The Edinburgh Festival Fringe – the largest arts festival across the globe – is now part of a movement that includes over 200 festivals worldwide.
There really is nothing quite like being in Edinburgh during the Fringe, it's a carnival atmosphere unlike any other. This might be down to the fact that the Edinburgh Festival Fringe is the largest arts festival across the globe! The festival is celebrated its 70th birthday in 2017, and it has definitely come a long way since it began in 1947. Back then it was the first festival of its kind in the world, however, it's now part of a movement that includes over 200 festivals worldwide.
The Fringe's success is down to an absolute commitment from day one to being completely open access and having a strong belief in artistic freedom. Because of this, the Fringe continues to break ground across art forms year after year. Everyone is welcome at the Fringe and here ideas are celebrated and debate is encouraged. The result is that each year the Edinburgh Festival Fringe becomes the largest platform on earth for freedom of speech.
In 2017 it was announced by the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society that we would see the introduction of a day dedicated to celebrating all that is great about Fringe festivals. The World Fringe Day, which takes place on 11th July, provides an opportunity to come together with Fringes all around the world. Together they will celebrate Scotland's Fringe festival connection to the world and demonstrate the worldwide reach and collective power of Fringes.
The World Fringe Day provides the central means to collect all output from around the world into one place, demonstrating internationalism and cultural connections. World Fringe Day is now an annual event of cultural celebration across the world – inclusive of all people and all countries where Fringe festivals exist.