This week's brought sad news for Edinburgh locals and Festival visitors alike, with confirmation that the 2009 Fringe Sunday event has been cancelled.  Beset by budgetary problems following the loss of the event's sponsor, the Fringe Society's announcement means a temporary end to a 28-year tradition - which in recent years saw a quarter of a million people gather on the Meadows park for an afternoon of free entertainment.

The loss of Fringe Sunday will be felt particularly keenly by Edinburgh's residents, many of whom enjoy the annual event as their one foray into this year's Fringe.  But it's also a blow for Festival aficionados, who traditionally use the afternoon to sample bite-sized previews at one of Fringe Sunday's many themed stages.  All's not lost, though: for 2009 the focus will shift to the Royal Mile, where a smaller programme of free outdoor performances will run every day of the Fringe season.

There's better news from the Festivals Cavalcade, the family-friendly curtain-raiser which traditionally starts the Festival season.  There'd been rumours that it, too, might be cut, thanks to similar sponsorship problems and the fall-out from tram-line construction works on its traditional route along Princes Street.  But organizer David Todd has confirmed to The Scotsman newspaper that this year's procession will go ahead - dodging the roadworks by relocating to nearby Holyrood Park.  At time of writing, the route's still to be finalized, but with plenty of space available below the beautiful backdrop of Salisbury Crags, the 2009 event should still be a winner.

We'll bring you more news on the re-routed Cavalcade, and any updates on Fringe Sunday, here in Ticket Alert.