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Edinburgh Festival
Widely held to be one of the most important celebrations of the arts in the world, the Edinburgh International Festival is now more than 50 years old, and is held every year during the summer months. Artists, performers, musicians, writers and anyone else wishing to partake flood the city from all over the world, and it is well advised to book accommodation beforehand. Almost every public venue in the city turns into a theater or gallery during the summer, and visitors often find it difficult to choose what to see and do. A short stroll down the Royal Mile will reveal a crowd of performers giving free previews of their shows to help visitors make up their minds.
Venue: The Hub, Castle Hill
Date: 8-31 August 2008
Website: www.eif.co.uk

Hogmanay
Hogmanay is Edinburgh's famous New Year's celebration, when the entire city becomes one huge party. In fact, it is so popular that entry to the city is open only to those with advance tickets. Over the years the organization of Hogmanay has become increasingly professional, and a slick festival-style event, attracting major international musicians and bands who perform in the castle or the city's botanical gardens. Visitors are well advised to book tickets and accommodation beforehand, due to the sheer size of this event.
Venue: The Hub, Castle Hill
Date: New Year's Eve
Website: www.edinburghshogmanay.org

Edinburgh Fringe Festival
Part of the greater Edinburgh International Festival, the Fringe Festival is one of the world's largest and most famous art festivals, which had its beginning when unofficial theater groups set up their shows around the fringes of the main festival in 1947. Unlike the official festival, performers do not need to undergo a selection process to take part, and as a result it attracts a huge diversity of entertainers with hundreds of shows expressing a wide range of cultural and artistic performances.
Venue: Various
Date: 3-25 August 2008
Website: www.edfringe.com

Edinburgh International Science Festival
Every Easter the city becomes a gigantic laboratory of discovery, exploration and entertainment, as non-stop shows, demonstrations, hands-on activities, workshops and exhibitions are presented to educate and astonish all ages. The Edinburgh International Science Festival is designed to encourage discovery about the sciences and amazing technological events, such as outer space, our planet, the inner body and modern gadgets. Kids can become who or what they want to be, climb inside an enormous, snotty nostril and try to break world records, while adults can explore the chances of survival of the human race in the 21st century.
Venue: 20 different venues around Edinburgh; the main venue for adult events is the Royal Museum, Chambers Street
Date: 25 March to 5 April 2008
Website: www.sciencefestival.co.uk

Edinburgh Mela
The Mela (meaning 'get-together' or 'celebration' in Sanskrit) is Scotland's biggest intercultural festival and was founded by Edinburgh's Pakistani, Indian and Bangladeshi communities to celebrate the city's cultural diversity, with the emphasis on South Asia. It presents a dazzling display of music, dance, art and crafts, fashion, food, sports and activities for the whole family.
Venue: Pilrig Park
Date: 30-31 August 2008
Time: 12pm to 10pm
Website: www.edinburgh-mela.co.uk

Edinburgh International Book Festival
Every year the gardens are transformed into an enchanting tented village that is home to the biggest and most animated literary event in the world. The International Book Festival has a varied program for adults and children, including debates and discussions, writing workshops, book signing and story telling, and gives book lovers the chance to meet their favorite authors, discover new writers and buy books.
Venue: Charlotte Square Gardens
Date: 9-25 August 2008
Website: www.edbookfest.co.uk

Scottish International Storytelling Festival
A celebration of live oral storytelling where Scottish and international storytellers share an exciting array of folk and fairy tales from around the world. In 2007 themes include the Scotish Highlands and the African Lowlands. Events for adults and children take place at top visitor attractions in and around Edinburgh, including Edinburgh Castle, Trinity House and the Scottish Storytelling Center.
Date: 24 October to 2 November 2008
Website: www.scottishstorytellingcenter.co.uk

T in the Park
During Scotland's biggest music festival, the organizers, the T (for Tennants) themselves enjoy boasting that the festival becomes Scotland's sixth biggest city over the weekend. Headliners this year include Arctic Monkeys, Bloc Party, Razorlight, The Killers, Babyshambles, Scissor Sisters and Kasabian.
Venue: Balado
Date: 6-8 July 2007
Website: www.tinthepark.com

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