Street Performer in the Grassmarket Juggling Knives

Category

Library Item

Item no

29722

Title

Street performer in the Grassmarket juggling knives

Artist / maker

Ferguson, Richard

Date

2013

Type

Digital image

Location

Edinburgh and Scottish Collection

The Edinburgh Festival Fringe has its roots in the attendance of eight uninvited theatre groups at the inaugural Edinburgh International Festival in 1947. This unofficial adjunct to the festival grew in both size and organisation throughout the 1950's with more and more performers coming to take advantage of the audiences drawn to the capital by the official events. By the end of the decade a well organised Festival Fringe Society had been established with a constitution, brochure, and central ticket sales. Today 'The Fringe' hosts several hundred productions each year, and ticket sales have exceeded 1.6 million.

The Grassmarket is an open area situated below Edinburgh Castle at the west end of the Cowgate. It was, for many centuries, an important venue for commercial and social activity in the Old Town. A weekly market was held here from the 15th to the early 20th century. It was also the site of many public executions. The Grassmarket continues to be a popular area for socialising, with a large number of pubs and restaurants.

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Related subjects

Events > Festivals

Events > Festivals > Fringe Festival

People > Entertainment and sports > Jugglers

People > Entertainment and sports > Spectators

People > Entertainment and sports > Street entertainers

Places > Scotland > Edinburgh

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