Edinburgh Festivals

There are 7 festivals that run throughout the Edinburgh summer season. Kicking off with the Edinburgh International Film Festival and finishing off with the Edinburgh Mela and the International Festival fireworks, when you choose to visit will provide you with a vastly different experience. Dates for the 2011 festival season are as follows:

Edinburgh International Film Festival- 15-26 June 2011
Born alongside Edinburgh’s International Festival in 1947, EIFF was one of the world’s first international film festivals, and helped to define the type of event that has since become so pivotal to film culture in nations all over the world.

Edinburgh Art Festival- 4 August - 4 September 2011 * provisional dates
Edinburgh Art Festival is Scotland’s largest annual festival of visual art and has something for everyone. Established in 2004, the Festival works in partnership with the city’s artists, galleries, museums and visual art spaces to present the best, exciting and most intriguing in visual arts practice.

Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival- 22 July- 31 July 2011
Spanning the earliest jazz forms to the thriving creativity of today, the Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival presents the UK’s biggest jazz event.

Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo- 5th- 27th August 2011
A whirling and colorful kaleidoscope of music, dance and display set against the world famous backdrop of Edinburgh Castle, the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo has been an international favorite for over 60 years!

Edinburgh Festival Fringe- 5th -29th August 2011
The Edinburgh Festival Fringe is the largest arts festival in the world and takes place every August for three weeks in Scotland’s capital city.

Edinburgh International Festival- 12th August- 4th September 2011
Every August, the Edinburgh International Festival transforms one of the world's most beautiful cities, presenting three exhilarating weeks of the finest creators and performers from the worlds of the arts - for everyone.

Edinburgh International Book Festival- 13-29th August 2011
The Edinburgh International Book Festival began in 1983 and is now a key event in the August Festival season, celebrated annually in Scotland's capital city and is the largest public celebration of books in the world. Every August Edinburgh International Book Festival brings writers and thinkers from across the planet together to rub shoulders with you, the audience.

Edinburgh Mela Festival- 2-4 September 2011
The Edinburgh Mela was founded in 1995 by members of the city’s minority ethnic communities. The first festival was held in Meadowbank Stadium and quickly grew to attract 20,000 people each year. It was the first Mela in Scotland and has gained a strong reputation in the UK.

The Edinburgh Festivals offer endless possibilities for your Scottish vacation. With Celtic Tours, you can plan a self-drive vacation or gather your favorite group of people to visit Scotland and enjoy these amazing festivals with.

We also offer a brilliant Edinburgh Tattoo and Festival Package with summer dates still available. This combination package allows for plenty of time to experience the Edinburgh Festival atmosphere. Enjoy the stunning Edinburgh Military Tattoo on the Castle Esplanade. Plus discover the best shows as chosen for you personally by the festival critics with the Festival Passport.