What's going on at this year's Edinburgh festivals?

More than 50,000 performances will take place during the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and Edinburgh International Festival during August

Edinburgh's festival season has kicked off with thousands of performances across the month of August getting under way.

The 2025 Edinburgh International Festival (EIF) and Edinburgh Festival Fringe will see huge crowds descend on the city until 25 August.

The Fringe will feature more than 3,853 shows from 63 countries in a programme including comedy, theatre, dance, and musicals at venues ranging from a tent in the car park of the Gyle Shopping Centre to Hibernian FC's Easter Road stadium.

Police say the population of Edinburgh will nearly double to one million during August as artists and visitors converge on the city.

How many artists are taking part?

About 2,000 artists make up the offering from the EIF, which runs under the theme of "The Truth We Seek".

The Edinburgh Book Festival also begins on 9 August, while the Edinburgh Film Festival gets under way from 14 August.

Meanwhile, the Royal Military Tattoo, which runs at Edinburgh Castle until 23 August, will feature a fly-past by the Red Arrows and Apache helicopters across its run to celebrate the event's 75th anniversary.

What about ticket prices?

The organisers of both the EIF and the Fringe have said ticket prices have been set to make them accessible to as many people as possible.

Over 300 shows across the festivals are free, while about 530 run under a pay-what-you-can model.

The Fringe has an average ticket price of just over £13 and the lineup includes the likes of Bill Bailey, Jenny Eclair and Miriam Margoyles.

Dozens of other performances take place on historic streets including the Royal Mile.

However, this year, the prize for funniest joke of the festival has been scrapped.

Succession star Brian Cox is among the artists performing at the EIF

Half the tickets for the EIF will be sold at £30 or less and £10 tickets have been made available for every performance.

Succession star Brian Cox is among those appearing at the EIF, playing the ghost of economist Adam Smith in a new play about the rise and fall of the Royal Bank of Scotland.

This year's theme: Dare to discover

Tony Lankester, who replaced Shona McCarthy as chief executive of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society in March, encouraged attendees to follow its theme of "dare to discover" this year.

"I've attended the Edinburgh Fringe before, but never in such a front-row seat," he said.

"I encourage any and all prospective audience members to go out, enjoy the festival and dare to discover the amazing work on offer."

EIF director Nicola Benedetti said Edinburgh was "honoured" to welcome artists from around the globe

EIF director Nicola Benedetti, the world-renowned violinist, said this year's International Festival was a "bold invitation to question the world around us".

"We're honoured to welcome artists and audiences from across the globe to Edinburgh, and we remain deeply committed to making that experience more accessible than ever," she said.

"Whether you're here for an intimate recital, a powerful play, a mass sing-along or an eight-hour choral epic, you'll encounter connection, curiosity, and the power of great art to shift perspectives."