The establishment of The Edinburgh International Festival in 1947 paved the way. What began as a marriage between fortuitousness and inspiration has blossomed into one of the world's premier arts festivals attracting, annually, over 112 performing companies from as far afield as Canada and Singapore and an audience of over 400,000 from the four corners of the earth. A festival of this magnitude, of course, has a major impact on the economy and, on average, £2.35 million in revenue is generated every year. It's said of the Festival that "it works brilliantly, because it offers a unique, high quality product at an affordable price in a spectacular setting."

The International Festival, in time, spawned The Fringe Festival, which these days has a programme that extends to over 900 shows that encompass experimental drama, new comedy, puppetry, music theatre and events so original that, as yet, they have no name! Again, performers are drawn to Edinburgh from all over the world and many a now famous name – from Tom Stoppard to Steve Coogan to The League of Gentlemen – first hit the boards in some outlying church hall or windy vennel. There's nothing quite like the Edinburgh Fringe and every year those possessed with extraordinary stamina go for the marathon 'show till you blow'.

Such is the creative spirit of Edinburgh, that the Fringe is only the first of many offspring. The Edinburgh International Book Festival, which decamps in an array of marquees and pagodas in the heart of the elegant New Town, is the largest book come literary festival in the world celebrating both home grown and international talent. Pulitzer Prize winners rub shoulders with new voices still crackling with raw energy and after three weeks of readings and discussion in the most congenial surroundings even the hungriest bookworm goes away sated.

Add to this The Science Festival, The Film and Television Festival, The Jazz and Blues Festival, the multicultural Edinburgh Mela and, of course, the spectacular and ever popular Military Tattoo and you can see why Edinburgh has become known as The Festival City. And, although most of the festivals have events for children, Edinburgh even has its own special Children's Festival.

This wonderful upsurge of energy, celebrating creativity in all its guises, has gradually, over the last 50 years, become blessed with an undeniably infectious quality. Glasgow, which in its own right is a major international centre for the arts championing innovation in architecture, theatre and the visual arts, now boasts its own early summer cultural bash – Mayfest – and two superb music festivals, one in summer and one in winter: The Glasgow International Jazz Festival and Celtic Connections. Some of the names of the bands appearing at the latter demonstrate that not only is traditional Celtic music alive and being given a new twist, so is the wit: as Croft No 5, Tartan Amoebas, Fire in the Bog and Mull Historical Society go to show.

And these days, the party doesn't end at the cities' boundaries. From whisky festivals on Speyside and Islay to outstanding arts festivals like The St Magnus Festival in Orkney the spirit of celebration is truly alive and very well in Scotland. And that's not even to mention the many Garden Festivals and Highland Shows, the famous Royal Highland Show at Ingliston or the unique Borders Common Ridings. Partying has being going on in Scotland since way before 1947.

All that's left to be said is "Come and join in". Whether you're bringing a new Opera or just yourself make sure to bring your glad rags and your dancing shoes. There's now even a festival to celebrate the anniversary that only the Scots know how to really celebrate – Hogmanay. But whether you come to Edinburgh's Hogmanay Festival, the new west coast shindig in Glasgow or the ceilidh in any village hall up and down the land you'll find you're welcomed with open arms – to join in that Eightsome Reel.