Speak Fringe

The words you will meet planning and attending the Fringe, explained in plain English - no hype, no rankings.

Open-access: The founding principle of the Fringe: anyone with a story to tell and a venue willing to host them can take part. No one selects or vets the programme.
The Fringe Society: The charity that supports participants and runs the programme, Box Office and Street Events - but takes no part in choosing the shows.
Street Events: The free street-performance programme on the High Street / Royal Mile, Hunter Square and the Mound Precinct, with a daily schedule decided by draw.
The Mile: Shorthand for the High Street / Royal Mile, the spine of the Old Town and the main Street Events stretch.
E-ticket: A digital ticket delivered as a QR code by email. All 2026 shows are e-ticketed; one QR code can cover several shows booked together.
Pay-what-you-can (PWYC): A show with no fixed ticket price where you pay what you can afford, often by donation at the door. Free does not mean costless for the artist.
Free Fringe: Free-admission shows run on a donation model by free-show operators, listed alongside ticketed shows in the official programme.
Flyering: Performers and crews handing out flyers in the street to promote shows - a core part of how word of mouth spreads at the Fringe.
Anchor show: A booked show you build a day around, leaving gaps either side for travel, food, rest and spontaneous finds.
Latecomer policy: A venue rule on admitting people who arrive after the start. Some venues do not admit latecomers at all - critical when planning tight schedules.
Venue zone: A practical cluster of venues in one area (for example the Old Town or the Southside), used to plan walking and avoid rushing.
Access icons: Symbols on listings showing features such as audio enhancement systems, wheelchair-accessible performance spaces and wheelchair-accessible toilets.
Relaxed performance: A show adapted for a more relaxed environment, often with reduced sensory intensity and a tolerant attitude to movement and noise.
BSL: British Sign Language. Selected shows and specific Street Events dates are BSL-interpreted; BSL on Request is available with notice.
Spiegeltent: A travelling wood-and-mirror pavilion used as an atmospheric cabaret and variety venue.
Half Price Hut: A discount outlet selling same-day reduced-price tickets; availability varies daily - check official guidance before relying on it.
Fringe First: An award for outstanding new writing at the Fringe, judged by critics from The Scotsman since 1973.
Edinburgh Comedy Awards: The most prestigious comedy prize in the UK, first awarded in 1981 (formerly the Perrier Award).
The Tattoo: The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo - a separate ticketed event on the Castle Esplanade that overlaps with the Fringe in August.