Archive: This article records 12 selections from the 2026 Buxton Festival Fringe, which ran from 8 to 26 July. Dates and times below are from the organiser’s archived programme; they describe the advertised listings.

Buxton Festival Fringe 2026: 12 programme picks

1. Buxton Day of Dance

Traditional dance around the town.

2026 listing: 18 July, 10.30am–4.30pm; around Buxton.

2. High Peak Pride Picnic

A picnic with games and Buxton’s Big Gay Bake Off.

2026 listing: 18 July, 1pm–4pm; Pavilion Gardens, Swimming Pool Lawns.

3. Absolutely! One-Liner Jokes

Kevin O’Brien’s solo comedy show.

2026 listing: 18 July, 6pm–7pm; Lee Wood Hotel, Pendennis 2.

4. Hubert’s Buxton Ghost Walk

A guided walk with ghostly stories from Hubert Hobux Haunted Hevents.

2026 listing: 19 and 25 July, 4pm–6pm; 20 and 24 July, 7pm–9pm. Meet at Buxton Opera House forecourt.

5. A Political Brunch

Chris O’Neill and Harun Musho’d’s political comedy panel show.

2026 listing: 18 and 19 July, noon–1pm; Lee Wood Hotel, Pendennis 2.

6. Her Raving Mind

A tragicomedy from Sweet Productions and tríada theatre.

2026 listing: 20 July, 7pm–8pm; 21 July, 5.30pm–6.30pm; 22 July, 4pm–5pm. Underground at Spring Gardens.

7. Can’t Get Out of This Mood

Jazz and blues from Basin Street.

2026 listing: 21 July, 7.30pm–9.30pm; Buxton Working Men’s Club, upstairs.

8. Closure Cabaret

Maria Ansdell’s solo clown show.

2026 listing: 20 July, 7pm–8pm; 21 July, 8.30pm–9.30pm; 22 July, 9.45pm–10.45pm. Underground at the Working Men’s Club.

9. Online Presence

A dystopian theatre piece from Hard Times.

2026 listing: 23–25 July, 1pm–1.45pm; Underground at Spring Gardens.

10. Hannah Brine at the Fringe

The singer-songwriter had won the Fringe’s solo vocal award in 2024 and 2025.

2026 listing: 24 July, 7pm–8pm; United Reformed Church, Purple Room.

11. Sip, Sit and Sketch

Sketching at the Pump Room; buying a drink allowed visitors to borrow materials.

2026 listing: 18 and 20–25 July, 10am–5pm; 19 and 26 July, 10am–4pm. The Pump Room.

12. ComedySportz

A family-friendly improvised comedy show from Totally Improvised Company.

2026 listing: 25 and 26 July, 1pm–1.55pm; Underground at the Working Men’s Club.

The Fringe information desk
The Fringe Information Desk, The Octagon Lounge, Pavilion Gardens
The Community Space at Underground at Spring Gardens
The Community Space, Underground at Spring Gardens

For future festivals, see Buxton Festival Fringe.