As the Edinburgh Festival Fringe enters its second weekend, audiences are embracing the call to Fill Yer Boots across a diverse and energetic Fringe programme. With over 1 million tickets issued so far and thousands of people watching street performances and free shows; the 2023 Fringe is as relevant, exciting, accessible and diverse as ever.
While this key moment is an important milestone, the festival, and indeed the wider cultural sector, have much to do in their continued recovery from the pandemic. As an open-access festival it is the artists themselves who are at the heart of the Fringe, taking the risk to bring work to Edinburgh every August. As such, the Fringe Society encourages everyone visiting the festival this August to continue to see work and explore as much as possible for the next two weeks.
Audiences have been flocking to the popular Street Events programme to experience local and international street performance every day from 11:00 – 18:00, with artists maximising the opportunity to tell passersby about their upcoming shows. In addition to the outdoor programme, there are 439 free shows, and 614 Pay What you Can/Want shows across various venues ensuring something for everyone.
The Fringe Central Artist Hub, which this year is located in the Quaker Meeting House, has welcomed hundreds of artists to the space to network with peers, engage in an extensive events programme, and gain advice and support from the Fringe Society team.
The Fringe app, which returned this summer, has now had over 55,000 downloads; with Nearby Now and Shake to Search functionality helping audiences take a chance on watching something new while between shows or simply offering a randomised performance.
Shona McCarthy, Chief Executive, Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society, said: “Last autumn when we reviewed the challenges facing the 2023 Fringe, we entered this year with uncertainty about what this summer would look like. Despite the current cost of living crisis, audiences have jumped straight into the Fringe programme and are exploring performance across every genre. With the average ticket price less than £12, it is the artists and venues who have worked tirelessly to ensure the Fringe is accessible as possible. I encourage you to continue to support this important event, book more tickets and Fill Yer Boots with everything this extraordinary festival has to offer.’
