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The Edinburgh Festival does not officially refer to a particular single festival event. Rather, it is a group or series of simultaneous cultural and arts festivals that take place every month of August in Edinburgh, Scotland. The festivals included are organized by several formally unrelated clubs or associations.

The Edinburgh Festival is known to be the world’s largest arts and cultural festival, which started in the year 1947, the time when the Edinburgh International Festival (EIF) was founded. That same year, other theatrical companies organized their own events and joined the festivities. Since then, the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and many other festivals have been established in this particular Scottish capital city.

Some of the festivals held in Edinburgh every August of the year include the following:

a. The Edinburgh International Festival – It is a performing arts festival in Edinburgh City, Scotland, which starts around mid-August and lasts for more than three weeks.

The General Director of the EIF invites top class performers of theater, dance, opera, and music (especially classical type of music) from all over the world. Aside from the performances on the Festival itself, there is also a range of outreach and education workshops, seminars, and lectures that happen throughout the year.

Common venues for the Edinburgh International Festival are The Hub, the Royal Lyceum Theater, The Queen’s Hall, the Festival Theater, the Usher Hall, and The Edinburgh Playhouse, which can house 420 up to 2,900 people.

b. The Edinburgh Festival Fringe – It is renowned as the largest arts festival in the world, which also takes place for three weeks every month of August.

The Fringe includes mostly of performing arts events, especially drama and comedy. However, the music and dance performing arts have the greatest significance. It showcases a vast variety of theatrical events, ranging from the classic works of ancient Greece, Samuel Beckett, and Shakespeare up to the contemporary works of today’s artists.

Any type of event is actually possible in this festival, primarily because no committee is set up to review entries for approval/rejection. Oftentimes, the Fringe presents experimental works that other more formal festivals may not include.

c. The Edinburgh Military Tattoo – This event also takes place every year, in the month of August, as part of the famous Edinburgh Festival. The festival features Military tattoos given by the Commonwealth, British Army, and International military teams and bands annually.

Winnipeg

Winnipeg – Manitoba’s capital city located in western Canada is an ideal holiday destination. Winnipeg is somewhat under populated compared to other Canadian cities making it an ideal place to visit if you want to take in the sights avoiding busy crowds. Winnipeg is a very multicultural city due to the construction of the Canadian Pacific Railway in 1881 which seen European and Philippine settlers arrive in search of employment. There are many historical events that have taken place in Winnipeg over the past two century’s that have left its mark on the city, this is evident when visiting the red river floodway and Fort Douglas that was built by Irish and Scottish settlers in 1812.

Although Winnipeg isn’t a popular tourist destination you won’t be disappointed with what it has to offer. it’s a great city for art galleries, museums, restaurants, theatres, shopping, festivals, concerts and the arts.
The best time to visit Winnipeg is during the autumn as summer can be really hot and humid and winter can be freezing, temperatures have been known to drop to as low at -40C.

Sightseeing

If you enjoy visiting old buildings you should start with a trip to the Fort Garry Hotel that was constructed in 1812 by the Grand Truck Pacific Railway and the old architectural buildings of the great exchange district dating back to 1881.If the family are going with you to Winnipeg there is plenty to keep the little ones occupied such as the Assiniboine Park Zoo and the Manitoba Museum and Planetarium which is a real educational visit in itself with astrology and science information.

Winnipeg is also well known for its large lake, it is considered as one of the longest in the world and its surrounding forests were given national park status. These peaceful forests offer nice walks and a chance to view some of Canada’s wildlife such as deer and bears.

Nightlife & Entertainment

Winnipeg is a city that oozes art and culture. Not only does Winnipeg have a Symphony Orchestra it also has a Royal Ballet School which puts on performances several times throughout the year. Festivals are big in the city there are many good ones to choose from such as The International New Music Festival held in January featuring the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra and a good mixture of classical and modern music is played and if the whole family are going you wont want them to miss the Teddy Bears Picnic held in May or The Winnipeg International Children’s Festival which features four days of fun filled entertainment for the kids and for the adults The Winnipeg comedy Festival and the Winnipeg Folk Festival is for the whole family to enjoy.

Nightlife in Winnipeg is as loud or as quiet as you please with its good selection of swanky bars, exclusive clubs and top class international restaurants. There are also venues such as Pyramid Cabaret and the Freehouse that regularly have up and coming live bands and singers. Themed bars are also plentiful so if you fancy a pint of Guinness you may want to head to the Irish Bar.

Getting to Winnipeg

Flights departing London arrive at Winnipeg James Armstrong Richardson International Airport. Flying time from the UK to Winnipeg is around 7 hours 55 minutes. To enter Canada you are required to hold a current valid passport which doesn’t expire for at least 6 months from the date of travel. You will also be required to complete a visa waiver form or apply for a visa if you are do not live or were not born in the UK. A medical examination may also be a requirement for those entering Canada from countries out with the EU.