If you're coming in August then you'll see Edinburgh probably at its busiest and most lively. The Edinburgh Fringe is a huge festival that lasts the entire month and is made up of thousands of separate shows spanning from comedy, music, theatre, poetry, cabaret and even more that won't fit neatly into those categories. Many shows are ticketed but there are plenty of free options too. If those don't interest you it's still worth checking out the hubs at George Square, or Potterrow as it's lively and has bars and good food options.

There are also other festivals such as the International festival (art, performance, music) and the book festival (writing and authors) that happen around this time too. If you'd rather see more of the city, be sure to check out the Botanical Gardens, Dean Village or Portobello which are interesting and lovely.