Edinburgh's International Festival has sold more than £4m in ticket sales for the first time.

Audiences to the festival (EIF), which closes with its annual fireworks concert, are estimated to be more than 440,000.

Overall audiences are 12% up on last year.

More than 2,400 world-class artists from 36 nations  came together in a Festival which has registered a "record year" for classical music ticket sales, with the Queen's Hall series in particular marking a high point in ticket sales.

Ticket sales income reached £4.2m, the festival says.

Around 27,000 people also attended the Standard Life Opening Event: Deep Time, which saw Edinburgh Castle transformed by digitally animated projections inspired by the city’s past, created by 59 Productions. 

Tonight an estimated audience of 250,000 is expected to enjoy the Virgin Money Fireworks Concert performed live by the Scottish Chamber Orchestra in Princes St Gardens.

Fergus Linehan, director of the EIF, said: "At the end of three incredible weeks, all that remains is for us to thank the hundreds of artists and hundreds of thousands of audience members who continue to make the Edinburgh International Festival one of the wonders of the arts world.

"The International Festival has always been a place for people of all nationalities to meet and exchange ideas and we’ve seen that everywhere across the city these past three weeks.

"In uncertain times, events like this feel ever more important, and we at the International Festival are honoured to have been able to host, inspire, entertain and moreover welcome so many artists and visitors from all over the world to our city".

Councillor Richard Lewis, Edinburgh’s Festivals Champion, said:"‘It has been another fantastic summer in Edinburgh and the International Festival’s figures speak for themselves.

"A staggering number of artists and Festival workers have created what can only be described as one of the most vibrant, inclusive programmes in the event’s 69-year old history.

"Thanks must go to everyone who made this year’s International Festival such a great success, the many people working hard behind the scenes to keep the city moving and the tens of thousands of visitors to Edinburgh."The Herald: Deep Time