What’s on in Edinburgh

Edinburgh is best known for August, when the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, the world’s largest arts festival, fills hundreds of venues with theatre, comedy, cabaret and music alongside the Edinburgh International Festival. Comedy is the Fringe’s biggest section. But the city’s stages are busy all year.

The venues that appear most often in the listings:

• the Edinburgh Playhouse, on Greenside Place at the top of Leith Walk, the largest theatre in Scotland, for touring musicals;
• the Festival Theatre, on Nicolson Street, for opera, ballet, dance and big productions;
• the King’s Theatre, in Tollcross, which reopened in 2026 after a major refurbishment, for drama, comedy and pantomime;
• the Usher Hall, on Lothian Road, for concerts and stand-up.

This page lists upcoming shows in Edinburgh in date order, each with the average rating left by the audience. Venue ratings (comfort, view, access) are separate from the show itself, which is handy in older theatres where some seats are better than others.

For music only, go to concerts in Edinburgh, or browse theatre and comedy in Edinburgh.

Caught a show at the Fringe or the Playhouse? Tell us what you thought: a few lines are enough.