How to enjoy Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 2021

It’s an explosion of creative and cultural force and 2021 welcomes back Edinburgh Festival Fringe, albeit pared back. The 2020 festival was cancelled due to the pandemic and this year creatives and audiences from across the global are in for a treat, as the city has reopened its doors to one of the world's greatest celebrations of arts and culture.

In-person

The 2021 festival has been transformed due to the current climate, with over 800 in-person and virtual shows (down from 3,841 in 2019). At the time of writing, the Scottish government requires one-metre social distancing as well as masks to be worn indoors, with regular hand washing and clear ventilation “strongly advised.” Fringe relies heavily on small, intimate studio spaces and this has proved a stumbling block. With that being said, many performances will take place outdoors, leaving much hanging on Edinburgh’s infamous and unreliable summer weather.

You can even enjoy ‘circle-style’ performances in specialised zones near the Royal Mile and city centre. This allows for social distancing and other protocols to be followed, while still allowing audiences maximum visibility and the opportunity to connect with performers. Why not check out the official programme of street performances and their locations? It's a great added dimension to the festival.

Online

Going virtual are a lot of 2021’s shows. These can be enjoyed from the comfort of your own home and they welcome a new kind of festival experience. You can find out more about how you can Fringe online here.

While many festival goers prefer to soak up the atmosphere in-person, the incredible lineup of online shows is transforming the way industry bigwigs and a global audience view Edinburgh Festival Fringe. From comedy to musical theatre and stand-up to spoken word, you can be sure to find an online show that will immerse you in all things Fringe.

Shows you don’t want to miss

While the roster of shows in 2021 has been slimmed down, don’t expect a drop in the calibre of productions. The home of all things creative and wonderfully eccentric, this year’s lineup is coming to audiences with reimagined old classics, as well as timely pieces influenced by the climate.

Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2021 is as eclectic as ever, including Jonathan Tipton Meyers’ We are Traffic: A Rideshare Adventure at Assembly, Pip Utton Theatre Co’s Bacon at Pleasance Edinburgh, Kimberley Taylor's farcical comedy A Weekend Away at the Hotel Decevoir at theSpace @ Surgeon’s Hall, Myra’s Story at Assembly, and many more.

Amid the uncertainty that shrouded the 2021 festival, the stellar lineup marks a triumphant return for Edinburgh Festival Fringe. With a mix of in-person and online shows, this may mark the beginning of a reimagined experience that could influence festivals globally.