The beautiful Peak District town of Buxton has to be one of the most culturally exciting places to stay during the month of July.
Buxton Festival Fringe (July 6-22) runs concurrently with the opera and literature-based Buxton Festival and is one of the largest Fringes in England offering over 500 events in a variety of venues around the town and beyond. The Fringe is open to all with no selection or censorship of artists, so there is a huge variety of arts on offer from drama to music (our two biggest sections) but also including visual arts, dance, family events, street theatre, poetry, guided walks and more as well as free Fringe Readings and the chance to hobnob with the performers in the Fringe Club underneath the Old Hall Hotel.
Details of events will be published in early June in the widely distributed free Fringe programme but you can see how it is shaping up before then by checking out the Fringe's expanded website http://www.buxtonfringe.org.uk where listings are updated as soon as entries come in. You can also find information on the website as to how to become a performer yourself.
Alternatively, you may like to become a Friend of the Fringe receiving ticket discounts and invitations to social events. The Fringe is a charity run by volunteers and is always grateful for help. Perhaps you would like to become a volunteer, helping to distribute programmes or reviewing a show in return for a free ticket? See the website for details of the many ways in which you can help the Fringe.
Meanwhile, if you are pining for the Fringe, don't forget the Buxton Opera House's Fringe Season running between January and June. This is your chance to catch up on some of the Fringe shows you might have missed last year, from Tongue in Cheek's What the Dickens! (April 26-28) to Random Productions' A Story for When We're Grandads (May 24-26). The season also includes a series of current film releases. See the Opera House programme for details.
If you have any queries about the Fringe please Send message to Info or telephone 01298 79351. During the Fringe itself, the Fringe Desk, next to the Opera House, is open for enquiries on 01298 214184. See you there!