EdFringe 2023: Official Edinburgh Festival Fringe app with nearby show feature and event planner now available
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The Fringe has officially arrived, with shows popping up across Edinburgh streets, lecture theatres, pubs and halls.
And for this year’s festival, which is running from August 4 to August 28, the official EdFringe app makes a triumphant return.
Last seen in 2019, organisers have used feedback from audiences, participants and venues to launch the new and improved app which will make planning your trip and booking Festival tickets a breeze.
The app will include familiar features such as the 'nearby now' feature which allows users to find nearby shows starting soon alongside the personalised planner which will display booked performances.
But there have been new additions to the 2023 Edfringe app, such as new notification services so users never miss a show and the ‘shake to search’ function to help audiences looking for inspiration with a random suggestion.
But how does the app actually function, and how can you best make the most of it during the Edinburgh Festival?
Personalising your app
If you’re a seasoned Fringe-goer you may have already had a festival account set up. However, if not the app will allow you to create an account and set up your preferences. Simply select your preferred show genres and the app will do the rest of the hard work, picking performances for you based on your choices.
It would be difficult to break so many shows down into fine details, which means this feature is mostly based on the genre of each show. Helpful for finding out what's on, but for some surprises other app features may better serve users.
Using the planner
The planner which is built into the app is an extremely useful feature. To add an event to your planner – without buying a ticket – you must select the show you’re interested in and navigate to dates. Once you’ve done that, you can then select the date/time and from there add it to your planner.
You can also book show tickets directly from the planner, which will then appear ready for use so everything is in one handy place.
In addition, during the festival the EdFringe app planner will notify you when shows are about to start and will even be able to provide directions between shows so you don't miss any of the action.
Search
This section of the app does a few different things – all of which you’d expect from a search box. You can search by show title or performer’s name, or by date or venue. You can also search by genre, a nice addition since there are so many shows on offer.
The date and time search is geared toward visitors coming to Edinburgh for a few days at the festival as you can search over multiple days and even specific times – perfect for those working around public transport or flight bookings who want to squeeze the most from their trip.
There’s not too much else to say about the search feature as it is a necessity and highly practical, however there is one other standout feature: ‘shake to search’.
Users can shake their phone (or tap the screen) to receive a randomised show suggestion – which can be filtered by date or venue. A fun but functional addition to the 2023 EdFringe app. One small suggestion for future could be to include a filter for prices, as at the minute there isn’t a clear way to search for free events.
Nearby Now
However the app’s real stand out is the ‘Nearby Now’ feature. It was rolled out with the 2019 version of the app, and was missed during the 2022 event. Using your phone’s location services, the app will provide a real-time guide to shows which will start soon.
Perfect for finding a new unexpected favourite.
Favourites
Speaking of favourites, the favourites section of the Edfringe app is also worth utilising. If you’ve heard about a show but maybe aren’t quite ready to commit to buying tickets or adding it to your Festival schedule, you can simply favourite the event.
From the Favourites section you will then have a fast shortcut to the show details, whether it’s to remove it from your list or to buy tickets.
Festival venue map
And if all of those features weren’t enough to convince you how handy the app is, the built-in map featuring every Festival venue should hopefully convince you. You can click on the pins for directions or for details on all the upcoming shows which will take place during the Fringe.
Book and store Edfringe tickets
As the festival will take place throughout August, one of the best things about the app is how pretty much everything you need to attend is in one place – including tickets. You can find, book and present your tickets all from the app. E-tickets will be available for any shows users have booked so that everything is conveniently in one place.
However, users should be aware that booking fees will apply – even if the event is free. A £1.25 booking fee will appear.
The Edinburgh Festival Fringe app is worth downloading
Overall, the 2023 Edinburgh Fringe app is a much needed addition to the festival – especially since it wasn’t available last year. It will help take the stress out of planning for those attending, while also allowing users to discover a whole host of shows which they may not have known about otherwise with the 'Nearby Now' and 'shake to search' features.
The app is available to download on iPhone or Android, and more information can be found on the official Edinburgh Festival Fringe website.
Users can also submit feedback and suggestions for the app, which will go towards future iterations. The official EdFringe 2023 app was made for the festival by developers equ with help from sponsor Playbill and support from Synetec, Johnnie Walker Princes Street and EventScotland.
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