Early start to give Fringe extra weekend

Published on Tuesday 20 May 2008 22:16

THE Edinburgh Festival Fringe is to run for an extra two days from 2009, The Scotsman can reveal.

The move is part of a bid to attract bigger audiences and lure more visitors to the capital on the Fringe's opening weekend.

The extension, said to have the backing of venue managers and council officials, has been announced less than a year after the Edinburgh International Festival started two days early.

It comes ten years after the Fringe sparked controversy by deciding to move its dates by a full week, separating it in the calendar from the EIF.

Jonathan Mills, director of the EIF, broke with a tradition dating back to 1947 when he announced that the official Festival would be starting on a Friday, rather than a Sunday, to create a high-profile opening weekend.

Now Jon Morgan, in his first full year as Fringe director, has announced the same move.

He said: "Edinburgh is already full of Fringe activity on the Friday and Saturday before our official start date, and it made sense to make Friday the official first day. We hope the performers and their audiences will enjoy an extra weekend."