Each August, the city of Edinburgh, Scotland, hosts something a bit wild called the Fringe Festival. Though there are other, more serious, festivals happening at the same time (books, art, performance, the military tattoo), it was the Fringe that seemed to call out my name.

I have to admit that the idea of this festival stretched my boundaries more than a little bit. I don’t like big crowds that much, generally avoid situations that seem chaotic, and rarely go to contemporary concerts anymore (though in my heyday I saw everyone from Janis Joplin to Grand Funk Railroad - I guess that dates me!). I am more “born to be mild” than I am “fringe-y.” Yet this festival sounded fun and I am newly committed to boundary stretching. Plus, I had never been to Edinburgh. So, when a friend proposed that we go, I didn’t hesitate. Sign me up!

Edinburgh is about five hours from London by train from King’s Cross Station, traveling through pretty countryside and the northernmost towns of England. Crossing the Scottish border, there were views, not too distant, of the gray and cold-looking North Sea. A definite change from hot and sunny Italy in August.

Arriving at Waverley Station, in the heart of Edinburgh, it was a short walk through crowds of happy Fringe-goers to our hotel.

Along the way I had my first view of old Edinburgh, high up on the bluff, anchored by its formidable stone castle. We settled into our hotel (the very friendly Premier Inn Hub) and happily found that Rose Street, where the hotel is located, was mostly pedestrian and lined with good pubs, some of which provided great dining over the next few days.

Not quite knowing what to expect of the Fringe, we hadn’t booked any shows ahead of time. So, the first order of business was to pick up a detailed guide and explore what was available.

In the end we decided to book tickets for one show and then to wander along the street seeing teaser performances (snippets from some of the shows) and to watch buskers and other street performers, including jugglers, unicycle acts, singers, and fortune tellers. That allowed us to make spontaneous choices about what we wanted to see.

My English friends were excited to find a show by one of their favorite comedians, Paul Merton. I wasn’t sure if I would “get” his British humor but I was game to try. The show, by Merton and a small group of improv comedians, was fast moving, smart, irreverent, and laugh-until-you-cry funny. The Fringe was off to a good start and with so many options to choose from, the fun promised to continue.

The choices for musical performances seemed endless, and so many of the possibilities were intriguing. An acappella group from King’s College (All the King’s Men) provided energetic, harmonic fun and opportunities to sing along. A Leonard Cohen tribute performance was full of good music and told the stories behind famous and lesser-known Cohen songs. And, of course, along the streets we saw traditional Scottish bagpipes being played.

Wandering the Royal Mile, between Edinburgh Castle on one end and the palace of Holyroodhouse on the other, provided a chance to watch street performances, marvel at the costumes, move with the crowds, and absorb the incredible energy that is the Fringe.

The festival is amazingly well organized, the crowd is lively but friendly and safe - no violence, no excess drinking - and good fun for young and old. Edinburgh itself provides a lovely backdrop. Next time, I may even understand the language on signs, menus, and some of the slang expressions. They tell me it was English, but I’m not so sure.                       -post by Joanne

For information on the 2020 Edinburgh Fringe : https://www.edfringe.com