Wikinews wanders the Referendum-year Edinburgh Festival Fringe

Wednesday, August 27, 2014 

With many venues reporting sell-out shows, the 68th year of the Edinburgh Festival attracted visitors from around the globe. Wikinews' Brian McNeil roamed the city for the four weeks of the event, capturing the colour, spectacle, and comedy, in photos.

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Visitors crowd onto Edinburgh's High Street, adjacent to the Tron Kirk, for the first day of the 2014 Festival Fringe.
Image: Brian McNeil.

A street performer sets up in Hunter Square, next to one of the city's golden postboxes, unpacking paraffin for his act.
Image: Brian McNeil.

View across Edinburgh's High Street (Royal Mile) onto the top of Cockburn Street.
Image: Brian McNeil.

A musician prepared for Scotland's unpredictable weather at the side of the Tron Kirk.
Image: Brian McNeil.

The Tron pub, next to the top of Blair Street, advertises live comedy in the basement, along with their 3am license.
Image: Brian McNeil.

A performer balances on top of a bollard just inside the pedestrianised part of the High Street.
Image: Brian McNeil.

Tourists on the High Street for the 2014 fringe.
Image: Brian McNeil.

Tourists mingle with performers handing out fliers on the Edinburgh High Street.
Image: Brian McNeil.

Track-suited performers wait to go onstage in the High Street.
Image: Brian McNeil.

A troupe performs for the crowd in traditional dress.
Image: Brian McNeil.

A troupe performs for the crowd in traditional dress.
Image: Brian McNeil.

Performers on Edinburgh's High Street for the Festival Fringe 2014. In the distance, the Firth of Forth.
Image: Brian McNeil.

Crowd looks on as performer spins disk on a stick before throwing it high into the air.
Image: Brian McNeil.

Performer throwing spinning disk from stick into the air.
Image: Brian McNeil.

Performer throws spinning disk high overhead.
Image: Brian McNeil.

Fliers and posters advertise a few of the shows on-offer at this year's Fringe.
Image: Brian McNeil.

Stall selling tied-balloon creations with Fringe show fliers as backdrop.
Image: Brian McNeil.

Edinburgh's 'Auld Reekie Tours' (Venue 129) advertising their underground and graveyard tours of the city.
Image: Brian McNeil.

Food stall situated at the side of the Tron Kirk.
Image: Brian McNeil.

Blackboards list the day's, and tommorrow's, performances on the doors of the Tron Kirk in Edinburgh's High Street.
Image: Brian McNeil.

The bar, with stained-glass window backdrop, inside the Tron Kirk.
Image: Brian McNeil.

Susana Silva, more-used to busking, performs inside the Tron Kirk on the Fringe's opening day.
Image: Brian McNeil.

Susana Silva performing in the Tron Kirk, Edinburgh fringe 2014.
Image: Brian McNeil.

Susana Silva performing in the Tron Kirk, Edinburgh fringe 2014.
Image: Brian McNeil.

Pat Dennis, Sean O'Malley with Michael Dodds on Cajon.
Image: Brian McNeil.

Pat Dennis, Sean O'Malley and Michael Dodds performing in the Tron Kirk.
Image: Brian McNeil.

Pat Dennis, Sean O'Malley and Michael Dodds performing in the Tron Kirk.
Image: Brian McNeil.

Pat Dennis, Sean O'Malley and Michael Dodds performing in the Tron Kirk.
Image: Brian McNeil.

Crowds in Edinburgh's Grassmarket for the 2014 Festival.
Image: Brian McNeil.

Street performers in the Grassmarket.
Image: Brian McNeil.

Bruce Fummey performing his 2014 Fringe show, "Aaah'm Votin YES" in The Beehive.
Image: Brian McNeil.

A few minutes walk from The Beehive, a busker plays with an array of effects pedals.
Image: Brian McNeil.

View down the Grassmarket from the West Bow end.
Image: Brian McNeil.

View of St John's at the west end of Princes Street.
Image: Brian McNeil.

Some people at the art & craft fair, in the grounds of St John's, enjoying themselves despite a downpour
Image: Brian McNeil.

One of the city's tour buses, at the west-end of Princes Street.
Image: Brian McNeil.

View of the Festival Wheel, situated in Princes Street Gardens.
Image: Brian McNeil.

Various festivals take place in Edinburgh throughout the summer, including the The Guardian-sponsored Book Festival.
Image: Brian McNeil.

View of the castle, with posters for Festival shows on the railings of Princes Street Gardens.
Image: Brian McNeil.

Chalk art outisde the Scottish National Archives at the East-End of Princes Street.
Image: Brian McNeil.

Banner for The Caves, just off the Cowgate.
Image: Brian McNeil.

The Cowshed in Edinburgh's Cowgate; a venue well-liked by performers, apart from the beer prices.
Image: Brian McNeil.

Musician walking up Niddry Street, with guitar in hard case.
Image: Brian McNeil.

The Blind Poet, in Edinburgh's West Nicholson Street.
Image: Brian McNeil.

Bar staff, working in The Blind Poet on Nicholson Street.
Image: Brian McNeil.

Baz Simpson, who organised The Wolf Sessions at The Blind Poet; before, and during, The Festival.
Image: Brian McNeil.

Baz Simpson, who organised The Wolf Sessions at The Blind Poet; before, and during, The Festival.
Image: Brian McNeil.

Performers in the Blind Poet, West Nicholson Street, last Saturday of the Festival Fringe.
Image: Brian McNeil.

Performers in the Blind Poet, West Nicholson Street, last Saturday of the Festival Fringe.
Image: Brian McNeil.

Performers in the Blind Poet, West Nicholson Street, last Saturday of the Festival Fringe.
Image: Brian McNeil.

Performers in the Blind Poet, West Nicholson Street, last Saturday of the Festival Fringe.
Image: Brian McNeil.

Aaron Robbie Wright, performing in The Blind Poet on the last Sunday of the 2014 Festival Fringe.
Image: Brian McNeil.

Aaron Robbie Wright, performing in The Blind Poet on the last Sunday of the 2014 Festival Fringe.
Image: Brian McNeil.

The High Street's taxi rank stretches from the top of Niddry Street halfway to the Scottish Parliament.
Image: Brian McNeil.

Unfortunately, trouble at the High Street taxi rank is not uncommon - regardless of the festival being on, or not.
Image: Brian McNeil.

Unfortunately, trouble at the High Street taxi rank is not uncommon - regardless of the festival being on, or not.
Image: Brian McNeil.

Unfortunately, trouble at the High Street taxi rank is not uncommon - regardless of the festival being on, or not.
Image: Brian McNeil.

Fringe performers, and flier distributors, come in all shapes and sizes.
Image: Brian McNeil.

Some artists continued distributing fliers right up until the last couple of days of the Festival Fringe.
Image: Brian McNeil.

Age is no barrier to busking during the Festival.
Image: Brian McNeil.

With so many visitors, rubbish (garbage) is somewhat of an issue during the Festival.
Image: Brian McNeil.

Sources

• Media Team. "Another bumper year for the Fringe" — City of Edinburgh Council, August 25, 2014
• "Edinburgh Fringe 2014 hailed as best-ever" — Edinburgh Evening News, August 19, 2014