Gilded Balloon are celebrating their 40th anniversary this year and so today is a very special Pink Wednesday – a 24 hour charity day with £5 tickets for many of the most popular Fringe shows.

Tickets must be bought today for purchasers to get the benefit of the discounts – and for the charity to benefit from the funds raised. There will be Waverley Care staff out with donation buckets today so if you are going to the Fringe today make sure you have some change with you.

More than 200 of the Gilded Balloon shows will offer discounted tickets today and there are competitions to win. A percentage of the ticket sales will benefit Edinburgh based charity, Waverley Care. This is Scotland’s leading HIV and hepatitis C charity.

Katy and Karen Koren, Artistic Directors of Gilded Balloon said, “We’re thrilled to offer £5 tickets all day for some of the biggest shows at the Fringe – from Late’n’Live to Jack Docherty, as well as some of the best rising talent like Alana Jackson, Michael Welch and Sophia Wren. Pink Wednesday is the perfect day to get out and see some new shows at a discounted price, all whilst supporting our fantastic charity partner Waverley Care. It’s wonderful to see so many of our acts opt in to support Waverley Care and donate a percentage of their £5 ticket sales today to a charity who are doing vitally important work across Scotland.”

Grant Sugden, Chief Executive, Waverley Care said, “We’re thrilled to be Gilded Balloon’s charity partner once again for this year’s Pink Wednesday event. As Scotland’s leading HIV and Hepatitis C charity, we’re committed to making sure no one feels isolated. We provide safe, inclusive spaces where people can access care and community with dignity, free from stigma.

“Thanks to medical advances, people living with HIV can now live long, healthy lives. But stigma remains a significant barrier that continues to harm many.

Fundraising events like Pink Wednesday are vital. They enable us to deliver life-changing services, expand access to testing and prevention, and tackle the misconceptions that still surround blood borne viruses. We’re incredibly grateful to everyone taking part and supporting our mission to improve lives across Scotland.”

Alana Jackson. Gilded Balloon press launch. © 2025 Martin McAdam

Fringe fans can enjoy some great entertainment and give back to a good cause, as shows participating in £5 tickets include Baxter vs the Bookies starring Andy Linden, last year’s So You Think You’re Funny winner Alana Jackson with her debut show Last Orders, local Edinburgh comic Michael Welch, Jack Docherty as The Chief with The Chief: Still No Apologies, Kim Blythe, Late’n’Live, Sophia Wren and many more!

Make a night of it with fun interactive shows like John Robertson’s The Dark Room, modern mentalist and hypnotist show PENMAN: The Imaginator – You, karaoke extravaganza Sink or SING!, and IKEA WARS, which challenges two comedians to build Ikea furniture on stage in a battle of wits (and home improvement skills). 

Penman. Gilded Balloon press launch. © 2025 Martin McAdam

For a full list of shows offering £5 tickets and to book, please visit tickets.gildedballoon.co.uk or stop by one of the Box Offices across venues: Patter House, The Museum or the brand new Appleton Tower.

Waverley Care was founded in 1989 in response to the HIV epidemic in Edinburgh, the charity now focuses on ending new HIV transmission in Scotland by 2030, while continuing to support people and communities affected by HIV, hepatitis C and sexual health inequalities. www.waverleycare.org 

Photo Steve Ullathorne

L-R Karen and Katy Koren Artistic Directors of Gilded Balloon Photo Steve Ullathorne

Photo Steve Ullathorne

Photo Steve Ullathorne

Founding Editor of The Edinburgh Reporter.
Edinburgh-born multimedia journalist and iPhoneographer.

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