Fringe Events co-ordinator Rob Harrison looks ahead to an extraordinarily busy day at the Fringe!
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| Kate Butch meets the Day of Dance (credit: Rob Harrison) |
Our 47th Buxton Festival Fringe is now underway with every day boasting a wealth of fun shows and events.
However if you were thinking of coming to the Buxton Fringe but not sure when, may I suggest that you consider Saturday 18th July? By then Wimbledon will be a memory of great tennis from the week before and the only World Cup game to worry about will be the very meaningless 3rd/4th play off.
We have over 54 shows and events that day including a great day of free entertainment in Pavilion Gardens.
If you got to Buxton in the morning you could start your day at the Lee Wood Hotel where the Den of Laughs will be starting its second weekend of shows there across two venues
The first show that day is the ever popular A Political Brunch where a group of comedians and the audience discuss what's in the news, not dissimilar to The News Quiz or Have I Got News For You.
You could stay there for Acomedytapas, a mixed bill show straight after, followed by shows all day till late with two rooms showcasing some of the best comedians on the circuit.
Or you could head into town where you may be greeted by Morris dancers as Chapel Morris hosts its annual Day of Dance, where about 10 sides come together and dance on the street all around Buxton including outside the Buxton Opera House and on Spring Gardens.
This all left comedian Hayley Ellis feeling somewhat shocked when performing her show at Underground at the Clubhouse a few years back. When she asked what the noise was, the audience shouted back Morris dancers! She was used to being heckled by drunks or rock bands but Buxton Fringe is always a bit different from other events…
If you head in to Pavilion Gardens we have a fest of fun and frolics for you including at 1pm a performance by Two Left Hands of Guardians of the Wye, a story told through giant puppets. This is taking place near the playground.
After that if you can keep up with the pace, High Peak Pride is back with the wonderful Pride Picnic opened by Buxton’s own drag superstar Kate Butch. It will be a great way to enjoy the afternoon; I think the great big Gay Bake Off will be back so you might even get a slice of cake!
At 2 o’ clock the event that normally takes place on the first Sunday is back a week later rebranded for 2026 as Fringe Saturday. We are on the Don Redfern Memorial Bandstand till 4.30pm where amongst others, Darren and Trish, Edy Hurst, a fan dancer and belly dancers will be making up the varied line up to entertain you all. At 5.30pm at Underground at Spring Gardens, Edy Hurst is doing his show Pick Up Thy Bow and Swim! Oh Mighty King of Ithaca.
After Pride and Fringe Saturday are long gone, if you are still near Pavilion Gardens at 6.15pm then the Shakespeare Jukebox players from Buxton Drama League will entertain with a hand-picked selection of Shakespeare's work performed at your request.
If you have any energy left, we have a host of great shows in the evening including more comedy at the Lee Wood. There will be a Pride Picnic after party at Onnen from 6.30pm while Kate Butch is performing her new show at Underground at the Working Men’s Club at 8.30pm.
As mentioned, there are 54 shows that day so please check our listings. As with all our events you may have to book in advance to avoid any disappointment but there is always another show to see with so much happening that day and throughout the Fringe.
There is lots of talk of Buxton becoming the Town of Culture. What better day demonstrates this than Saturday 18th July? If your reading this Phil Redmond or culture secretary Lisa Nandy, you could do worse than come to Buxton on that day to see all we have to offer!
Check buxtonfringe.org.uk for all the news and full What's On listings including the Diary where you can select events by day and/or venue.
Buxton Fringe
Website: www.buxtonfringe.org.uk
Facebook: @buxtonfestivalfringe
Bluesky: @buxtonfringe
Instagram: @buxtonfringe
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