Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2023 – St James Quarter Sessions

St James Quarter is offering a programme of emerging music talent and street performances in the heart of Scotland’s capital with ‘St James Quarter Sessions’.

Taking place throughout August, The Quarter will provide a unique addition to this year’s Fringe programme. Inviting music lovers to a month-long festival held in the lifestyle district of Edinburgh, guests attending the events can sit back, under cover and enjoy music from the comfort of their very own deck chair on the Galleria without a muddy field in sight.

The free music festival runs from 5 to 27 August and will fill The Quarter with the sound of the best music across two main stages – the Canopy Stage on Level 4 and The Yellow Stage on Level 3 – as well as in key outlets. Artists that will be taking the stage include Chef The Rapper, Lubana, SHEARS and Russell Stewart. As well as established artists, St James Quarter will be providing an all-important platform for 33 buskers taking part in the Edinburgh Fringe Street Events programme with the support of Essential Edinburgh, helping showcase their talent to large audiences.

Top dining destinations, Gordon Ramsay Street Burger and Bonnie & Wild will host free ticketed events, showcasing performances from artists including Amy Duncan, Brodie Barclay and Alice Faye to name a few, with tickets bookable via the St James Quarter app. Keeping the festival spirit going, Sofar Sounds will be coming to a secret location within The Quarter on Sunday 20th August at 6:00pm with a lineup of 3 incredible artists. Tickets are available to purchase through the Sofar Sounds website here.

To mark the launch of the programme, St James Quarter will be hosting the Launch Event at Everyman Edinburgh on Friday 4 August from 7.30pm till late, featuring performances from dynamic rock duo Midnight Ambulance and Chef The Rapper, a rising star in the music industry. Tickets for the launch event are limited and can be purchased through the St James Quarter app.

Susan Hewlett, Brand and Marketing Director, St James Quarter – “We are excited to be bringing such a diverse line-up of amazing music performers to this year’s festival, the ‘St James Quarter Sessions’ will offer our guests an undercover musical experience in luxurious surroundings.

“We are thrilled to be collaborating with Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society again after such a great 2022 and are delighted to be supported by Essential Edinburgh. Partnering with the Fringe goes beyond entertainment, as it is an incentive for tourism and a boost for the city of Edinburgh.

“At St James Quarter, we love bringing entertainment to elevate guests shopping experiences, which is why we are delighted to welcome some of the best up-and-coming talent that Edinburgh has to offer and bringing some of that renowned festival atmosphere to our Galleria and eateries.”

Roddy Smith, Chief Executive, Essential Edinburgh – “We are delighted to be supporting the ‘St James Quarter Sessions’ music programme taking place during August. This time of year is so important to the city as welcome our residents and visitors into the city centre to enjoy the fantastic arts and culture on offer. It will be great to see some of our local talent playing in the St James Quarter as well as giving the audiences a chance to combine great entertainment with the retail and hospitality available.”

Secure your tickets online now to be a part of the launch event.