Friday 6th August 2010
The stage is set for Edinburgh Fringe
BBC News
The Edinburgh Fringe, the largest arts festival in the world, has begun its three-week run in Scotland's capital.
More than 21,000 performers will take part in 2,453 shows at about 250 venues across the city and beyond.
Organisers are hoping to build on the "staycation" success of last year's box office record 1.8 million tickets sold.
It is the 64th time the city has hosted what Fringe chief executive Kath Mainland calls the "greatest show on earth".