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Edinburgh Fringe 2026 billboard announcement in city centre with blue sky and historic buildings

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Fringe 2026 First Shows Announced + What’s On in Edinburgh This February

Edinburgh’s cultural calendar has just shifted up a gear.

The first 351 shows for Fringe 2026 have officially been revealed, giving the city an early taste of August while February events continue across town.

🎭 First Fringe 2026 Shows Revealed

The initial announcement from the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society confirms 351 shows from 24 countries across more than 70 venues. Early listings are now live at edfringe.com.

Genres already confirmed include:

  • Comedy
  • Theatre & physical theatre
  • Circus
  • Dance
  • Music & cabaret
  • Musicals and opera

Major venue operators such as Gilded Balloon and Underbelly have begun teasing their early line-ups, with more announcements due on 1 April and 6 May ahead of the full programme launch in June.

It’s a reminder that Edinburgh’s festival build-up starts long before August.

📅 What’s On in Edinburgh This February

Here’s a quick snapshot of events happening across the city:

DAteEventVenue
Tuesdays (Feb)Winter Nights stargazing sessionsRoyal Observatory Edinburgh
Mid–Late FebruaryTouring theatre & ballet productionsFestival Theatre
Late FebruaryRSNO: Beethoven’s Violin ConcertoUsher Hall
OngoingNational Museum of ScotlandNational Museum of Scotland

🎬 Recently Wrapped: Manipulate Festival

The Manipulate Festival has just concluded its latest run, bringing visual theatre, puppetry and animation to venues across Edinburgh.

It continues to strengthen the city’s winter arts calendar and keeps creative energy high ahead of spring.

🌸 Looking Ahead

The Edinburgh Snowdrop Festival returns soon across several city gardens, marking the first real signs of spring.

After that, attention turns to Edinburgh Tradfest and further Fringe announcements as the city builds towards summer.

February might be quieter than August, but Edinburgh’s cultural scene is already gathering pace for 2026.

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Image of building works of a new concert hall Edinburgh

ArtCommunityCultureEducationEventsMusicNews

Work Set to Begin on New Concert Hall at St Andrew Square

Edinburgh is finally set to gain its first purpose-built concert hall in over a century, with construction work due to begin behind the RBS building at St Andrew Square.

The long-planned venue will bring a modern, 1,000-seat performance space to the very heart of the city, after years of delays, redesigns and funding hurdles.

A Major Cultural Boost for the City Centre

The new hall (known as the Dunard Centre) has been designed to fill a long-recognised gap in Edinburgh’s cultural landscape. While the city is world-famous for its festivals, it has lacked a dedicated mid-sized concert venue with modern acoustics and year-round programming.

When completed, the hall is expected to host:

  • classical and orchestral concerts
  • touring artists and contemporary music
  • community and youth performances
  • festival events outwith peak season
  • educational and outreach programmes

Its central location at St Andrew Square will also make it one of the most accessible arts venues in Scotland, with immediate links to trams, buses and Waverley Station.

Construction to Start After Years of Delays

The project has taken a long and complicated route to reach this point. Changes in design, rising costs and legal challenges slowed progress, but all major approvals are now in place, and contractors have been appointed.

Preparatory work will begin around the square in the coming weeks, including:

  • clearing and securing the site
  • laying foundations
  • installing new utilities and access routes
  • forming the main structure of the auditorium

Once the hall’s frame is complete, work will move to the interior fit-out, including specialist acoustic treatment, seating, rehearsal rooms and backstage facilities.

“A Venue for the Next 100 Years”

City leaders and arts groups have welcomed the move, describing the Dunard Centre as a once-in-a-generation investment in the capital’s cultural future.

They say the venue will:

  • support local musicians and arts organisations
  • attract world-class performers
  • boost the evening economy around St Andrew Square
  • provide new opportunities for young people
  • strengthen Edinburgh’s position as an international cultural city

The hall is being developed in partnership with the Royal Bank of Scotland, arts funders and a number of cultural organisations who have campaigned for a purpose-built venue in the city centre.

What Happens Next?

With groundworks beginning shortly, more detailed timelines are expected to be announced once construction milestones are reached. The project is widely seen as a cultural landmark for Edinburgh, not just a new building, but a long-term investment in the city’s creative life.

An opening timeline is expected to be confirmed once construction milestones are reached.

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edinburgh christmas markets

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Edinburgh’s Christmas 2025 — What’s On & What to Know

Edinburgh’s winter lights are about to flicker back on — and the city centre is gearing up for one of its most magical times of year. From 15 November 2025 to 4 January 2026, Edinburgh’s Christmas returns, transforming Princes Street Gardens and George Street into a sparkling festive playground for locals and visitors alike.

🎁 What to Expect

If you’ve wandered through the Gardens before, you’ll know the atmosphere: the scent of cinnamon and bratwurst, music drifting from the stalls, and the sound of laughter rising from the Big Wheel.

This year brings:

  • Around 70 market stalls in East Princes Street Gardens packed with handmade gifts, local crafts, and festive food.
  • The LNER Big Wheel and Star Flyer offering unbeatable skyline views.
  • Hot drinks, crepes, waffles, and mulled wine to keep hands and hearts warm.

Entry’s free — though rides and the ice rink are ticketed.

⛸ Ice, Lights & a Dash of Local Magic

Over on George Street, the covered ice rink returns, perfect for all-weather skating. Look out for themed sessions, from relaxed toddler skates to evening sets with music and lights. Afterwards, step into the Polar Ice Bar, where even the glasses are carved from ice.

Locals get a little bonus too — if you’ve got an EH postcode, there’s usually 20% off ride and rink tickets when booked online.

🎠 Family Fun in the West Gardens

West Princes Street Gardens hosts the fairground rides, Santa’s Stories sessions, and a festive maze lit up with thousands of twinkling lights. Younger visitors can drop a wish in the Letter to Santa post box, then hunt for sweet treats among the stalls.

🕙 Opening Hours & Tips

  • Main market: 10 am – 10 pm daily
  • Most stalls and rides are card-only
  • Midweek mornings are quieter if you want space to explore
  • Wrap up warm! The Gardens get breezy once the sun sets

🪄 Why We Love It

There’s something timeless about standing under the Castle lights with a cup of mulled wine in hand. Whether you’re shopping, skating, or just strolling through, Edinburgh’s Christmas has that rare mix of buzz and calm that only this city pulls off.

Bring friends, bring family — or just bring yourself and take it all in.

📍Edinburgh’s Christmas 2025
15 November 2025 – 4 January 2026
East Princes Street Gardens | West Princes Street Gardens | George Street

Keep an eye on Edinburgh247 for more local highlights and hidden gems throughout the festive season.

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Image showing the logo of ESFF - the Edinburgh Short Film Festival

ArtCulture

Edinburgh Short Film Festival Returns to the West End

🎟️ When: 7–16 November 2025
📍 Where: Filmhouse Edinburgh, 88 Lothian Road
🌐 More info: edinburghshortfilmfestival.com

Film fans, take note — the Edinburgh Short Film Festival is back this November, bringing a burst of creativity to the city’s West End. Running from 7 to 16 November 2025, the festival celebrates short films from across the globe, covering everything from thought-provoking documentaries to bite-sized comedies and animations.

Screenings will take place at the Filmhouse Edinburgh, which reopened earlier this year after its long-awaited refurbishment. Expect an intimate, relaxed setting perfect for discovering new filmmakers and catching something a little different from the mainstream cinema circuit.

This year’s line-up includes a strong mix of local Scottish talent and international entries, with guest directors attending several Q&A sessions. Whether you’re a casual moviegoer or someone who lives for the festival buzz, it’s a great chance to soak up some independent film culture without needing a full-week pass or late-night screenings.

If you’re heading along, the West End has plenty of cosy pre-show spots — try The Huxley for a quick drink or Project Coffee on Lothian Road for a caffeine top-up before the evening screenings.

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Bronze Figurehead of Queen Unveiled at Royal Scots Monument

ArtCultureHistory

Bronze Figurehead of Queen Unveiled at Royal Scots Monument

Commemorating 373 years of Regimental service to Crown and Country

On Saturday 7 June 2025 HRH The Princess Royal, Patron of The Royal Scots Regimental Association, unveiled a bronze medallion containing a figurehead of Her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II as a final addition to The Royal Scots Monument in Princes Street Gardens, Edinburgh.  

The monument, originally unveiled on 26 July 1952, commemorates the service rendered by The Royal Scots (The Royal Regiment) to 16 monarchs from its founding in 1633 under a Royal Warrant from King Charles I until its amalgamation under Defence Review in 2006. The additional medallion marks the final monarch under whom the Regiment served.  

Her Royal Highness, accompanied by Councillor Robert Aldridge, the Right Honourable Lord Provost and Lord Lieutenant of Edinburgh, was met by the Chair of the Regimental Trustees, Brigadier (retd) George Lowder MBE, and by the Governor of Edinburgh Castle, Major General Robert Bruce CBE DSO.

The unveiling was attended by many former Royal Scots and their families as well as members of The Royal Scots Club and representatives of the City of Edinburgh Council.  A service of dedication was conducted by Reverend Dr Iain May, Chaplain to The Royal Scots Regimental Association.

In 2007 The Princess Royal, who was the Regiment’s Colonel in Chief from 1983 until 2006, had graciously unveiled an addition to the monument to mark the Regiment’s amalgamation, the final chapter in its history, and to acknowledge and commemorate the Regiment’s 373 years of proud and loyal service to Crown and Country.

After the unveiling, Her Royal Highness then spent time with former members of the Regiment before leaving for The Royal Scots Club in Abercromby Place, where The Princess Royal graciously took the salute at the Club’s annual ceremony of Beating Retreat.

Brigadier George Lowder, Chair of the Regimental Trustees, said: “The Royal Scots have always been, and continue to be, very proud of their long service to Crown and country which is commemorated on this monument.  Her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, the last Sovereign under whom the Regiment served, appointed HRH The Princess Royal to be Colonel in Chief of The Royal Scots (The Royal Regiment) in 1983.  We have been greatly honoured, therefore, that The Princess Royal, whose long and continued connection with the Regiment we cherish, has unveiled this final addition to our monument today.”.

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