In this guide
💡 The Short Version: The Edinburgh Festival Fringe and the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo both start on Friday 6 August 2027. The Fringe runs to 30 August (its 80th edition) and the Tattoo to 28 August. Tattoo tickets are on sale at edintattoo.co.uk; the show lasts about 90 minutes and is the same at every performance. In August 2024 Edinburgh led the UK for hotel prices and occupancy: over 90% full at an average of £242.72 a night. Or book an evening show: the Comedy Attic pub stand-up showad is from £10.50 for 105 minutes.
⚠️ Book the room first. Edinburgh’s hotels were over 90% full in August 2024, and the Tattoo does not usually discount. Book your bed and your Tattoo seat before anything else.
August 2027 in dates
| What | Dates | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Edinburgh Festival Fringe | Friday 6 to Monday 30 August | Venues across the city |
| Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo | Friday 6 to Saturday 28 August | Edinburgh Castle Esplanade |
The Edinburgh International Festival also runs in August: its programme is on eif.co.uk.
The Fringe
6 to 30 August 2027 · hundreds of venues · edfringe.com
The Fringe Society says artists perform on hundreds of stages across the city, with shows from big names to unknown acts. Its site carries the programme, the Fringe app and the Fringe Box Office, which are the official ways to find and book shows. The 2026 edition, the 79th, issued over 2.8 million tickets (Fringe Society, 31 August 2026).
A street performance on the High Street, part of the Royal Mile, during the Fringe. Photo: Brian McNeil, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0.
Comedy Attic
From £10.50 · 4 to 6 comedians · 105 minutes · GetYourGuidead
A pub stand-up club in a brick-walled attic in the Old Town, with a host and four to six comedians from the UK circuit. It is a regular show, not a Fringe listing, so it works as a fall-back when Fringe tickets have sold out.
The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo
6 to 28 August 2027 · Edinburgh Castle Esplanade · about 90 minutes · edintattoo.co.uk
The 2027 show is called The Same Heart Beat: military acts from around the world with Scottish and British performers, driven by the Royal Marines and the Tattoo Performers. The show is the same at every performance. The Tattoo’s own advice is that the earlier performance suits families and shows the costumes and formations, while the 21:30 performance has bolder projections because the sky is darker (show FAQs).
The Tattoo on the Castle Esplanade. Photo: xlibber, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0.
- Tickets. Online, up to 20 at a time. For bigger groups phone the Box Office on +44 (0)131 225 1188, Monday to Friday 12:00 to 16:00, or email tickets@edintattoo.co.uk. The Tattoo does not usually offer discounts. Children are charged full price; under-threes go free on an adult’s lap. Mobile tickets are in the Tattoo Tix app. Buy on the Tattoo’s own site (ticket FAQs).
- Getting there. There is no parking on the Esplanade. The nearest bus stop is on George IV Bridge, about 300 m away, and Waverley station is about a 10-minute walk. There is one queue, which starts on Johnston Terrace (plan your visit).
- Access. Wheelchair and accessible seats are booked by phone.
What August does to hotel prices
The figures come from different samples, so do not subtract one from another.
| Figure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Occupancy, August 2024 | Over 90% | Hotstats, reported by The Caterer, 16 October 2024 |
| Average daily rate, August 2024 | £242.72, up 7.9% on August 2023 | Same |
| London’s average daily rate, August 2024 | £221.09 | Same |
| UK average occupancy, August 2024 | 79.7% | Same |
| Average daily rate, 12 months to May 2025 | £220 | Cushman & Wakefield |
| Occupancy, 12 months to May 2025 | 84.1% | Cushman & Wakefield |
Edinburgh is dear and nearly full all year, and in August 2024 it led the UK on both prices and occupancy. Book early. Hotels charge the Edinburgh visitor levy, 5% of the room price on the first five nights: see where to stay in Edinburgh. Sources: The Caterer and Cushman & Wakefield.
Where to stay for the festivals
The links go to the hotel on Hotels.com. The Tattoo is at the castle and most Fringe venues are in the Old Town and the streets around it. Hotels near the Royal Mile lists the hotels round the Old Town by distance, and where to stay in Edinburgh compares the areas.
Apex Grassmarket Hotel
Grassmarket · Hotels.comad
Apex’s first hotel, in the Grassmarket below the castle. Castle View Deluxe rooms have balconies, and the hotel has a heated indoor pool, a sauna and a gym.
Grassmarket Hotel
94-96 Grassmarket, EH1 2JR · Hotels.comad
On the corner of the Grassmarket and Victoria Street, two minutes’ walk from the Royal Mile. Rooms run from a single to a quad.
Hotel du Vin Edinburgh
11 Bristo Place · 47 rooms and suites · Michelin Selected · Hotels.comad
A building that was once a poorhouse, an asylum and a science laboratory. The hotel says it is a quiet base for Fringe-goers, with a bistro, a courtyard and a Whisky Snug.
Planning
- Trams. Bikes are not allowed on the trams in August. Tickets and the airport line are in Edinburgh public transport and Edinburgh airport to the city.
- Weather. August averages 19.2°C by day and 11.0°C at night, with 75 mm of rain over 11 days (Met Office, 1991 to 2020). Daylight on 15 August is 15 h 10 min.
- Sights. The Palace of Holyroodhouse is open daily until 14 September: see Palace of Holyroodhouse tickets. The castle is the Tattoo’s venue: see Edinburgh Castle tickets.
Next
For the other months, see the best time to visit Edinburgh. To fit the sights around a show, Edinburgh in one or two days sets the order, and where to eat in Edinburgh covers the meals.
Common questions
When is the Edinburgh Fringe in 2027?
Friday 6 to Monday 30 August 2027. It is the Fringe's 80th edition. The 2026 Fringe issued over 2.8 million tickets, according to the Fringe Society.
When is the Edinburgh Military Tattoo in 2027?
Friday 6 to Saturday 28 August 2027. The show, The Same Heart Beat, runs for about 90 minutes on the Edinburgh Castle Esplanade. The earlier performance suits families, and the 21:30 performance has bolder projections because the sky is darker.
Are Tattoo tickets on sale for 2027?
Yes, on edintattoo.co.uk. You can book up to 20 tickets online and groups of more phone 0131 225 1188 (Monday to Friday 12:00 to 16:00). The Tattoo does not usually discount tickets, and children are charged full price, except under-threes on a lap.
How much do Edinburgh hotels cost in August?
Edinburgh led the UK in August 2024 with an average daily rate of £242.72 and over 90% occupancy, against £221.09 in London, according to Hotstats. Over the 12 months to May 2025 the average rate was £220 at 84.1% occupancy.
Is the Tattoo the same every night?
Yes. The show content is the same at each performance in 2027.
Can I take a bike on the trams in August?
No. Bikes are not allowed on Edinburgh's trams in August, and e-bikes and e-scooters are never allowed.
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