Edinburgh International Festival - World Class Theatre, Opera, Dance and Music

The original Edinburgh Arts Festival

• What: A celebration of World Class performances in theatre, music, dance and opera
• When: Annual festival, 24 days from the second weekend in August, including four weekends (2009 dates - August 14 to September 6)
• Where: Six major theatres and concert halls plus smaller venues around Edinburgh
• Admission: Ticket prices vary depending upon event. Tickets available online.
• Website

The posh festival that started it all

If you've never been to Edinburgh during festival season, you'd be forgiven for thinking that the huge street party and open theatre festival that is the Fringe Festival is all there is.

But, if your taste runs to more established art forms and you'd rather sit in a proper concert hall than watch a performance in someone's private apartment, The Edinburgh International Festival is for you.

It runs virtually alongside the Fringe Festival, which was actually started in response to the Edinburgh International Festival back in 1947.

The program includes:

• Dance
• Classical Music
• Theatre
• Opera
• Visual Arts
• Lectures, talks and panel discussions.

Among the venues for the Edinburgh International Festival are The Edinburgh Festival Theatre, The Queen's Hall, The Edinburgh Playhouse, The Royal Lyceum Theatre, Greyfriars Kirk and others. In addition, The Hub, home of the Edinburgh International Festival, is a magnificent Neo-Gothic landmark that is worth visiting in its own right.

Check out the highlight's of this year's Edinburgh International Festival