Buxton Festival Fringe
Buxton Festival Fringe is one of the biggest UK Fringes between Edinburgh and Brighton regularly attracting nearly 200 diverse events adding up to some 500 individual performances.
It features an exciting programme of theatre, comedy, music, dance, film, spoken word, street theatre, visual arts and fun for all the family.
It celebrated its fortieth year in 2019 with a bumper festival.
Fringe 2026
The festival in 2026 takes place between Wednesday 8 and Sunday 26 July.
It opened for entries on 1 Dec 2025. The entry deadline to be listed in the printed programme is 19 April 2026 – sign-up on the Fringe website here.
Last updated 08.04.2026
More about the Fringe…
The Fringe’s longevity is the envy of many and it owes that in part to the support and sponsorship of local organisations. Its supporters in recent years have included the University of Derby, High Peak Borough Council, the Pavilion Gardens, the Trevor Osborne Charitable Trust and our growing band of Fringe Friends.
Buxton Festival Fringe was started in 1980 to run concurrently with the Buxton Festival. It began with 28 music entries, 6 dance entries, 5 drama entries and 17 “miscellaneous”. It has mushroomed ever since with 2019’s Fringe40 featuring nearly 220 entrants and 2020’s extraordinary year attracting over 100 mainly online events. This open access arts event, one of the largest Fringe festivals in England, provides a showcase for performers of all kinds in a variety of venues with many using it as a springboard for the Edinburgh Fringe. Dance, drama, music, poetry, comedy, film, exhibitions and children’s shows are just some of the forms that have appeared. The Fringe has a respected and professional image with full colour printed programme, reviews, awards, free Fringe App and dynamic website. See the Fringe website for their Community Links scheme and Ethical and Environmental Aims.
For further information:
Telephone: 01298 79351 / 07793 886943
Email: info@buxtonfringe.org.uk
Website: www.buxtonfringe.org.uk
You can register your interest in the Fringe via its website free of charge and will then be kept up to date with emails or download the free Fringe App to see the programme build up through the year.
From November 2025, this website is owned and managed by Buxton Civic Association Ltd - Charity No. 258163.
Buxton Civic Association celebrates the natural and human heritage of Buxton including its outstanding buildings and wildlife. We conserve and enhance this heritage and advocate its importance in making Buxton a special place to live or to visit.
