ICTF Edinburgh Festival Fringe: Edinburgh

The International Collegiate Theatre Festival, a one-of-a-kind theatre opportunity, runs in conjunction with the world’s largest performing arts festival, the world-renowned Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Accepted theatre groups spend a total of two weeks in the UK, performing their own production, attending Fringe shows, and touring Scotland. Note: Tour must depart North America on 7/30/24 for the 2024 festival, 7/29/25 for the 2025 festival, or 8/4/26 for the 2026 festival.
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Day 1 Start tour
Day 2 Hello Edinburgh
Meet your Blue Badge Guide
Details: Directors meeting with ICTF staff and tech team
Regroup with the ICTF administrative and tech teams, who will get you prepared for your schedule over the course of the festival!
Day 3 Edinburgh
Free time in Edinburgh
Details: Technical rehearsal
Groups will have two hours to run and refine the technical aspects of their production.
Day 4 Edinburgh
Edinburgh guided sightseeing tour
Royal MileOld TownSir Walter Scott Monument
Details: Edinburgh guided sightseeing tour
Edinburgh Castle, the historical and emotional heart of the city, is just one of the many sights you will see on this tour, led by a licensed professional guide. Make your way along the Royal Mile, the main thoroughfare of the 16th and 17th centuries. (It's actually one mile and 107 yards long--from Edinburgh Castle to the Palace of Holyrood House). As you make your way along cobbled streets, you'll see a handful of the several thousand buildings officially protected in Edinburgh because of their architectural or historic importance. The 200-foot spire of the Sir Walter Scott monument soars above the East Princes Street Gardens. Grand figures from Scottish history adorn its heights, make sure you also look down -- the figure below the marble statue is Scott's favorite dog, Maida.
Details: Royal Mile
From Edinburgh Castle walk the Royal Mile, one of the most famous and scenic city walks in Europe.
Details: Festival Fringe begins
The Edinburgh Festival Fringe is, quite simply, the largest and most prestigious performing arts festival in the world. Every August, the city transforms into a magical, thrilling world of all things performance: comedy, drama, dance, cabaret, circus, performance art, street performers, and anything else you can imagine. Original works, devised pieces, and classic theatre and dance are all welcome and celebrated. In addition to traditional theatre spaces, pubs, museums, churches, alleys, courtyards, and specially created spaces become venues. Almost nothing seems off-limits—entirely by design. Imagine a city swept away by the pulse of such creativity, and you’ve only started to understand what’s happening here. With over 300 venues, 3,800 shows, and 60,000 performances, you will be immersed in the arts and never lack for new experiences!
Day 5 Edinburgh
Details: Attend an ICTF performance
Support your peers and see great theatre and dance productions! All groups attend four productions put on by their fellow companies. You are encouraged to see as many student shows as possible, but four are included on your itinerary. Everyone deserves an audience!
Details: Fringe Preview performance
Perform to festival attendees in your own 20-minute outdoor “Taster performance.” Garner excitement for your show by intriguing the passersby through the age-old art of busking!
Details: Attend a traditional Scottish Ceilidh
A tradition dating back to 1875, a Ceilidh is an evening of Scottish folk music and dancing. This evening, an authentic Scottish Ceilidh band will lead groups through dance steps while their own Ceilidh dancers entertain during much needed breaks.
Day 6 Edinburgh
Details: Group performance
The spirit of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe is to use any space for a production, including alleyways, conference rooms, church halls, nursery schools, and other types of non-traditional theatre space! You and your group will perform four times for a guaranteed live audience in a high-quality Fringe venue with a stage, audience seating, and lighting and sound equipment.
Details: Attend an ICTF performance
Support your peers and see great theatre and dance productions! All groups attend four productions put on by their fellow companies. You are encouraged to see as many student shows as possible, but four are included on your itinerary. Everyone deserves an audience!
Details: Passport to Success College Fair
College faculty present their theater and dance programs and serve on panels for hundreds of performing arts students attending AHSTF. ICTF students may attend to provide their perspective on life at their schools.
Day 7 Edinburgh
Details: Stirling and Loch Lomond guided excursion
The medieval town of Stirling grew up around one of Scotland’'s most important fortresses and the Old Town is still surrounded by its original 16th century walls. The town served as the backdrop for one of William Wallace’'s 13th century battles and continued to be of strategic importance in the Jacobite uprisings. The Trossachs, home to Rob Roy and Loch Lomond, is a region of craggy hills, sparkling lochs and rich culture. Scotland’s first national park, Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park now make up a large part of the area.
Details: Stirling Castle visit
Tour Stirling Castle, which dates from the Middle Ages and was an important seat of two kings; James IV and James V. View the Museum of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, presenting an excellent exhibit of colors, pipe banners, and regimental silver. From the castlethere is a wonderful view of the Wallace Monument.
Details: The Kelpies photo stop
Standing 30 meters (100ft) tall, The Kelpies sculptures stand majestically above all around them and pay homage to the working horses of Scotland which used to pull barges along Scotland’s canals and worked in the fields in the area where they now stand.
Details: Trossachs scenic drive
Travel through the spectacular landscape of the Trossachs. This area of rugged mountains, forests and lochs including Loch Lomond is forever associated with Sir Walter Scott's outlaw hero, Rob Roy. Take advantage of several photo stops to take time to admire the breathtaking Scottish highlands scenery.
Details: Picnic lunch at Loch Lomond
Known as the Queen of Scottish Lochs the banks of Loch Lomond are amongst the most enchanting and romantic beauty spots in the British Isles. The largest expanse of fresh water in Great Britain Loch Lomond measures 23 miles long, 5 miles wide and is Scotland's third deepest Loch at 636 feet deep. The Loch's abundance of wildlife, rich history and spectacular natural beauty make it one of Scotland's most appealing and enduring visitor destinations.
Day 8 Edinburgh
Details: Group performance
The spirit of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe is to use any space for a production, including alleyways, conference rooms, church halls, nursery schools, and other types of non-traditional theatre space! You and your group will perform four times for a guaranteed live audience in a high-quality Fringe venue with a stage, audience seating, and lighting and sound equipment.
Day 9 Edinburgh
Details: Attend an ICTF performance
Support your peers and see great theatre and dance productions! All groups attend four productions put on by their fellow companies. You are encouraged to see as many student shows as possible, but four are included on your itinerary. Everyone deserves an audience!
Details: Group performance
The spirit of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe is to use any space for a production, including alleyways, conference rooms, church halls, nursery schools, and other types of non-traditional theatre space! You and your group will perform four times for a guaranteed live audience in a high-quality Fringe venue with a stage, audience seating, and lighting and sound equipment.
Day 10 Edinburgh
Details: Attend an ICTF performance
Support your peers and see great theatre and dance productions! All groups attend four productions put on by their fellow companies. You are encouraged to see as many student shows as possible, but four are included on your itinerary. Everyone deserves an audience!
Details: Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo
This spectacular event is acclaimed by many as “the greatest show on earth” and is undeniably one of the world’s most breathtaking spectacles. The Tattoo is a dazzling celebration of music, dance, and drama which takes place on the Edinburgh Castle Esplanade. The program includes the Massed Bands of Her Majesty’s Royal Marines, the Military Bands of the Scottish Division, the Massed Pipes and Drums representing Scotland’s Regiments, and many other bands from every corner of the earth. A sensational finale brings the show to an emotional climax. As the lights fade on the lone piper, wish a wish and “Haste ye back …”
Day 11 Edinburgh
Details: Group performance
The spirit of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe is to use any space for a production, including alleyways, conference rooms, church halls, nursery schools, and other types of non-traditional theatre space! You and your group will perform four times for a guaranteed live audience in a high-quality Fringe venue with a stage, audience seating, and lighting and sound equipment.
Day 12 Edinburgh
Details: ICTF closing ceremonies
That’s a wrap! You’ve completed your show run at the largest performing arts festival in the world. Celebrate with your fellow companies with awards from the tech team, a special photo presentation, surprise performances, and more.
Day 13 End tour
Tour Includes:
  • Round-trip airfare
  • 11 overnight stays in Edinburgh
  • Full Scottish breakfast daily
  • Visit to select attractions as per itinerary
  • Local Guide and Local Bus Driver tips; see note regarding other important tips
  • Airport transfers in Edinburgh (for groups arriving/departing together)
  • Daily Edinburgh City Bus Passes
  • Four performances and one technical rehearsal slot at ICTF’s Fringe venue
  • Professional technical support before and during Festival Fringe
  • All participation and marketing fees associated with the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society
  • Performance slot on the Royal Mile
  • Private coach transportation to and from performances
  • Professional and educational workshop opportunities
  • Access to rehearsal space
  • Passes to AHSTF student productions
  • Passes to ICTF student productions
  • Networking opportunities with theatre and performance professionals
  • Recruitment opportunities with high school students from the American High School Theatre Festival at the ICTF College Fair
  • Account representative to provide full travel logistics support and on-site staff throughout ICTF
  • Access to a Blue Badge Guide (licensed expert on all things Scotland)
  • ICTF Ceilidh – Evening of Scottish dance and culture
  • Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo
  • Note: Tour cost does not include airline-imposed baggage fees, or fees for any required passport or visa. Optional excursions, optional pre-paid Tour Director and multi-day bus driver tipping, among other individual and group customizations will be listed as separate line items in the total trip cost, if included.
  • Single room upgrades are subject to availability

We are better able to assist you with a quote for your selected departure date and city over the phone. Please call 1.888.378.8845 to price this tour with your requested options.

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