Entries for the Buxton Festival Fringe have closed and no fewer than 170 acts have signed up for this year. The Fringe, which runs from July 3-21, is one of Britain’s biggest and holds a key position between the Brighton Fringe in May and the massive Edinburgh Fringe in August.

With its friendly reputation Buxton is an attractive destination for performers from near and far, and this year even more artists are appearing from far flung parts. In Laughrica, African comedian Daliso Chapondo claims that ‘Westerners are insane but to be perfectly honest Africans are even crazier’, Africa Entsha from Soweto bring inspirational harmonies and fabulous and dance in Golden Voices of the Township, and a there is a return of regular visitor, soprano Margaret Ferguson, Africa’s Lady of Song.

The Fringe welcomes two performers from Brazil; pianist Emma Souza Lima offers a rare opportunity to hear both traditional European classical composers and modern music from Brazil, while Palabras Latinas story-teller Anamaria Lines and Midlands/Mexican troubadour Mike Payton promise a mesmerising blend of story, music and dance in Souvenirs. Sparkling French company La Petite Famille explore love and friendship in the musical Tomorrow’s Dawn, and there is also a Touch of the Dutch - singer-songwriters Elrieke and Poldy come from Holland.

Buxton's first tram, 'Wonder of the Peak' is becoming a familiar, colourful sight around the town as it conducts its hourly guided tours from 10am each day.  Each tour commences from the gates of the Pavilion Gardens (next to the Opera House).  Tickets can be purchased from the driver and cost £5 per passenger.  The tour includes the following highlights:  Opera House (also for The Square, Pavilion Gardens and Old Hall Hotel), Turner Memorial (for the Crescent, St. Ann's Well, Pump Room and shopping at Cavendish Arcade and Spring Gardens), The Dome (for the university and Palace Hotel), Buxton Museum and Art Gallery (also for the Market Place), Scriveners bookshop (for Higher Buxton shops, the Green Man Gallery and St. Anne's Church) and Poole's Cavern (also for Grinlow Woods, Buxton Country Park and Go Ape). 

 www.discoverbuxton.co.uk

Netta Christie of Discover Buxton said, "The Wonder's wanderings have begun!  We're delighted to be able to take so many people, visitors and locals alike, and show them the delights of Buxton."  As well as the main tour the tram is also offering a Tasty Buxton Pudding Tour on Wednesdays at 2pm starting on 1st May.  This slightly shorter tour ends with a Buxton Pudding and tea or coffee at Hargreaves Tea Rooms and costs £10 per person.  For information about special well dressing tours please see our well dressing page. 

The programme for this year’s Buxton Festival has been announced, with a great line-up of opera, music, literature, family and free events as well as some unexpected surprises. The 17 day festival takes place from the 5^th to the 21^st July.

The Festival’s opera productions are a Double Bill of two sparkling French romances, Saint-Saens’ La Princesse Jaune and Gounod’s La Colombe and La finta giardiniera, the story of a couple reunited a year after apparent death, written by Mozart at the age of 17. There are also a number of visiting opera performances – the acclaimed Grange Park Opera with Fortunio, Music Theatre Wales with the UK premiere of Sciarrino’s modern classic The Killing Flower, and La Serenissima with Vivaldi’s Ottone in villa. There’s also a rare opportunity to experience all three of Benjamin Britten’s haunting Church Parables in the unique setting of St John’s Church and an Opera Gala concert starring celebrated singers Claire Rutter and Stephen Gadd.

In the Music series, there’s a packed programme of concerts by renowned ensembles and soloists including piano duo Worbey & Farrell, the Prince of Wales’ official harpist Claire Jones, singers James Gilchrist, Kate Ladner and Anne Sophie Duprels, pianists Pascal and Ami Rogé, and celebrated ensembles The Sacconi Quartet and The Fibonacci Sequence. There’s also a number of concerts featuring up-and-coming talent from the Festival’s Young Artists Programme, and late-night jazz from actor John Standing, The Alex Yellowlees Hot Club Jazz Quartet and Ronnie Scott’s house band The James Pearson Trio, featuring violinist and vocalist Lizzie Ball.

Buxton Food and Drink Festival will take place in Pavilion Gardens on Friday 12th July from 4pm until 11pm.  There will be over 25 stalls serving up delicious foods from around the world along with local beers and plenty of street entertainment.  Outdoor seating will be available.  The event is free to attend.

For more information please visit www.buxtonfooddrinkfestival.co.uk

Art workshops are now up and running at The Green Man Gallery in Buxton's High Street.  A variety of workshops are available to the public, catering for different ages and experiences and ranging from drawing to collage to printmaking.  The Green Man Gallery opened its doors in December 2012 and is open every day between 11.30am and 5.30pm.  The Gallery showcases and sells work by many local artists and craftsmen and the workshops are part of its aim to provide a creative hub in Buxton.  For more information about upcoming workshops please click here.

Real ale fans are raising a glass to a new project aimed at boosting Buxton’s town centre trade.  A map highlighting 17 pubs and bars serving up real ales and bottled beers from local brewers and further afield has been published by High Peak Borough Council.  Buxton Real Ale Trail was launched at the fourth Buxton Beer Festival, part of the Great Peak District Fair held in October 2012.

“We hope that, by launching our own Real Ale Trail in Buxton, we will raise the profile of our local producers and boost trade in our town centre all year round,” says Godfrey Claff, executive councillor for regeneration.  “All 17 pubs and bars along the trail have something different to offer and, while some are traditional pubs which are rich in heritage, others are modern, quirky establishments.  Many offer the opportunity to dine but, most importantly, they are all packed with character.”

All the venues on the trail are within walking distance of one another and take drinkers past some of Buxton’s finest historic buildings and architecture.  The leaflet also includes local shops selling bottled real ales.  To download the Real Ale Trail map please click here.

Article kindly contributed by Steve Caddy of Pure Buxton.

A commemorative framed photograph of Malcolm Fraser, whose plans for an opera festival played a major role in the regeneration of Buxton Opera House, has been unveiled at the theatre. In 1976, Malcolm, on a family outing to Buxton, spotted the run-down Opera House showing the film Jaws. Malcolm, a lecturer in opera at the Royal Northern College of Music, had a vision of this building as the home of an annual opera festival. With the help of a friend, Welsh National Opera conductor Anthony Hose, he set about putting his dream into action. Their plans added a dimension of national interest to the local project.  An appeal was launched in 1978 and attracted encouraging support.

 In 1979, the first Buxton Festival was staged with Malcolm as Artistic Director, a role that he held for ten successful years. The nationally renowned July event continues to go from strength to strength with a programme of opera, music and a growing literary series.

 Members of the Festival and Opera House Board and Festival Friends met on the Dress Circle landing on March 15^th 2013 to unveil the commemorative photograph.

On Friday 27th September 2013 Buxton will play host to The Chocolate Ball.  This indulgent experience will take place at The Devonshire Dome and will raise money for the Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Rutland Air Ambulance.  The Black Tie evening will include a drinks reception, the only official Cadbury Dairy Milk chocolate fountain in the UK, chocolate themed dinner, chocolate tasting and dancing (to help burn off all the calories!). For more information please click here.

Buxton Tourist Information Centre

is situated within The Pavilion Gift Boutique in The Pavilion Gardens, St. John's Road, Buxton SK17 6BE.

Telephone: +44 (0)1298 25106 Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

For further information about The Pavilion Gardens and The Pavilion Gift Boutique please click here.

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