For those poor Brits floating Noah-like upon a pool of muddy water where their house used to be, it can be difficult to remember that it’s summer. But against all evidence to the contrary, it is, which means that a certain infamous Scottish arts event can’t be far behind. Yes, with the Fringe kicking off on 5th August and the official programme launching on the 10th, it’s time to seriously consider booking some tickets and a bed for the comprehensively cosmopolitan, caber-tossing cultural conundrum that is the Edinburgh Festival.

The official site shows you all the opera, dance, theatre and music on offer in six major theatres and concert halls across the city, as well as smaller niche venues. Looking at the offerings, ArtsWom suggests that unmissable gems will include Alan Cumming, back on the Scottish stage for the first time in sixteen years in The Bacchae; Benjamin Bagby, harpist and storyteller, with his Old English rendition of Beowulf; and Jordi Savall playing baroque classics on the little-known viola da gamba.

Over at the Fringe there is the usual bewildering array of the sublime and the ridiculous. From the Kaiser Chiefs to Auto Auto, a ‘crash musical’ involving the decimation of a Vauxhall Astra Mk2, making decisions about what to see can be pretty difficult. Of course, you can follow the strategy of spontaneity, and go unbooked and ready to follow the flyers wherever they may lead – and hey, there are worse things than watching acrobatic Polish dwarves interpreting Pinter through ballet.

Whatever your plans, Artswom will of course bring you any hot tips as we hear them, but in the meantime get yourself in the mood for the mayhem at the Fringe MySpace page with their blog, videos and this nice little game involving cakes.