Watch out for a little baby balloon during the Fringe - Karen Koren

The Edinburgh Festival Fringe is fast approaching and we at Gilded Balloon are in full swing preparing for a successful August.

Katy Koren and Karen Koren run the Fringe venue Gilded Balloon

The last few years have been particularly hard what with the pandemic and so many of us struggling to keep our businesses alive. We realise that so much has changed particularly when it comes to staff.

Many have been forced to take different career paths, however, I’m glad to say that there are still new enthusiastic people out there who want to work in the live arts. We are getting close to being fully staffed.

We have gathered a strong and happy management team and we are all working hard to have the best festival yet.

My only concern is my wonderful daughter Katy, who is my fellow director – we run the business together.

Katy is working hard to motivate the team and keep them in a positive frame of mind while she should in theory be home resting and on maternity leave. Her baby is due on July 10 which is next Monday – talk about timing!

Obviously, it’s exciting that Katy and her husband Fredrik are going to have a baby – but it appears their planning went out the window, wanting to have a family sooner rather than later.

Katy and Fredrik got married at the end of September last year and it was around six weeks after the wedding that the pregnancy was confirmed. Katy has had a healthy pregnancy and I know that she is very ready to give birth.

Katy asked me if I would be her Doula, which I am very honoured to be. I am nervous as I may have had a couple of kids and know how it was for me, but it’s different when you are watching your daughter in pain. It will be Fredrik on the left and me on the right during labour.

The staff and our family are all behind us and they are organising a sweepstake as to when the baby will be born.

Katy and Fredrik do not know the sex of the baby yet which is the best way, in my opinion. I would like Katy to have a little girl – but she thinks it’s a boy. Whatever sex the baby is – I know that they will be so loved. Watch out for a little baby balloon during the Fringe – Katy will be around with her wee papoose close to her chest!