Preview: Durham Fringe Festival

Durham Fringe Festival returns for its sixth year from 29th July–2nd August, transforming eleven city‑centre venues into a vibrant hub of performance. With 130+ shows and nearly 300 performances across five days, the programme spans theatre, music, stand‑up, cabaret, dance, physical theatre, circus, spoken word, magic and family work, all within a short walk of each other.

This year’s programme includes free family showcases like Durham Fringe Family Showcase, bilingual music from Florence Andrea, dance and circus via Dance City Presents, sci‑fi comedy in Jeddy Bear & Gary’s Pie Wars, spoken word from BBC Upload Takeover, mythic solo theatre in ALL HAIL THE GREAT COSMIC MOTHER!, local folk from Inglenook, returning magic favourite Brooklyn’s Magic Hour, feminist comedy in Ask A Stripper, tributes such as A Tapestry of Life, new folk storytelling in A Pilgrim’s Song, stand‑up from Richard Pulsford, Rachel Creeger and Percy Savage, physical theatre like Walking with the Wind, surreal comedy in Deluge, WWI horror in INFESTATION, Shakespeare reimagined in The Merry Wives of Windsor, dark coastal drama in The Last Catch, student sketch comedy from The Durham Revue, international music via LLIVELY Music Presents, Faroese folklore in Kópakonan, outdoor aerial performance in Sea Shanties, and dozens more across theatre, comedy, magic, workshops and music

A major highlight sees the Fringe partner with Gala Theatre Durham to present Harriet Kemsley as a Saturday‑night headliner, trying out new material following her appearance on Last One Laughing UK.

Accessibility remains central to the festival’s ethos: tickets are capped at £15, concessions are widely available, and the Discover offer gives audiences 10% off when booking three different shows. With venues clustered within a 15‑minute walk, it’s easy to build your own Fringe journey, from world premieres and works‑in‑progress to award‑winning touring productions.

Durham Fringe CIC continues to champion new voices while supporting performers directly — 70% of ticket sales go straight to artists, with the organisation absorbing overheads to keep costs low. This year also marks the debut of The Academy, a new long‑term black‑box venue in Prince Bishops, opening its doors for the first time during the festival.

Maria Baranowska, Durham Fringe CIC Festival Manager adds, “We are so excited to be returning with our 6th and most ambitious Fringe Festival to date. We’re showcasing artists from Durham and the wider North East region, but you’ll also get to see shows coming from across the world –  Taiwanese physical theatre and Spanish folk music programmed against homegrown talent!” 

Full listings, dates and tickets are available at durhamfringe.co.uk/events.