmarket pretending to be Harry Potter when you just want to get a meal deal to keep you going. It’s ending up with just under 50 fliers on the walk to buy said meal deal because you were too awkward to say no. It’s excellent, it’s overwhelming, and a bunch of tickets for the 2024 edition have just gone on sale.
Keen to get in on the action for Edinburgh Fringe 2024? We’ve got your back. Here’s everything you need to know about getting tickets.
How do you get tickets to the Fringe 2024?
Tickets for a select 190 shows went on sale at midday today (February 22). Organisers of the Fringe, which this year is taking place between August 4-28, recommend you buy tickets as far in advance as possible, as most performers are on very small budgets and rely on ticket sales to break-even on the venue hire and accommodation costs. Have a look through the extensive catalogue and get your first few shows booked in on the Fringe’s website here.
What can you watch at the Edinburgh Fringe?
Any version of live performance you can conceive of is available, from drag performances to a capella, stand up comedy, straight plays, and even Thai cookery workshops. Shows are generally between 45 minutes and an hour, although some will be longer, such as this Ceilidh workshop where you’ll actually get to do a bit of traditional Scottish dancing yourself. If you can imagine it, someone’s doing it at the Fringe.
How much are tickets?
The question ‘how much is a ticket for the Fringe’ is actually harder to answer than how long’s a piece of string. The string, once cut, can be measured easily. The Fringe is a four week long theatre extravaganza, where hundreds of shows will perform in hundreds of rooms and venues across the capital of Scotland. That’s a lot of string to add up.
Some shows will be free to walk into as they begin, some will sell out months in advance. In general, expect to pay between £10 and £20 per show, although some will have discounts on different days of the week.
When will the rest of the lineup be announced?
There will be two more ticket drops on March 30 and May 11, so mark your calendars now if you have a favourite puppeteer or circus performance you know you’ll want to see. A lot of the excitement of the Fringe does come from turning up on the day and seeing what’s on, so don’t worry if you end up forgetting to get in there early.
Live entertainment with Time Out
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