BOOK TICKETS FOR DURHAM FRINGE 2026

Between Wednesday 29 July – Sunday 2 August, we’ll host 140+ different acts across 11 venues in Durham City Centre.

Do not miss the 6th instalment of Durham Fringe Festival!

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Harriet Kemsley: Work In Progress

Presented as part of Durham Fringe Festival, in collaboration with Gala Durham 

Following her eye-opening appearance on the first series of Last One Laughing UK, multi-award winning stand-up comedian Harriet Kemsley tries out new material in this work in progress show. As seen and heard on Live at the Apollo, Would I Lie to You?, 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown and co-host of the wildly successful Single Ladies In Your Area podcast, Harriet has been described by Time Out as ‘a very funny rising star’ and as one of Rhod Gilbert’s ‘Ten Comics to See’ in the Mail on Sunday.

Age restriction: 14+

Tickets: £15* (Available via Gala Durham website)

*Tickets to Harriet Kemsley’s show are not part of our Discover Durham Fringe ticket bundle deal

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EXCITING ANNOUNCEMENT 📣 We are currently recruiting for a Programme & Engagement Assistant to join us for an 8-week paid placement in Durham. This individual will work directly with our team, based in our brand-new venue The Academy in Durham City Centre. This role provides a rare opportunity to support the launch of an emerging venue, working with our Festival Manager, helping to install new venue operating systems, engaging with a wide range of audiences including customers, people interested in or actively working in performing arts, and cultural organisations from across the region. This placement will also have the opportunity to support 6th Durham Fringe Festival, which will take place from Wednesday 29th July to Sunday 2nd August, across 11 participating venues. While based at The Academy, the placement holder will also have the opportunity to engage in the wider planning and delivery of the festival, providing experience of Arts Projects and Festival management more broadly. There is also further opportunity to work on the development of The Academy’s 12-month programme, and gain experience in an organisation experiencing significant growth and change. Interested? Find a link with all the details and info on how to apply via https://linktr.ee/durhamfringe This paid placement is made possible thanks to support from @intothelightdurham
We're hosting two FREE showcase events to kick off this year's Durham Fringe with a bang 💥 Our showcases offer up to 6 different acts from the festival's programme an opportunity to give you a sample of their show in less than 10 minutes. It's a fantastic way to kick off your week at the Fringe and get inspired about which shows you might want to see. Tickets are free (and close to selling out!) Book online at durhamfringe.co.uk/events. Find the link to book straight onto a showcase via the link in our bio. 📸 Photo by @richardeyers.photography showing @stevepledgermusic at a 2025 Durham Fringe Showcase
MAKE A DAY OF IT AT DURHAM FRINGE ✨ With over 140 different shows, you have SO MUCH to choose from! Come for the day, or even join us for the full five days. When you book tickets for any 3 different shows, you will automatically get 10% off. Simple as that. With tickets already priced at just £5 - £15, you can soak up incredible performances without breaking the bank. Explore the full programme at durhamfringe.co.uk/events What are your top 3 picks? How the Discover Durham Fringe ticket offer works ⬇ This offer activates when you book to see three different shows. The offer will not apply to a group of three people seeing one show. The Discover offer only applies in a single transition and discounts cannot be backdated if additional purchases are made later. It is only available for tickets to shows sold through durhamfringe.co.uk and can be applied to full price, family, and concession tickets
Our final 2026 venue announcement is a rather exciting one... This summer, we are opening The Academy, a new performing arts venue which will serve not only as a space for events -- including Durham Fringe Festival 2026 -- but it will also house a practical, inclusive and welcoming hub where artists, producers and technicians can learn, make, practice and thrive. Those of you local to Durham may have already seen us begin work to convert a former retail space in Prince Bishops into what will soon become a 70-capacity black box theatre. However, The Academy is more than just a performance space. Thanks to funding from Arts Council England, Durham Fringe will host a range of workshops, masterclasses, networking events, and even offer flexible, affordable rehearsal space. The Academy will open its doors ahead of this year's Festival but we're thrilled to announce it will remain open well into 2027! We've got lots more to tell you about this new project soon, but for now, we're excited to announce the incredibly diverse range of shows coming to this venue during Durham Fringe ⬇️ The Old Man and The Sea by Ernest Hemingway, adapted by Philip Harrison Richard Pulsford: Yorkshire Dad, Immigrant Mum Living la vida Lorca Adam Flood: Life And Death Of The Party A Tail for Our Future Lament of the Wandering Head by Sun Son Theatre Of Mice and Men A History Of The Last Conservative Government, In Their Own Stupid Words 1 Big Oops 99 Red Hot Kitties & a Cockatoo A Political Brunch Snow Along the Line Deluge Harun Musho'd: Why I Don’t Talk To People About Terrorism Find info and tickets, head to durhamfringe.co.uk/events The Academy would not be possible without the venue's key sponsor, @emgsolicitors We are immensely grateful for their continuing support.
Gala Theatre, here we come! 🎭 Durham Fringe Festival will return to the mighty @gala_durham This year, we are thrilled to be expanding beyond the Studio space and hosting shows in the Main Auditorium across three days of the festival! This is such an exciting step for us, and you'll get two performance spaces under one roof. OUR SHOWS IN THE STUDIO 👇 The best ever cartoon draw along in the world ever Offgridland Sherlock Holmes The Death and Life Love Factually Rachel Creeger: "Queen Of The Jews!" (WIP) Kópakonan Snakes & Ladders Rock Bottom Fossil Fury Mabel Crystal Unclear: An Improvised Séance Humdinger Words for Whippersnappers and Guttersnipes Will BF: MOON TEAM IIIV Compression Test Mustard OUR MAIN AUDITORIUM SHOWS 👇 Northern Lights presents... Horrible Harmonies @nlacappella (History as you’ve never heard it before!) Tom Bolton: Just Magic @tomboltonm Romeo. Juliet. By @purpledoortheatre Acroflex Acrobatic Academy @acroflex_dance The Space Between Your Ears by @cirko.norda / @newcastlecircusarts Tickets for these are available only through our website: durhamfringe.co.uk/events Alongside this programme of Gala Theatre shows, we are working in partnership with Gala Theatre to bring you Durham Fringe's first ever headline act, the brilliant @harrietkemsley 🙌 Tickets for Harriet's show are available directly through the Gala website: galadurham.co.uk/harriet-kemsley 📸 Photo by @richardeyers.photography at Durham Fringe 2025
Durham Fringe will return to City Theatre this Summer 🙌 We're bringing a spectacular run of shows to this excellent little theatre in the heart of the City. Here's what you'll be able to see 👇 ALL HAIL THE GREAT COSMIC MOTHER! Brooklyn’s Magic Hour @brooklyn_magician The Durham Revue: Raiders of the Lost Laughs @thedurhamrevue Pure Imagination How Do I Hold It? Online Presence Jake Donaldson: The Fifth Weezer @donaldsoncomedy It's Your Role Lichfield & Larmouth Present: "The Greatest Magic Show" @timlichfield The Wonder Years World war why? Sex, Drugs & Conscious Souls Find tickets via our website: durhamfringe.co.uk 📸 Photo shows The Durham Revue at our 2025 festival, taken by @johnlyons99
It's time to officially announce a new Durham Fringe 2026 venue... Fellows' Garden. Set in the grounds of Durham Castle, this is a debut for this newly-renovated and totally breath-taking performance space. This is not a space you can typically access as a member of the public, and we are so lucky to be one of the first events hosted here! This is an outdoor venue, however like on Palace Green, we will install a marquee for cover. As much as we are banking on summer sunshine, we are based in North East England! ☂ Fellows' Garden will play host to a range of shows throughout Durham Fringe week 👇 Shakespeare's The Merry Wives of Windsor Sea Shanties Blind Dating The Magic Sweet Jar Sing Your Cares Away Flat 504 Thresholds A Queer Little Murder Romeo and Juliet Bonnie Wee Dance Workshop Grab tickets for any of those shows on our website at durhamfringe.co.uk/events -- just filter to the venue to head straight to these shows.
We are returning to Palace Green! Set against the backdrop of a UNESCO World Heritage Site, our Palace Green stage is one of our higher capacity venues that will host a huge range of shows. You'll also be able to find food and drink traders at this stage. Our 2026 Palace Green shows are 👇 Durham Fringe Family Showcase AND Durham Fringe Showcase - FREE to attend and offer the opportunity to sample a range of shows to catch throughout the week. The Giant Balloon Show @dizzyodare Lights, Music & Thrills! LLIVELY Music Presents @llivelymusic Jack Drum Ukulele Ensemble @jackdrumarts Jazzy Dystopia EMMA: Oops!... I Did It Again @menstrualragetheatre The Marsh Family @marshfamilysongs Twelfth Night (or What You Will) @theatrespacene The Other Gender Silver Shantymen Hels Pattison @helspattisonmusic Driven Serious Durham Scratch Choir Comedy Of Errors by The Shakespeare Circus Jeddy Bear & Gary's Pie Wars @jeddybears Find tickets for Palace Green shows at durhamfringe.co.uk/events -- just filter to the venue from the options at the top.
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