Festival History

Edinburgh Festivals: History and Timeline

1947: Three Festivals are Born

Edinburgh’s reputation as a global festival city has deep roots. It was over sixty years ago in the immediate post World War Two era that plans were developed for an arts festival that would become a much-needed ‘platform for the flowering of the human spirit’ - for Scotland, Britain and wider Europe. The Edinburgh International Festival was founded in 1947 – directed by Rudolf Bing of Glyndebourne Opera, and working with the British Council in Scotland and civic leaders from the City of Edinburgh. Some of the world’s finest artists and companies were invited to perform at the city’s theatres in that first year, and the founders had high hopes for the cultural, social and tourism benefits such a festival could bring if successful. It was a pioneering plan and the first festival of its kind in the world – and more than 60 years on, the International Festival’s programme of classical music, theatre, opera and dance is firmly established. The International Festival takes place between August and September.

On the same year eight theatre groups turned up uninvited to perform at the (then newly formed) Festival, but not being in the programme didn’t stop these actors. They staged their shows anyway in the periphery of the main event – and so the Edinburgh Festival Fringe was born. Now officially the largest – and non-programmed – arts festival in the world the Fringe still operates under its core founding principle, that anyone with a story to tell and a venue willing to host them can take part. By 2010 there were over 40,254 performances of over 2,400 shows in 259 different venues (with over 1.8 million tickets sold in 2009). The Fringe also takes place in August.

1947 was also the year that saw the Edinburgh International Film Festival come together. Another first for the city, the Film Festival pioneered the showcase of the flourishing documentary movement of the day, a genre nowadays so associated with film festivals around the world. By the 1950s the programme included a vast array of international cinema – innovation has been at the heart of this festival which later on added retrospectives and new talent as staple strands. Today the Festival hosts a prestigious list of world premieres, attracting the industry’s biggest names and most cutting edge talent to take part in its vibrant programme of screenings, talks and events. The Film Festival takes place in June.

1950: The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo is founded

The decade opened with the first Edinburgh Military Tattoo staged in the glorious surroundings of Edinburgh Castle. The globally renowned celebration of military culture staged just eight performances that year, but since then it has grown into a world-wide phenomenon, with an annual sell-out audience of over 200,000 people – visitors to Scotland, mostly - and an attendance total in excess of 12 million to date. Representatives from over 40 countries have taken part, and a further 100 million people worldwide watch the Tattoo every year on television. The Tattoo takes place in August.

1978: Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival

Edinburgh’s dynamic 1970s music scene gave birth to a festival celebrating all things jazz and blues. A highlight in the city’s music calendar, the Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival brings some of the world’s best performers to Edinburgh. The Jazz Festival takes place between July and August.

The 1980s: Literature and Science arrive

1983 saw the inception of the Edinburgh International Book Festival, an event which in its first year presented 30 authors and has now grown to become the leading meet-the-author book festival in the world. In 2010 it hosts over 750 authors – both in its adult and children’s programme - from more than 50 countries, with 220,000 visitors coming to the idyllic setting of Charlotte Square Gardens, the Book Festival’s home.  The festival is the largest public celebration of books and ideas in the world, and regularly features a number of Nobel and Booker Prize Winners, as well as commissioning and showcasing yet-to-be discovered young writers. The Book Festival takes place in August.

The Edinburgh International Science Festival was founded in 1988 as the very first public science festival in the world. It was inaugurated in style by Valentina Tereshkova, the very first woman in space. Aiming to bring the wonder and value of science and technology to the masses – with a strong emphasis on children’s and schools events –  the festival takes over the city with workshops, talks and demonstrations covering every subject imaginable, from the science of ghosts, chocolate and laughter to the legacy of Charles Darwin and theories of Richard Dawkins. The festival takes place in April.

The 1990s: Festival growth, as the Storytelling, Hogmanay, Mela and Children’s Festivals all make their mark on Edinburgh’s year-round Festival calendar

The Imaginate Festival, formerly known as the Scottish International Children’s Theatre Festival,was launched in 1990 to provide a special programme of Scottish and international theatre, dance and performance for children and young people. It is the UK’s largest festival of performing arts exclusively for young audiences, and attracts large crowds of schools and families every year. The festival also goes on tour throughout Scotland after its Edinburgh run. It takes place in May.

The Scottish International Storytelling Festival – rooted around the work of the Scottish Storytelling Centre on the city’s historic Royal Mile – was also founded in 1990. The festival brings together not only storytellers from Scotland but from every other continent in the world, promoting the oral traditions of cultures all over the globe. The festival has a packed programme of live storytelling performances, talks, workshops and family activities.  The festival takes place in October.

Another Festival steeped in Scottish tradition, but also firmly committed to exploring and reflecting the Scotland of today, is Edinburgh’s Hogmanay. For years and years revellers have gathered in Edinburgh’s historic Trongate to toast the arrival of the New Year. In 1994 the city formally invested in and developed these celebrations with the first official Edinburgh's Hogmanay taking place, an event which has grown to become a four-day festival of music with some of the leading pop and rock bands in the world, street-theatre, the infamous hundreds-strong Ceilidh street dance and breathtaking fireworks. With the majestic Edinburgh castle as a backdrop and tens of thousands of overseas visitors flocking to the city to the party it’s no wonder the festival made it to David Freeman’s bestselling book 100 things to do before you die.

Founded in 1995 by members of the city's minority ethnic communities, the Edinbugh Mela Festival has grown to become one of the most popular family-friendly festivals in Edinburgh. More than 20,000 people take to Leith Links park to enjoy this three-day spectacular programme of workshops and performance, including theatre, dance, fashion shows, music and food stalls. The Mela takes place in August.

2000 and beyond

Now one of the most established and prestigious art events in Scotland, the Edinburgh Art Festival was officially added to the city calendar in 2004. It is a key showcase for established and emerging Scottish artists, features established and emerging names in the world circuit, bringing together the work of over 50 galleries in the city. The festival takes place between July and September.