While fascinated tourists elbow each other aside for a better look at the Capital's historic heart, locals are more likely to rush past, on their way somewhere supposedly far more important or interesting.

But for the next two weeks we're all being encouraged to spend more time getting to know one of the city's – if not the entire country's – most fascinating, diverse and unique areas.

The Old Town Festival kicks off on Monday, heralding a fortnight of events, performances and family entertainment aimed at delving deep into the area's past, revelling in its present and looking at what will shape its future.

Themed around the Old Town's houses, the focus for this year's festival is on the diverse and curious range of personalities who made the area their home and on the places where they lived.

It will come together through a fortnight of storytelling, music and song, talks, walks and family events, some combining a smattering of history with loads of fun, others with a more serious edge.

"The main thing is that the festival opens up the Old Town to everyone and shows what a fantastic, interesting and exciting place it is," says Donald Smith, director of the Scottish Storytelling Centre which is the driving force behind the event.

"It's more than the Royal Mile, it's the Royal Mile and all the closes and wee streets and courtyards and wynds that lead off it.

"And with the theme of houses and homes, it's about going behind all these different places and seeing what their individual stories are.

"I think this year's festival will open doors to the Old Town for everyone."

Certainly there is a diverse range of events to dip into – from a family fun weekend at the Palace of Holyroodhouse next weekend, to a soothing lunchtime organ recital at St Giles' Cathedral.

For those fascinated by architecture, the Central Library will be the venue for a series of tours which will uncover the story behind the French Rennaissance-style building.

The National Gallery of Scotland will present a series of events in its Print Room, where rarely seen panoramas of the Old Town will be on view.

Anyone who has ever strolled through the area and wondered what lies behind its buildings' formidable facades can now find out – Edinburgh World Heritage has compiled a House Histories Trail, supported by "living history " events at the Museum of Edinburgh.

Pop in next Thursday, Saturday or on Tuesday, 23 June, to meet Mrs Doig, an 18th century upwardly mobile merchant's wife who dreams of a home in the New Town and is a wealth of gossip about the seedy goings-on in the closes and wynds.

Or head there from next Thursday to Saturday, when Donald Black, purveyor of the city's most comfortable sedan chair, trades tales and gossip about the people of Georgian Edinburgh.

For those who love a good tale, the Scottish Storytelling Centre has a range of story events throughout the fortnight, climaxing with the Old Town Storyfair, which will combine entertaining tales of the area with family fun events.

Even the Royal Mile Primary School will be involved – their summer school fayre on Saturday, 27 June is a chance to support the next generation of Old Town residents.

It all adds up, says Mr Smith – who launched the festival in the 1980s – to a rich festival programme that spans ages and interests.

"Back at the start, the Old Town was a pretty run-down place and there was a huge effort to revive the area not just as a historic place for tourists, but as a place for local people to live and work," he recalls.

"The festival is celebrating community spirit, how it's evolved and changed over the years.

"There's a lot of things going on here all year around, hopefully the festival can draw people here so they can find out what this incredible place has to offer."

The Old Town Festival is co-ordinated by the Scottish Storytelling Centre, supported by Edinburgh World Heritage (www.ewht.org.uk). For further information and to download a programme, go to www.scottishstorytellingcentre.co.uk


SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE

Stories, music or history, there's something for all tastes and interests at the Old Town Festival.

• Sights and Smells of Old Edinburgh is a comic theatrical trip through the streets of 18th century Auld Reekie, various times on Saturday, 27 June at the Scottish Storytelling Centre.

• If Only We Had The Room, on Monday, 15 June at the Scottish Storytelling Centre, features a series of films from the Scottish Screen archive, a snapshot of the lives of people in Edinburgh in the 1950s and a look at the modernisation of tenement homes. Or head to the National Library of Scotland on Tuesday for an evening of Old Town films.

• Writing About St Giles' on Tuesday, 16 June at St Giles' Cathedral is a chance to hear writer Rosalind K Marshall discuss her new book about St Giles', which promises to uncover dramatic and fascinating facts surrounding it.

• Various Tours of the area have been organised, including free guided walks through the Old Town each Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday of the Festival, leaving from the Scottish Storytelling Centre. If you prefer wheels, head to the venue on Sunday, 21 June, for Cycle Stories, a ride around the area featuring historic tales.

• Sights and Smells at the National Museum of Scotland is a sensual journey through Auld Reekie, on Sunday, 28 June.