The Edinburgh Festival, or Edinburgh International Festival, kicks off on 7 August, 2026. This year’s programme features some of the best and emerging contemporary artists from around the world. This year sees the 79th Edinburgh International Festival with more than 80 events across the city, under the theme The Truth We Seek. You should not confuse it with the Edinburgh Fringe which runs at approximately the same time as EIF, 2026 Edinburgh International Festival Full details of the 2026 programme – from opera to theatre and contemporary music can be found here . There will also be some events held online. The 2026 Festival takes a focus on the USA as the country celebrates the 250th year of its independence. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XBzRgIAka-k&t=2s Video can’t be loaded because JavaScript is disabled: The 2026 Edinburgh International Festival | All Rise (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XBzRgIAka-k&t=2s) The Festival is not the only show in town in August, read about the Edinburgh Fringe . Edinburgh International Festival Dates The Edinburgh Festival 2026 runs from 7 to 30 August. Edinburgh International Festival Tickets You can purchase tickets online at eif.co.uk or by telephone at +44 (0)131 473 2000. Alternatively, buy tickets from the box office at the Hub (for address see below). All booking information can be found here . Youssou N’Dour Edinburgh Festival Programme A full programme is available here . Edinburgh International Festival Address The Hub on Castlehill, Edinburgh Edinburgh Accommodation Accommodation in Edinburgh during August fills up rapidly due to both the EIF and the Fringe. Cover photo: Samsara © Nirvair Singh

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