Perfect Day - Festivals in Edinburgh

With summer here and the weather hotting up, it's that time of year again when Edinburgh's many summer festivals release their full programme of events; so now's the time to start booking your Perfect Day in Scotland.

31 July - 6 SEPTEMBER 2009, EDINBURGH

With a host of festivals taking place over the summer, Edinburgh is the place to be for the very best culture on offer. From song and dance to films, food, literature and politics; the crème de la crème of the world’s performers, speakers and celebrities will be hitting Edinburgh's historic streets for another summer of non-stop entertainment.

Undoubtedly the most popular of Edinburgh's summer events, and deservedly so as the world's largest arts festival with over 1.5 million tickets sold for shows last year, the Fringe Festival (from 7 - 31 August) will showcase the very best performing arts from around the world. With an emphasis on comedy and theatre, the Fringe Festival is a must-do Scottish experience; synonymous with Edinburgh's summer.

From 14 August - 6 September, the Edinburgh International Festival takes over the city. The oldest of all of the capital's summer festivals, the EIF promises another all-star programme of performing arts across Edinburgh's finest venues; from the retelling of Ulysses through animation, puppetry and opera in Il Ritorno d’Ulisee in Patria to Sir Peter Maxwell Davies and James MacMillan's Made in Scotland; a selection of works from these two composers reflecting and capturing Scotland's soul through the Royal Scottish National Orchestra.

The largest and most dynamic festival of its kind in the world, the Edinburgh International Book Festival (15 - 31 August) has grown from strength to strength in its 25 year history. Set amidst the beautiful and historic Charlotte Square Gardens, in the heart of Edinburgh's New Town, the festival has become a key highlight in Edinburgh's summer calendar largely due to its "Meet the Author" line-up, where key names this year include Richard Awkins, Ian Rankin and Alexander McCall Smith, as well as giants of British theatre Joss Ackland, Diana Quick, Richard Eyre and Antony Sher.  This year’s programme of readings and events are available from the festival website.

With perhaps the finest natural larder of any country in the world, it's only fitting that Edinburgh should host the summer's most exciting culinary event; Foodies at the Festival (21 - 23 August). Prepare for a programme reading like a Who's Who of modern cooking, where top chefs from around the world will tempt your taste buds with demonstrations and insider tips on how to improve your own cooking and master a few choice skills.

2009 isn't just the year of Homecoming, the 250th anniversary of the birth of Robert Burns; it's also the 10th anniversary of the introduction of the Scottish Parliament. Join the celebration in the bringing together of international politics, media and arts at the Festival of Politics (20 - 23 August). With no more fitting a venue than the Scottish Parliament itself, don't miss this opportunity to interact with Scottish politics at the festival, through a programme of events, speakers and debates.