Cheap thrills at festivals

The People's Festival features more than 50 acts

Festival-goers seeking a cheap thrill are being spoilt for choice in Edinburgh.

More than 200 performers took part in the annual Fringe Sunday event in the Meadows.

Comedian Adam Hills was among those offering free entertainment to tens of thousands of people.

The showcase for Fringe acts was spread across nine performance tents, with a farmers' market, funfair and workshops also being provided.

Fringe spokesman Owen O'Leary said that the attendance was more than double that recorded in 2002.

"Last year's Fringe Sunday was rained on and there were still 40,000 people who came down," he said.

Gateway weekend

"The weather has made all the difference because it just gets more people to get out and see what we have to offer."

Free entertainment was also on offer to people aged 26 and under as part of the Edinburgh International Festival's Gateway weekend.

The free shows, which have been running since Friday, are part of an attempt to win over the younger audiences more normally found on the Fringe.

The Edinburgh People's Festival will bring music and entertainment to an audience often ignored Colin Fox Organiser

The festival was also staging its opening concert at the Usher Hall on Sunday, featuring the Royal Scottish National Orchestra and the Edinburgh Festival Chorus.

The same evening sees the opening night celebration for the Edinburgh People's Festival at the Jack Kane Centre in Craigmillar.

Organisers said the week-long festival was a reaction against high ticket prices at the Fringe and the lack of events away from the city centre.

More than 50 acts - including string quartet Capriccio, acoustic guitarist Tony Mitchell and poet Nicky Melville - will perform in places like Wester Hailes, Gilmerton and Craigmillar. Tickets for all shows are priced £2.

Community activists

Last year the line-up included Fame Academy winner David Sneddon, who played a concert with his band the Martians only weeks before he entered the BBC talent show.

The organisers of the festival include the Scottish Socialist Party (SSP), trade unions and local artists.

"The Edinburgh People's Festival will bring music and entertainment to an audience often ignored," said SSP MSP Colin Fox.

"A courageous band of community activists and performers have dared to say it doesn't have to be silent in the schemes."