Festival Theatre

Name: Festival Theatre
Address: 13-29 Nicolson St, Edinburgh, EH8 9FT, GB
Telephone: 0131 529 6000

Edinburgh

Courtesy of Festival Theatre

WHERE

Edinburgh

What it’s like

A grand Edinburgh stage for family musicals, ballet and circus shows, from touring productions to Christmas panto season.

This isn't a soft play afternoon, it's a proper trip out: family shows turn up on the programme alongside the usual run of musicals, dance and comedy, and it's the sort of thing you book ahead for and dress up a bit for. Check what's actually showing before you commit, since the mix changes and not every production will suit younger kids.

Doors to the auditorium open about 30 minutes before curtain up, and they'll let you in any time within the hour before if you're running late. Turning up at that 30 minute mark is the sensible move if you want to get settled without a scramble, especially with kids who need time to find their seats and stop fidgeting. There's a cloakroom here too, open from an hour before the show, handy if you've arrived with coats and bags in tow.

There's a café doing pastries, cakes and sandwiches, plus bars on every level for drinks and snacks before the show, in the interval and afterwards. Hot food isn't allowed in the auditorium itself, so if the kids need feeding properly, do it beforehand rather than trying to sneak chips in. Worth knowing the café and box office both keep the same hours, Monday to Saturday 10am to 4pm, shut on Sundays, though they'll open earlier on performance days.

Parking's the bit that needs a plan. Street parking nearby is limited, there's a small car park on Nicolson Square five minutes away, and a bigger NCP on Holyrood Road about nine minutes off with plenty of bays. If you need accessible parking in the courtyard, that's limited too, so you'd want to call the Stage Door ahead rather than just turning up and hoping.

Facilities

Café

Gift shop

Indoor seating

Food on site

Toilets

Need to know

Parking: Limited street parking. Small 24/7 car park on Nicolson Square (5 min walk)
Food: Café and bars serving refreshments, coffee, pastries, cakes, salads, sandwiches, soup
Wheelchairs: Accessible parking limited spaces in courtyard for Festival Theatre
Getting there by bus or train: Many bus routes. Waverley Station approximately 10-15 minutes walk

Box office and café both close on Sundays, though performance days get earlier café hours
No hot food allowed in the auditorium, so plan meals around the show
Accessible parking in the courtyard is limited and needs a phone call to book

Plan your visit

When should we arrive?

Any time within an hour of the show starting, as long as you're in your seat when it begins. They recommend 30 minutes before, which gives you time to find seats and use the toilets first.

Can we get food there?

There's a café for pastries, cakes and sandwiches, plus bars on every level for drinks and snacks. Hot food just isn't allowed in the auditorium, so eat beforehand if the kids need a proper meal.

Is there a cloakroom for coats and bags?

Yes, at the Festival Theatre it opens an hour before the performance starts.

What about parking?

Street parking's limited, but there's a small car park on Nicolson Square five minutes away and a bigger NCP on Holyrood Road about nine minutes off with over 300 bays. Accessible spaces in the courtyard are limited too, so call the Stage Door team ahead to check.