Take Part - Information for Entrants
December 1 2026 is the date we will open for entries. Note, these pages will be updated by then but may be used to give you a flavour of what's involved. Dates currently refer to 2026.
Check out our It's a Fringe! video with useful entry tips!
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In a Nutshell
- Buxton Fringe does not book or select entrants.
- Anyone can enter the Fringe but it is up to you to find and book your venue. The Fringe also accepts purely online events as well as hybrid events that have a physical and online element.
- The final deadline for the Fringe printed programme is Sunday April 19 2026. Performers seeking to withdraw from the Fringe can do so at any time up to this point and will be eligible for a full refund. April 19 is also the deadline for anyone wanting to use the Opera House ticketing facility.
- Fringe 2026 runs from 8-26 July.
- Managed venues: Underground is pleased to be back running venues again for 2026. Last year they managed two spaces - on Spring Gardens and at the Working Men's Club. The Green Man Gallery closed at the end of 2024. See our venues pages for updates on Underground's entry deadlines which may be earlier than the Fringe's, and for information about other venues, managed or otherwise.
- Once you are sure of your venue, dates, event description, times and prices then you are ready to enter the Fringe using our online process. Once you have paid, you can add a picture. Be sure not to infringe anyone's copyright - this is your responsibility!
- When you enter you pay an entry fee to the Fringe. There is a tiered entry fee system according to how soon you enter. For the FOURTH! year running we are pleased to confirm that the entry fee is £55 until the end of February. Thereafter it is £77 until the end of March and £88 after that. Early entries help the Fringe and mean performers maximise their publicity.
- It is up to you to arrange your publicity materials, public liability insurance, ticketing and front of house staff as well as getting copyright clearances. If you are unsure please see further information here.
- You get to keep your ticket money (special arrangements will apply at managed venues).
- The Fringe does not have a centralised ticketing system. Managed venues have their own box offices. Currently the Fringe has one managed venue, Underground. Otherwise you may sell your own tickets, use an online ticketing system or take advantage of our partnership with The Opera House whose box office can sell tickets on your behalf for a £10 set up fee per entry. The Opera House also charges you 7.5% of the face value of each ticket sold. If your event is free to the public then you will be offered the chance during the Fringe entry process to add a Donations link should you want to.
Why enter the Fringe?
- The Buxton Festival Fringe is one of the largest in England yet remains on a human scale. Overwhelmingly positive performer feedback in 2025 included: “I’ve felt supported at all points - thanks to all” with one saying “It was the easiest festival process that we do”.
- Buxton Fringe is a charity run by a committee of highly experienced volunteers who are ready to offer personal advice and provide marketing back up. See How to grow your audience. "Every volunteer is amazing - they work really hard at promoting events", said one entrant in 2025.
- Thanks to the Fringe's Friends and financial supporters, entry fees are attractively low.
- Many of our entrants use it as a stepping stone to the Edinburgh Fringe thanks to its handy timing in July. The nearby Greater Manchester Fringe is also in July.
- The Fringe is open to all. Amateurs and professionals of all ages are more than welcome.
- Gain valuable publicity through our Reviews and Awards.
- Our Community Groups Link scheme helps you work with local community groups and schools should you wish.
- Entering the Fringe is simple and fun. Performer feedback includes Polis Loizou from The Off-Off-Off Broadway Company: "Buxton is by far the most organised and pleasant fringe experience we've encountered so far!" and comedian Nathan Cassidy: "This Fringe is full of creative, supportive and kind people. I absolutely cherish it". And from a performer comparing us to other festivals: "The Buxton experience was genuinely the most enjoyable one. It felt supportive and in the spirit of community-building and artistically sustainable events that a fringe platform should offer".
- Your show could make a difference. "39 years ago I saw a poet called Kevin Fegan. That Fringe show changed my life." Musician Darren Poyzer speaking at the 2025 Buxton Fringe Launch Party.
- Buxton Fringe is on the up. "Underground has its biggest programme since before the pandemic. Tom Crawshaw of Underground talking at the 2025 Buxton Fringe Launch Party.
What we do
- We run this website. See What's On for all the informative ways in which we display your listings according to category, date and other filters valued by our audiences. We also have a comprehensive Buxton Fringe App, great for when you are on the move.
- We publish thousands of printed, full-colour Fringe Programmes and distribute them across the county and beyond including to national media. We also print flyers and posters advertising the Fringe as a destination.
- We provide information and advice on venues, programming, publicity and more.
- We have a Press team with nationwide contacts and are part of the British Arts Festivals Association (BAFA). We also market the Fringe and your shows via social media, a blog and other promotional opportunities.
- We supply entrants with media contacts' lists.
- We supply entrants with an accommodation list.
- We promote the Fringe throughout the year. We also hold promotional events such as Springboard (a party and showcase in the spring), the Programme Party, the Launch Party, Fringe Sunday and other outdoor performance opportunities during the Fringe.
- We run a Community Links scheme designed to bring the Fringe to a wider audience including schools, care homes and other community organisations.
- We run the Fringe Information Desk which handles information and publicity for artists and audiences during the Fringe.
- We offer a ticketing facility through the Opera House - this costs an extra £10 on your entry fee. We are also happy to help you decide on alternative ticket arrangements.
- We strive to recognise excellence through Awards and plan to have an Awards ceremony on the final Sunday of the Fringe. Unfortunately events that only take place on this final Sunday cannot be considered for awards.
- We organise a Fringe review for each entry, usually after the first performance, and publish the reviews the next morning on the website, app and at the Information Desk.
