Festival families
Fancy an action packed fun-filled family festival holiday? Find the perfect balance to keep the clan happy with our family friendly festival tips.
Soak up the festival atmosphere – Free your schedule and take time to wander Edinburgh’s streets and catch free performances of Fringe show snippets, street theatre, mime and music. Centred on the Royal Mile and around the Mound it’s less crowded earlier in the day. When it does get too busy head to Princes St Garden for more free performances at the Ross Bandstand and great green playground for children who can’t sit still.
Try before you buy – For festival Fringe goers there’s a host of mixed bill shows taking place from mid morning to early afternoon. These feature 10-minute cameos from other shows across the festival so you can your family can suck it and see before deciding what to spend your ticket budget on. One of the longest running and most popular of these is Mervyn Stutter’s Pick of the Fringe. By picking the pick of the Pick you’re guaranteed a good time.
Children’s programmes – As well as the failsafe festival programmes of the Bank of Scotland Imaginate Festival, Edinburgh International Science Festival, Scottish International Storytelling Festival and Edinburgh Mela, many other festivals have dedicated Children’s programmes.
The most impressive of these is the RBS Children’s Programme at the Edinburgh International Book Festival with over 150 events for children, teens and older teens. Whether it’s films for mums and toddlers, the chance to meet children’s authors or interactive Fringe fun skip straight to the children’s sections and let them do the choosing.
Get away from it all – Edinburgh is a breathtaking, beautiful green city so when the clamour of the festivals becomes too much for the family, make a break for it and recharge and recuperate at these family friendly getaways:
* Breathe in the Botanics: Space, scenery and superb ice cream are three reasons for a trip to the Royal Botanic Gardens. Take lunch in the café and enjoy the views of the city through the trees. A trip isn’t complete without a visit to the magical lush greenhouses.
* Visit the Zoo: Edinburgh Zoo is the largest and most exciting wildlife attraction in Scotland. New arrivals this summer include a baby pygmy hippo born in June and baby Gentoo penguins.
Make it an adventure – With a variety of themed tours, let the kids make discoveries of their own in the streets of Edinburgh. Take a light-hearted tour of Edinburgh’s dark past on a ghost tour and encounter strange sights, ghouls and legends in the closes and courtyards of Edinburgh’s Old Town or take an open-air double-decker bus tour through the most popular areas of town for a birds-eye perspective on the Festival. Check out Mercat Tours or The Cadies & Witchery Tours.
Follow the spectacle – Finally, if you’re looking for something for everyone, start with the spectacle. The Edinburgh Festivals are home to some of the world’s most visually stunning events. The Torchlit Procession as part of Hogmanay, the splendour of the Edinburgh Military Tattoo and a host of other festival events will leave the entire family open mouthed in awe providing unforgettable festival experiences for family members of all ages.
