It's Carnival Time!

Saturday the 12th of July is the day that Buxton takes to the streets – it’s Carnival time! The Fringe Festival will have its, now traditional, orange bed-decked float (courtesy of Lomas Distribution). The only thing more orange will be the Billerettes – so you can’t miss the Fringe or Bill and his gang. [At this point some Irish friends usually caution us to make it clear that Fringe orange has nothing to do with certain other Oranges].

Away from the hurly burly of the fair in the Market Place and the swelter of the streets there is much else going on as the Fringe picks up pace.

One of the quiet triumphs of last year was a week-long music festival (within a festival) at St Peter’s Church Fairfield. Much of the Festival Fringe is around the Crescent and the town centre and so it is especially important to have performances elsewhere. As Fairfield residents are keen to remind us theirs is the oldest settlement. The St Peter’s music festival really does have something for everyone – it is free to children. They kick-off at 7pm tonight with a Chamber Choir with jazz, folk and classical guitar to come.

The Buxton Festival Fringe has always included events beyond the town boundaries and this year there are some shows at the beautiful Spring Bank Arts Centre, New Mills. At 7.30 tonight Trace Taylor and her band are performing. Trace has promised to join the Carnival procession before heading off to New Mills.

If the Carnival atmosphere and the sunshine get to be all too much for you then retire to St Mary’s Church at 3pm. The Ordsall Acapella Singers have become firmly established in the Fringe programme but they are here just for one day. Enjoy an hour of their singing and a slice of cake! Alternatively hear the Sideways Band. They are popping-up all over the Fringe this year (see below for more) but debut in The Barrel Room at the Old Hall starting at 2pm.

If you are staying in town for the evening you’ll be spoiled for choice: you can relish the High Peak Orchestra tackling Mahler’s 4^th and Schumann’s Cello Concerto featuring local soloist Miriam Brown; Morgan & West return with their mixture of comedy and magic laced with Holmes & Watson; for late night comedy Ruth E Cockburn is on at 10pm at Underground Venues – she reassures us “We are all in control of our own happiness. As long as we are near a toaster”; or you could catch the first of two performances of a theatrical adaptation of ‘The Elephant Man’.

Will there be time for a glass of Buxton Brewery’s specially brewed Fringe Beer at the Tap House? Let’s hope so.

Back to Buxton after 40 years

Guitarist and song writer Peter Buxton of Sideways Band, has moved back to Buxton after 40 years away.

Sideways, a duo who have achieved a following on the South Coast in Sussex for many years, will be playing live in venues all over the area. 

Peter's great Grandad sold clothes pegs on Buxton market and the wheel has turned full circle in being back to contribute to the buzzing bohemia that is Buxton.

A new song will be performed specially for the Fringe festival about coming back to the places you belong.

The Sideways repertoire from Bob and Peter is a personalised journey through blues folk and rock over the years, and has some laid back acoustic music for everyone.

Buxton Fringe

Website: www.buxtonfringe.org.uk
Facebook: buxtonfringe
Twitter: @buxtonfringe