The world’s biggest art festival gets cancelled for this year

The world’s largest art festival, the Edinburgh Festival Fringe has been cancelled for the time since its inception. With the deadly COVID-19 pandemic gripping the world, the festival organisers were forced to cancel this year’s edition. The festival was first established in 1947, and has been luring art lovers ever since.
A grand celebration of art and culture, it is held every year in the month of August for three weeks. In 2019, the festival saw massive numbers. Around 59600 theatre, dance, circus, physical theatre, comedy, musical, opera, cabaret, and children’s performances were seen, with participants from 63 countries. Undoubtedly, it is one of the greatest spectacles, and now we are deprived of it due to this unfortunate outbreak of disease.

The Chief Executive of Fringe Society said in a statement, “It’s heart-breaking that the Fringe and our sister August festivals will not take place as planned this summer. However, having taken advice and considered all the options, we collectively believe this is the only appropriate response.”

The statement further states that the safety of participants, audiences, and local residents comes first during this time of need. The Chief Executive also mentioned that their thoughts are with the many doctors, nurses, health and social care professionals on the frontlines.

The Edinburgh Festival Fringe is not the only festival to be cancelled in the city. The Edinburgh International Festival, the Edinburgh International Book Festival, the Edinburgh Art Festival, and the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo have also been cancelled.