August is fast approaching which means it’s time to scour the Edinbugh Festival Fringe programme for the best shows to see.
The physical programme has over 3,350 shows across 265 venues, meaning it can be a daunting task to work out what exactly you are going to see.
It can be an expensive business too, with many shows at the bigger venues now costing over £20 for the first time - and that’s doubly the case if you are booking tickets for the while family
Luckily, there’s a Fringe experience for all budgets, including hundred of free shows that just ask you to turn up early and queue to be sure of a seat - and that includes shows for kids.
Of course, they’re not necessarily entirely free - you’ll be asked to check some money into a bucket (or increasingly make a contactless payment) on the way out, with £5-£10 being a ballpark figure for a show that you have enjoyed.
Some shows also give you the opportunity to ‘pay what you want’ in advance to secure a seat.
There are two main sources of free shows - the Free Festival and PBH’s Free Fringe - both of which operated in similar ways and tend to take place in pubs around the Scottish Capital.
Here are 11 that caught our eye. You can check out the programmes at the Free Festival’s website here and PBH’s Free Fringe here. Remember not all shows are included in the Fringe official programme.
1. Olaf Falafel's Stupidest Super Stupid Show – New Improved Recipe
The title says it all - Olaf Falafel’s shows are very stupid in just the way that kids love. Expect plenty of jokes about bodily functions in the show billed as "comedy show comedians take their kids to". It's on at the Ballroom at Laughing Horse @ The Counting House at 11.30am most mornings from July 31-August 24. | Contributed
2. A Magic Morning
Tim the magician is performing a range of tricks sure to entertain the kids each morning at 11.10am from August 2-24 at the Little Plaza venue as part of the PBH Free Fringe. | Contributed
3. The Buttons Show
It may not be Christmas, but there's still some pantomime fun in Edinburgh this August courtery of The Buttons Show. It promised an hour of "amazing puppets, fabulous stories, dazzling magic and catchy Scottish singalong songs (including, of course, 'Oh Ye Canny Shove Yir Granny Aff The Bus'). It's all happening at noon each day at Murphy's from August 2-24. | Contributed
4. CeilidhKids at the Fringe
What better way to start a day at the Fringe with the wee ones than with a Scottish ceilidh. Taking place most mornings from July 31-August 24 at the Ballroom at the Counting House, this is the perfect introduction to Scottish country dancing for kids, with simplified versions of many old favourites. | Contributed