
The Herald is all set for a fantastic festival - so come and join us
With well over 4000 shows and events to choose from it's no easy task to navigate your way around the world's largest gathering of artists and performers.
The Herald has been documenting the evolution of Edinburgh's festivals since the first performances were staged in 1947.
Nearly 80 years on, our coverage of the festivals is a cornerstone of our commitment to Scotland's cultural life.
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We want our journalism to be is at the heart of debates about the arts, hold key decision-makers to account, fight for a fair deal for artists, venues and organisations, and champion the brightest new talents.
Our team will be bringing the best of the Edinburgh festivals to you, capturing the atmosphere in the city and keeping a close eye on this year's emerging stars.
You can expect coverage of the latest backstage dramas, on-stage controversies and on-stage triumphs.
Our coverage of the festivals will be led for the first time by Arts Correspondent Brian Ferguson, who joined [[The Herald]] in April as part of a drive to step up coverage of Scottish culture.
Ferguson will be out and about at all of the city's festivals, speaking to the key players on and off-stage, and producing exclusive stories, features, interviews and analysis.
Our feature writers, including Kevin McKenna and Teddy Jamieson, will be taking a deep dive into the big events to explain what Edinburgh's audiences can expect at the festivals, what it is really like to perform at them, what people in the city make of them and what they may look like in future.
The Herald's expert team of critics will be reviewing shows and events across the festivals, including Neil Cooper on theatre, Barry Didcock on visual art, Keith Bruce on music, Mary Brennan on dance and Gayle Anderson on comedy.
[[The Herald]] will be taking centre stage at the Fringe as our Unspun podcast hosts a series of live in-conversation events with First Minister John Swinney, Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar, Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes, and Britain's leading polling expert, Professor Sir John Curtice.
And [[The Herald]]'s Holyrood team will also be reporting on what the politicians are saying across the festivals.
You can get unlimited access to all of our coverage of the Edinburgh festivals is available with our special summer sale which offers full to The Herald website for the next year for just £20. Click here

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Scottish Sun
4 minutes ago
- Scottish Sun
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17 minutes ago
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Enjoy an English Heritage site There's lots going on this summer at English Heritage sites, from fun family activities like mini-golf and archery to Taskmaster challenges, live music and mythical trails. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Book ahead and you can save up to 15% on tickets. Members get in for free - sign up here. 3. Go for a picnic Get the family together and pick up snacks, before spending a day at a local park or beauty spot. 4. National Marine Week (Until August 10) Do you know your crabs from your sea slugs? This event aims to raise awareness about the importance of marine life and the threats it faces. Check out what activities you can get involved with or learn about our amazing seas at The Wildlife Trusts website. 5. Big Butterfly Count (Until August 10) Choose a place to spot butterflies and moths. Watch for 15 minutes, then record the species you see at the link below. 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Summer Reading Challenge Pop down to your local library to take part in a summer reading challenge for the holidays. Discover tons of exciting new books, earn rewards and share your top picks with others. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 10. Museum or art gallery trip Explore a new museum, gallery or exhibition and learn loads of cool facts along the way. Lots of museums are free, too. Some of our favourites include the Young V&A in London, the Story Museum in Oxford and Manchester Museum. 11. How to draw/doodle Have a go at your own doodles. Where will your imagination take you? Subscribe to First News to take part in a 'how to draw' activity. 12. International Youth Day This United Nations Day is dedicated to empowering young people and giving you a voice. What issues do you think are important or would you like to change? Get in touch with First News to share your thoughts. 13 . Afternoon Tea Week (August 11-17) Time to get out the teacups, whip up some cake and enjoy a chit-chat with friends. Why not take this opportunity to do some baking? You could test out some Victoria sponge, cupcakes or scones. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 14. Movie time! There are tons of great movies to check out at home or in the cinema this summer. Top of our list are A Minecraft Movie, The Bad Guys 2, Smurfs and Jurassic World Rebirth. Book your tickets at Odeon cinemas. 15. Words Matter Competition First News is hosting a summer poetry competition, and it's not too late to get involved. All you have to do is write your own poem about the power of words. How do different words make you feel? Perhaps certain words said by adults help you feel confident and happy? Perhaps others make you feel hurt, down or isolated. The winning entries can scoop Amazon vouchers and book tokens. Find out more at 16 Pick your own Pick your own fresh fruit at a local farm. Strawberries, cherries, gooseberries, blackcurrants and redcurrants are all popular at this time of year. You could even have a go at whipping up a tasty dessert or smoothie with your harvest. 17. Do a Joe Wicks workout Join PE guru Joe Wicks for his new animated fitness series, Activate. Each five-minute episode aims to get you moving and grooving with upbeat tunes from UK artists. Ask an adult to check it out on Joe Wicks' YouTube channel. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 18. Host your own festival If you can't make it to a festival, why not host your own at home? You could make a playlist, decorate your front room or garden, make some tasty food and homemade lemonade, and just enjoy the vibes with friends. 19. World Photography Day Snap photos of friends and family, or what's around you, and create lasting memories! 20. YOTO competition Subscribe to First News and look out for a cool competition with YOTO in the August 8 edition. You could win a YOTO Mini for yourself and everyone in your class. 21. GCSE results come out Celebrate and support all those who are getting their GCSE results on August 21. More than 5 million pupils across England will be able to go and collect their results from their school that morning, either opening them then and there, or taking them home to share the experience with their loved ones. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 22. Big Feastival This huge festival brings together top music artists with Michelin-starred chefs, award-winning street food and an exciting range of family activities. Book tickets here. 23. Hollywood Bowl competition Have you taken part in Hollywood Bowl's Design a Pin competition? Hollywood Bowl centres across the whole of the UK are inviting you to 'bowl them over' this summer by designing a very special, music-themed bowling pin. The winning artist will see their design transformed into a real bowling pin, to take home. Submit your creation to Hollywood Bowl via email or visit your local Hollywood Bowl centre and hand it in at the front desk. 24. Notting Hill Carnival: Families and Children's Day One of the world's biggest street parties is taking place in London this weekend. Expect singing, dancing and colourful costumes galore. Find out more on the Notting Hill Carnival website. 25. Bank Holiday (except in Scotland) Gather your friends and family for a fun-filled day together. Who doesn't love a bit of rounders? Or you could enjoy a long walk and activities in the woods. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 26. Sort your room out Make like Stacey Solomon and give your bedroom a good sort out. See if there's anything you could get rid of or donate to charity. Perhaps you have old clothes you no longer wear, or you've got toys that you don't play with? Your room (and parents) will thank you later. 27. Games night Organise a games night! Pick your favourite board game and enjoy some laughs with all the family. Who will come out victorious? Our favourite games are Monopoly, Think Words and Linkee. 28. Go to the lido or the beach Enjoy the last few days of summer (and hopefully some sunny weather) by heading to your local lido or beach spot. 29. Scavenger hunt No matter how old you are, a good old scavenger hunt never gets boring! Put together a list of things for people to find (be it around the house, in the garden or at the park) and see who can tick them all off quickest. You could even reward the winner with a prize. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 30. Cook-off Whip up a homemade meal for your family. Perhaps you could try making pizzas or explore some different pasta dishes? 31. Scrapbook/crafting Make sure you remember your summer by creating your very own scrapbook. Fill it with photos, tickets, drawings and diary entries to look back on in years to come. This article has been published in collaboration with First News, an award-winning weekly newspaper for children. Their age-appropriate news stories and activities spark curiosity, build media and information literacy skills and empower children with the tools to navigate the world. Find out more on the First News website.