Fireworks bring Edinburgh's festivals to a close

Edinburgh's summer festival season has come to a close with the city's annual fireworks display.

About 250,000 spectators filled Princes Street Gardens and surrounding vantage points to watch 400,000 fireworks set off from Edinburgh Castle.

The display marked the end of the Edinburgh International Festival and was choreographed to live music from the Scottish Chamber Orchestra.

Monday was also the final day of the Fringe and book festival.

Shaun Kenneth, 38, from London, told the BBC Scotland news website: "The fireworks were absolutely spectacular. Really, really good.

"My only complaint was that the tram lights weren't switched off so when we looked into the sky from Princes Street we were staring into these huge beams of light, which obscured our view of the fireworks display.

"No trams were running along Princes Street as it had been closed to traffic while the display was on so I don't know why they didn't turn off the tram lights."

Organisers of the Fringe confirmed on Monday afternoon, with hundreds of performances still to take place, that more people than ever attended shows with an estimated 2,838,839 tickets issued (a 5% increase on the same point last year).

Fringe shows took place in 317 venues across the city ranging from large theatres to a chicken coop with a capacity of three.

The 3,548 shows in this year's Fringe programme addressed a wide range of issues including sex and consent, political uncertainty, gender equity, class, religion, and featured thousands of performers.

Early indications show nearly half of audience members came from Scotland.

Shona McCarthy, chief executive of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society, said: "2018 has been another fantastic year for the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

"Artists from around the world have flocked to Scotland's capital, delighting audiences with work that is exciting, shocking, entertaining, world class and often, hilarious.

"From cabaret to children's shows, invigorating dance and physical theatre, to life enhancing drama.

"Whatever the medium, so many Fringe artists help us to question the world around us and illuminate the most challenging areas of being human in new ways.

"It is an exceptional festival where audiences can curate their own experience and where all ages and tastes are catered for."

Sir Tim O'Shea, Fringe Society chairman, said: "Following on from the success of the Fringe's 70th anniversary celebrations, the 2018 Fringe has been a feast for the senses and the soul.

"Our thanks go to the thousands of participants that have brought their passion and enthusiasm to this year's festival, dazzling and inspiring audiences from home and abroad with an astounding array of work."