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What’s On Guide Edinburgh August 2026
August is Edinburgh’s sunniest summer month, with average temperatures around a pleasant 15°C, although wind and rain can still make an appearance. This is the height of festival season, when Edinburgh bustles with visitors from around the world. The city hosts some of its most iconic events during this month, including the world-renowned Edinburgh International Festival, Festival Fringe and Royal Military Tattoo.
All details given here are subject to change or error, and no tickets are sold on this website. Please contact the event organisers directly for the most up-to-date information and ticket sales.
Music, theatre and comedy
- Kula Shaker, La Belle Angèle, 1 Aug
- Lloyd Cole, Queen’s Hall, 2 Aug
- Forth On The Fringe, Edinburgh Playhouse, 7 – 8 Aug
- Daniel Sloss: BITTER, Edinburgh Playhouse, 15 Aug
- Biffy Clyro, Royal Highland Showgrounds, 21 Aug
- Troy Hawke: Never Stop, Never Change! Edinburgh Playhouse, 21 Aug
- Heather on the Hill Festival, Royal Highland Showgrounds, 22 Aug
- Connor Burns: FLOW, Edinburgh Playhouse, 22 – 23 Aug
- The Cure, Royal Highland Showgrounds, 23 Aug
- Florence + The Machine, Royal Highland Showgrounds, 24 Aug
- Lorde, Royal Highland Showgrounds, 25 Aug
- Deftones, Royal Highland Showgrounds, 27 Aug
- Bon Jovi, Murrayfield, 28 Aug
- The Prodigy, Royal Highland Showgrounds, 29 Aug
- Sigur Rós with The Scottish Chamber Orchestra, Edinburgh Playhouse, 31 Aug
Festivals and special events
- Edinburgh International Festival, various venues, 7 – 30 Aug
- Edinburgh Festival Fringe, various venues, 7 – 31 Aug
- Edinburgh Military Tattoo, Edinburgh Castle Esplanade, 7 – 29 Aug
- Edinburgh Foodies Festival, Inverleith Park, 7 – 9 Aug
- Edinburgh International Film Festival, various venues, 13 – 19 Aug
- Edinburgh Art Festival, various venues, 14 – 30 Aug
- Edinburgh International Book Festival, various venues, 15 – 30 Aug
- Edinburgh International Television Festival, EICC, 25 – 28 Aug
Markets and fairs
- Edinburgh Farmers Market, Castle Terrace, every Sat
- Grassmarket Weekly Market, Grassmarket, every Sat
- Leith Market, Dock Place, every Sat
- Edinburgh Car Boot Sale, Edinburgh Corn Exchange, every Sat & Sun
- Stockbridge Market, Saunders Street, every Sun
- Edinburgh Street Food, Leith Street, every day
- Tron Kirk Market, Tron Kirk on Royal Mile, every day
- Ocean Terminal Market, Ocean Terminal, 1 – 2 Aug
- Castle St Fair, Castle Street, 1 – 23 Aug
- West End Fair, St John’s Church, 3 – 30 Aug
- Fashion Thrift Society Edinburgh, Meadowbank Sports Centre, 15 Aug
- Edinburgh Flea Market, TBC
Museums, galleries and exhibitions
- Maps: Memories from the Second World War, National Museum of Scotland, until 4 Oct
- Giants, National Museum of Scotland, 31 Jan – 14 Sep
- The Edwardians: Age of Elegance, King’s Gallery, 24 Apr – 6 Dec
- Jean F. Watson: An Artistic Legacy, City Art Centre, 16 May – 4 Oct
- Wendy McMurdo: The Digital Mirror, Scottish National Portrait Gallery, 30 May – 25 Oct
- Scotland’s First Warriors, National Museum of Scotland, 27 Jun – 17 May
- Anne Hardy, Talbot Rice Gallery, 27 Jun – 27 Sep
- Costume Couture: Sixty Years of Cosprop, Dovecot Studios, 18 Jul – 9 Jan
- Gwen John: Strange Beauties, Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, 1 Aug – 4 Jan
- Catherine Opie: To Be Seen, Scottish National Gallery, 8 Aug – 1 Nov
Popular attractions this month
- Royal Mile, famous and historic cobbled street leading from the castle to the palace
- Calton Hill, iconic hill with stunning views and a collection of landmarks and monuments
- Palace of Holyroodhouse, grand palace and official residence of the king in Scotland
- Edinburgh Castle, iconic fortress atop Castle Rock, offering historic castle tours
- National Museum of Scotland, displaying over 8000 world treasures in its packed galleries
- Royal Yacht Britannia, floating palace used by the royal family for over 44 years
- Camera Obscura & World of Illusions, family-friendly day out full of tricks and illusions
- Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, beautiful botanical garden stretching over 70 acres
- Dynamic Earth, an interactive journey through the past, present and future of our planet
- Victoria Street, a unique, curved Edinburgh street with colourful shop fronts
- View more attractions…
See also
- Virtual tours, take a look around Edinburgh from the comfort of home
- Q&As, a few questions answered about Edinburgh and Scotland
