Durham Fringe Festival will return on 29 July 2026 with its biggest programme yet: 130 shows and almost 300 performances staged over five days.
The festival will feature theatre, comedy, circus and other forms of live performance. Organisers say the programme will bring together artists from the North East, elsewhere in the UK and around the world.
What to expect at Durham Fringe
Among the international productions is Lament of the Wandering Head, created by Taiwan-based physical theatre company Sun Son Theatre. The festival programme is also set to include world premieres, works in progress and award-winning touring productions.
Comedian Harriet Kemsley will headline the festival at the Gala Theatre on Saturday night, where she is scheduled to perform new stand-up material. Kemsley has appeared on 8 Out of 10 Cats and in the first season of LOL: Last One Laughing UK. She also provided the voice of Nashandra, the final boss in the video game Dark Souls II.
Tickets and booking information
No show will cost more than £15, according to festival manager Maria Baranowska. Tickets can be booked through the Durham Fringe website, which lists the shows and performance times.
Durham Fringe CIC runs the event as a non-profit, volunteer-led organisation. This year’s festival is the sixth iteration of the event.
“We are so excited to be returning with our most ambitious Fringe Festival to date.”
Baranowska said audiences should expect “world premieres, works in progress, award-winning touring productions and performances.”
