The Buxton Festival's artistic director, Malcolm Fraser, expresses an interest in seeing a Fringe develop with a parallel programme to that of the main festival. This is to ensure that visitors have ample choice of entertainment at all times of the day and whatever the weather during the period of the Festival. After an informal meeting on April 15th 1980, a Fringe committee is formed to liaise with participating groups, but not to select or censor performances. Artist Alan Bailey is our first committee chairperson. The Fringe is to be run as a charity staffed by volunteers.
Local celebrity Tim Brooke-Taylor writes to the Fringe in support of the idea.
The first Fringe takes place in July with 28 music entries, 6 dance entries, 5 drama entries and 17 miscellaneous (everything from exhibitions to flower festivals and clay pigeon shooting at Harpur Hill).
The second Fringe includes a summer ball, Morris Dancing, Punch and Judy, wrestling in the Pavilion Gardens and a Georgian costumed street market.
The Gandey Bros Circus arrives in town for the Fringe plus Indian Classical Dance and a two-day folk festival.
The Fringe announces that it is double the size of the year before with some 250 performances put on by about sixty groups.
The Fringe programme has a dramatically different cover. Events include The Crescent -200 Years, a talk celebrating the building's history.
Johnny Dagger makes his first appearance on the Fringe with his slides and music in Kingsterndale. He will become a Fringe institution showing up every year except 2004, in which he has temporary venue problems.
Sketch group Edward the Deckchair arrive in Buxton. They become firm favourites coming back every year until 1990. Comedian Vladimir McTavish makes his debut on the Fringe. He is to reappear in a different guise as football manager Bob Doolally in 2001.
Another Fringe institution, Jennie Ainsworth, begins her Vera Brittain guided walks, still going strong today.
The Fringe amends its constitution.
The Fringe celebrates its 10th anniversary with an exciting programme of over 100 arts events including a Ritual Dance Weekend (an innovation that will carry on until 1997), Swamp Circus and cutting edge comedians Miles and Millner, Alan Parker and the notorious bad taste comedian Jerry Sadowitz (then Gerry Sadowitz), who plastered the town with pink posters warning of his arrival.
The Fringe Information Desk boasts a telephone for the first time.
The Big Fun Marquee Tour makes a splash with its circus skills workshop.
Fringe Sunday is introduced as a way to publicise Fringe events. Peter Low becomes chairperson of the Fringe Committee, taking over from Adrian Malbon.
The Fringe's fame spreads worldwide. Among the international attractions are the Soweto Paradise Artists from South Africa and Victor Sobchak's Russian Modern Theatre
The programme begins to use a map format. Fringe readings are introduced, read by committee members. They have kept going over the years. The international flavour continues with Grupo Los Angeles playing folk songs of the Andes. Fringe Awards for outstanding performers are introduced.
A Fringe Film Festival is introduced on the theme of 'growing up'. The concept of Fringe Beer, whereby a percentage of the proceeds on a pint go to the Fringe, goes down very well indeed!
The Fringe Programme enjoys another major redesign.
The REC Theatre arrives on the scene. They will become a firm fixture on the Fringe's drama scene. There is another Film Festival on the theme of Films and Phones.
A Film Festival takes the theme of Film and Poetry
The Bright Ideas children's art project is introduced. The Buxton Festival Fringe's Schools Art Project for the design of the Fringe programme involves seven schools in and around Buxton. Artist and Fringe member Caroline Chouler goes into the schools to help the children express their ideas artistically. Over 140 children take part and all the finished artwork is displayed in a Buxton Museum exhibition.
This year's Film Festival is on the theme of Alice in Wonderland.
An enticing programme includes Poole's Cavern candlelit tours and a night of stand-up comedy entitled Best of the Buzz. The Fringe programme suggests that this might be the start of a new comedy club in Buxton - it is!
The Fringe comes of age with a packed 21st birthday programme featuring now established comic Ross Noble as part of a comedy festival; Derby Magic Circle offering incredible close-up magic and a remarkable light installation on the Crescent from artist Andrew Robinson. The colourful Millennium project Massive Elephant by Funny Wonders (a huge elephant decorated with Millennium 'wish' ribbons) takes to the streets as part of the Fringe.
An exciting programme features a Jazz Festival parade and a spoof exhibition from one Johan Foops-Grotlier.
OB Design comes up with a bright orange, new-look programme. We are able to afford this thanks to generous sponsorship from the Old Hall Hotel in Buxton.
Nick Butterley becomes the Fringe's first paid employee as full-time Information Desk Manager during the two weeks of the Fringe.
For the first time we publicise our new website, www.buxtonfringe.com, which will become a major marketing tool.The Fringe celebrates a valuable new connection with the University of Derby College, Buxton, who become one of our major sponsors.
The Fringe celebrates its 25th anniversary with Fringe Saturday, a float at the Carnival, a new Friends scheme, a Fringe club at Project X and a special exhibition in Buxton's Old Clubhouse on the history of the Fringe
At November's AGM, Peter Low retires as chair after 15 years of diligent service. John Wilson, vice chair for many years, takes over.
The website receives a facelift offering photographs, a new discussion board and more comprehensive reviews. It is renamed www.buxtonfringe.org.uk to reflect the Fringe's charitable status. Fringe Saturday becomes Fringe Sunday and the Carnival goes eco-friendly with a Shetland pony instead of a float!
A new managed venue, Underground Venues at the Old Hall Hotel is launched. Fringe Sunday continues to grow with 8 performances this year. The Fringe has a new Carnival float, courtesy of Lomas Distribution. High Peak Borough Council withdraws funding after 20 years but Derbyshire County Council come to the rescue with a one-off grant of £1000, Trevor Osborne of the Crescent Spa Hotel project gives us £2000 and Friends come flocking with 79 Friends having signed up by June.
New to the Fringe committee, French designer Armelle Perrin comes up with a brand new programme design hailed as clearer and more colourful than ever. Carnival float, courtesy of Lomas, continues and Fringe Sunday is best yet with lively acts including the crowd-pulling Belly Dance Flames. High Peak Borough Council returns as a sponsor with a reduced but very welcome three-year package. More than 100 Friends help contribute to Fringe funds. Website increases in importance with new discussion board and Fringe entrants entering online for the first time. The Fringe becomes a member of the British Arts Festivals Association and co-hosts BAFA's annual October conference this year held in Buxton.