Editing Edinburgh (section)

===Festivals and celebrations===
====Edinburgh festivals====
{{Main|List of Edinburgh festivals}}
[[File:City of Edinburgh - Edinburgh Castle, Gate House - 20190813221636.jpg|thumb|right|[[Edinburgh Castle]] illuminated during the [[Edinburgh Military Tattoo]]]]

The city hosts a series of festivals that run between the end of July and early September each year. The best known of these events are the [[Edinburgh Fringe|Edinburgh Festival Fringe]], the Edinburgh International Festival, the [[Edinburgh Military Tattoo]], the [[Edinburgh Art Festival]] and the [[Edinburgh International Book Festival]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Edinburgh Festival & Fringe Festival |url=http://www.timeout.com/edinburgh/features/240/the-edinburgh-festival-fringe-festival |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130120194742/http://www.timeout.com/edinburgh/features/240/the-edinburgh-festival-fringe-festival |archive-date=20 January 2013 |access-date=10 February 2013 |publisher=timeout.com}}</ref>

The longest established of these festivals is the Edinburgh International Festival, which was first held in 1947<ref>{{Cite news |last=Pamment |first=Charles |date=28 July 2006 |title=The arts go on show in Edinburgh |work=BBC News |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/5140294.stm#international |url-status=live |access-date=12 January 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090111165506/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/5140294.stm#international |archive-date=11 January 2009}}</ref> and consists mainly of a programme of high-profile theatre productions and classical music performances, featuring international directors, conductors, theatre companies and orchestras.<ref>{{Cite news |date=17 March 2010 |title='New world' theme for Edinburgh International Festival |work=BBC News |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/edinburgh_and_east/8570849.stm |access-date=12 January 2011}}</ref>

This has since been overtaken in size by the Edinburgh Fringe, which began as a programme of marginal acts alongside the "official" Festival and has become the world's largest performing arts festival. In 2017, nearly 3400 different shows were staged in 300 venues across the city.<ref>{{Cite news |date=28 August 2017 |title=Record numbers at Edinburgh's festivals |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-edinburgh-east-fife-41075286 |url-status=live |access-date=16 March 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180226152529/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-edinburgh-east-fife-41075286 |archive-date=26 February 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=August 2010 |title=Stage set for Edinburgh Fringe success |publisher=BBC News Edinburgh, East, & Fife |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-edinburgh-east-fife-10855725 |url-status=live |access-date=12 January 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110126154846/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-edinburgh-east-fife-10855725 |archive-date=26 January 2011}}</ref> Comedy has become one of the mainstays of the Fringe, with numerous well-known comedians getting their first 'break' there, often by being chosen to receive the [[Edinburgh Comedy Awards|Edinburgh Comedy Award]].<ref>{{Cite news |date=August 2010 |title=Kane wins Edinburgh comedy award |publisher=BBC News Scotland |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-11114711 |url-status=live |access-date=12 January 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110126153906/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-11114711 |archive-date=26 January 2011}}</ref> The Edinburgh Military Tattoo, occupies the Castle Esplanade every night for three weeks each August, with massed [[pipe band]]s and [[military band]]s drawn from around the world. Performances end with a short fireworks display.

As well as the summer festivals, [[List of Edinburgh festivals|many other festivals are held during the rest of the year]], including the [[Edinburgh International Film Festival]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=Edinburgh International Film Festival |url=http://www.edfilmfest.org.uk/about-the-festival |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140421062716/http://www.edfilmfest.org.uk/about-the-festival |archive-date=21 April 2014 |access-date=7 April 2014 |publisher=Edinburgh International Film Festival}}</ref> and [[Edinburgh International Science Festival]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Scottish Science Festivals |url=http://scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Business-Industry/science/Scienceengagement/sciencefestivals |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110723145302/http://scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Business-Industry/science/Scienceengagement/sciencefestivals |archive-date=23 July 2011 |access-date=12 January 2011 |publisher=The Scottish Government}}</ref>

The summer of 2020 was the first time in its 70-year history that the Edinburgh festival was not run, being cancelled due to the [[COVID-19 pandemic]].<ref>{{Cite news |date=1 April 2020 |title=Edinburgh festivals cancelled due to coronavirus |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-edinburgh-east-fife-52121586 |access-date=11 August 2020}}</ref> This affected many of the tourist-focused businesses in Edinburgh which depend on the various festivals over summer to return an annual profit.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Edinburgh Festival Fringe companies plead for public funding bail-out |url=https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/whats-on/arts-and-entertainment/edinburgh-festival-fringe-companies-plead-public-funding-bail-out-2865366 |access-date=11 August 2020 |website=www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com |language=en}}</ref>

====Edinburgh's Hogmanay====
{{Main|Edinburgh's Hogmanay}}
[[File:Edinburgh Hogmanay Longship.jpg|thumb|A Viking [[longship]] being burnt during Edinburgh's annual [[Hogmanay]] celebrations]]
The annual Edinburgh [[Hogmanay]] celebration was originally an informal street party focused on the [[Tron Kirk]] in the Old Town's High Street. Since 1993, it has been officially organised with the focus moved to Princes Street. In 1996, over 300,000 people attended, leading to ticketing of the main street party in later years up to a limit of 100,000 tickets.<ref name="Hogmanay">{{Cite web |date=10 May 2006 |title=Hogmanay-the Scottish New Year |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A10358165 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110102131548/http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A10358165 |archive-date=2 January 2011 |access-date=13 January 2011 |publisher=BBC}}</ref> Hogmanay now covers four days of processions, concerts and fireworks, with the street party beginning on Hogmanay. Alternative tickets are available for entrance into the Princes Street Gardens concert and [[Cèilidh]], where well-known artists perform and ticket holders can participate in traditional Scottish cèilidh dancing. The event attracts thousands of people from all over the world.<ref name="Hogmanay" />

====Beltane and other festivals====
On the night of 30 April the [[Beltane Fire Festival]] takes place on Calton Hill, involving a procession followed by scenes inspired by [[paganism|pagan]] old spring fertility celebrations.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Jamieson |first=Alastair |date=19 February 2004 |title=Pagan fire festival reignites with a fee |work=The Scotsman |location=Edinburgh |url=http://news.scotsman.com/edinburgh/Pagan-fire-festival-reignites-with.2504759.jp |access-date=13 January 2011}}</ref> At the beginning of October each year the [[Navratri|Dussehra]] Hindu Festival is also held on Calton Hill.<ref>{{Cite news |date=6 October 2008 |title=Festival is flaming marvellous |work=[[The Scotsman]] |url=http://www.scotsman.com/news/scottish-news/top-stories/festival-is-flaming-marvellous-1-1274662 |url-status=live |access-date=12 February 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130513234402/http://www.scotsman.com/news/scottish-news/top-stories/festival-is-flaming-marvellous-1-1274662 |archive-date=13 May 2013}}</ref>