PRESS RELEASE for immediate release February 1st 2024
Buxton Fringe is looking forward to a summer of fun with entries already rolling in for the popular, open-access festival which has a reputation for friendliness and runs from July 3-21.
One of the biggest UK Fringes between Edinburgh and Brighton, the Fringe runs in parallel with the prestigious Buxton International Festival and last year celebrated 192 events and ticket sales up by 31% on the year before indicating a return to form after the trials of COVID. The Fringe is renowned for its eclectic programme and lively atmosphere, last year being described as “BIF’s cheeky and more raucous twin - Falstaff to BIF’s Prince Hal”, by Midlands website centralbylines.co.uk. It was established just one year after the Festival back in 1980 and 2024 marks its 45th event.
The UK’s highest spa town, Buxton has been described by Countryside guide website Muddy Stilettos as “the Bath of the north”. It is surrounded by the hills of the Peak District in the heart of England and is in easy reach of Manchester, Stoke-on-Trent and Sheffield. Riding high following the redevelopment of the Grade 1 listed Crescent as the 5-star Ensana Buxton Crescent Hotel, Buxton has a thriving artistic community and also hosts the 30th International Gilbert & Sullivan Festival taking place between July 27 and August 11, making it a truly festival town.
July’s Buxton Fringe takes place in venues all over the town including at managed venues such as The Green Man Gallery which has already announced that it is fully booked for 2024. Other venues include the United Reformed Church, Buxton’s magnificent Crescent and unusual locations such as the Serpentine Community Garden, the historic Pump Room, Poole’s Cavern and, out of town, former church Spring Bank Arts Centre in New Mills. New Fringe venues are being established all the time with Harpur Hill Village Hall coming onto the Fringe website’s venue list for 2024, reflecting the recent regeneration of this area of town.
Comedy, Music and Theatre are generally the biggest categories. Highlights so far include award-winning comedian Richard Pulsford with his alternative history show, It Just So Happened and Australian company, Nuworks with their epic theatre work, The Shoemaker of Havana, as well as an ambitious musical, Treasure Island. There is also original music from singer-songwriters Hannah Brine, Chris Milner and Joe Bayliss, and large-scale musical entertainment from High Peak Big Band and High Peak Orchestra. In other categories, Strajanka Productions presents The Monologue Project, a video podcast asking audiences to vote for the best monologue, the popular Pride Picnic takes place in the Pavilion Gardens and Peak District Artisans exhibits in the beautiful Assembly Rooms at The Crescent. Youngsters will meanwhile appreciate Stone and Water’s TINY! Workshop in the park.
The closing date for entries to the printed programme is April 14. In the meantime listings can be seen as they come in on https://buxtonfringe.org.uk/descriptions2024.html and on the free to download Buxton Fringe App. During the Fringe, the Fringe Information Desk in the Pavilion Gardens Conservatory will be open every day.
The Fringe will also offer its traditional free showcase of events, Fringe Sunday, at the Pavilion Gardens on July 7 as well as busking outside the Fringe Desk, Fringe on Friday at the Bandstand on July 5 and 12 and its ever-popular Fringe float as part of the town’s carnival on July 13.
Fringe chair Stephen Walker says: “Buxton Fringe is ready to roll out its traditional warm welcome to an array of exciting performers bringing everything from the classic to the weirdly offbeat and all points in between.”
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