We're sorry - the preview performance described in this article has now sold out.  As of 23 July, a very few single seats are still available by phoning the box office.  Anecdotal evidence also suggests there are quite a lot of returns this year - see below for details of how to try for them. 

It had to happen sooner or later, and we've just seen confirmation online: all two hundred thousand tickets for the Edinburgh Military Tattoo have been sold.  Yet all is not lost for those desperate to see the annual spectacle - as long as they're free on 31 July, or don't mind coughing up for some extras on the side.

Televised across the world, the Military Tattoo is by far the best-known single show of any of the Edinburgh Festivals.  A complete sell-out for the last ten years, the annual outdoor spectacle hosts a breathtaking programme drawn from across the Commonwealth - and it all happens in the spine-tingling surroundings of Edinburgh Castle's esplanade.

On your marks for the preview

If you missed out on tickets, your best bet now is to try for the preview performance (in other words, the dress rehearsal) on Thursday 31 July.  8,500 tickets will go on sale at 10am on Monday 21 July, limited to four a customer.  You'll be able to book by phone, in person or online.  There's more information on the online sale here on Ticket Alert.

Other options

If you're not in Edinburgh on 31 July, but you're still desperate to see the Tattoo, you have a couple of options remaining.  Firstly, you can phone the box office daily (0131 225 1188) to check for any returns.  There won't be many at this time of year, so grab anything remotely suitable with both hands.

Alternatively, as a simple Google search shows, there are still quite a few tickets available online.  The catch?  They're locked up in expensive hospitality packages, many charging upwards of £200 for a ticket and single night's accommodation in Edinburgh.

The secondary market

FringeGuru does not recommend purchasing through the secondary market.  We provide this information so you know what you're getting into if you find these sites online.

One final, controversial option is the so-called "secondary market", run by websites like seatwave.com.  In theory, these sites provide a marketplace for genuine customers who've accidentally ended up with too many tickets - though the suspicion is, of course, that many of those selling online meant to do it all along.

Be aware that the prices are seriously inflated and, while it's perfectly legal to sell these tickets, selling above face value is against the Tattoo's sales conditions.  They're within their rights to cancel the tickets, and they have acted against online sales in the past.