Leader comment: Fringe's global celebrations

The development of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe into the world's largest arts festival has been an extraordinary phenomenon which will be rightly celebrated across the globe to mark its 70th birthday in August.

Edinburgh Festival Fringe chief executive Shona McCarthy, centre, launches World Fringe Day with staff members Navida Galbraith and Rachael Cowie. Picture: Lisa Ferguson

The planned World Fringe Day on 11 July promises to highlight the annual extravaganza to new audiences in what is expected to be a momentous year, even by its standards.

For this latest anniversary, it means that not just Scotland will be taking notice - festivals around the world will join in to mark and highlight the occasion.

And well they might, because the Fringe spawned many of the cultural events which light up so many other countries.

The effect has been so successful that Fringe chiefs were worried about keeping ahead of the pack - and a report two years ago warned against the Edinburgh Festivals resting on their laurels.

However, this latest innovation points to the Fringe doing quite the opposite, fostering its admirers and aspirers around the world.

It is a massive Scottish success story with which we should be very proud.