To celebrate our 75th anniversary this year, we're giving away over 35,000 free tickets. This summer's free programme features leading contemporary circus performers and world-renowned orchestras, as well as an immersive installation described as a ‘spa for the psyche’. These events are dedicated to the residents of Edinburgh, who have opened their city and helped us to welcome the world to Scotland’s capital for the last 75 years.

Our 75th Festival opens on Friday 5 August with MACRO, a spectacular free event at BT Murrayfield supported by EventScotland. Presented as part of the UK/Australia Season 2021-22, critically acclaimed circus and physical theatre company Gravity & Other Myths joins First Nations dance company Djuki Mala, the National Youth Choir of Scotland and Scottish musicians including Aidan O’Rourke, Brìghde Chaimbeul, Lauren MacColl and KathleenMacInnes. Over 15,000 free tickets for MACRO are available from today.

The Philadelphia Orchestra, led by conductor Yannick Nézet-Séguin, is in residence at the International Festival across four concerts including Thank You, Edinburgh– a free concert given as a big thank you to the city and residents of Edinburgh.

This special concert from one of America’s leading symphony orchestras takes place at the Edinburgh Playhouse on Saturday 27 August at 3pm and will also be relayed live to the Ross Bandstand in Princes Street Gardens. The first 100 people to attend the live unticketed relay in the Gardens will receive a free snack pack, supplied by our official partners The Pantry and Bon Accord. Free tickets for Thank You, Edinburgh will be available from Monday 4 July.

Dreamachine, part of UNBOXED: Creativity in the UK, is a free immersive experience using light and sound to explore the potential of the human mind. The experience is created by Collective Act, presented by Edinburgh Science and brings together Turner Prize-winning artists Assemble, Grammy and Mercury nominated musician and composer Jon Hopkins and a team of leading technologists, scientists and philosophers. Taking place at Murrayfield Ice Rink, free tickets for Dreamachine will be available from Monday 11 July.

In a gesture of solidarity with the victims of the war in Ukraine, the Edinburgh International Festival and the Scottish Government are partnering to welcome the Ukrainian Freedom Orchestra for a historic free concert at the Usher Hall on Saturday 6 August at 2pm. Assembled by New York’s Metropolitan Opera and the Polish National Opera, the Ukrainian Freedom Orchestra includes recent refugees, Ukrainian members of European orchestras and leading Ukrainian musicians and performers including soprano Liudmyla Monastyrska and pianist Anna Fedorova. Led by Canadian-Ukrainian conductor Keri-Lynn Wilson, the special concert sees invitations extended to the Ukrainian community in Scotland and organisations leading efforts in the resettlement of Ukrainian refugees. Free tickets for the performance will be available from Monday 18 July.

In addition to the 35,000 free tickets, the International Festival’s free digital programme At Home, supported by global investment brand abrdn, features behind-the-scenes interviews, exclusive music sessions and performances filmed in iconic locations around Edinburgh. Full details will be announced on Thursday 21 July.

If you are able to, please consider making a donation to the Festival so that we can continue to bring people and performers together, inspire the next generation of talent and support our work with communities year-round.