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!

VOLUNTEER IN 2026

TICKET INFO

Circus performers at Durham Fringe 2025

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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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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, EMG Solicitors. 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.
We are returning for our second year at @durhamuniversity Department of Music! This is a stunning venue located just off Palace Green, very close to two other stages you'll find at Durham Fringe 2026. Historic Building? ✅ Stunning grand piano? ✅ Packed from day to night with incredible shows? ✅ You'll find these shows in this venue's lineup 👇 The Rookery Band @therookeryband @bbcupload Takeover Tag Team: Full Score Barbershop Choir Improv on Demand THE LAST DAYS OF TRUMP The Improvesarios @improvesarios UNREDACTED @amity_sings @isa6elmaria Olivia Graham: Legend & Lore @oliviagrahammusic Daniel Cainer: What Am I, Chopped Liver? Delusions and Grandeur Abbie Finn Trio @abbiefinndrums You Decide A TAPESTRY OF LIFE @jessaliversidge Inglenook @inglenook_folkband Florence Andrea, singer-songwriter The World at 15mph... ish Find tickets only on our website.
New venue announcement! 📣 This year, we are thrilled to be bringing shows to @leonardscoffeehouse 💛 This is a character-packed cafe in Fowler's Yard. Their upstairs area will transform into a cosy, atmospheric performance space every evening of Durham Fringe, offering a great backdrop for music, comedy & spoken word. Here are the shows you'll find at Leonard's 👇 Cardinals and cardinality Adele Cliff's Topical Late Show with Adele Cliff Matthew Wheelwright-Bug Boy Stuart Thomas: Bad Fatty (Work In Progress) Confessions Maxim Yarushkin Trevor Bickles: Where to Guv? Alex Redman - Sunshine Space Cadet Finding Folklore Dom McGovern: Stuns in New Photo (WIP) David Mitchell It Just So Happened: An Alternative History Show Steve Pledger Gobby Lass: Still Talking To You Explore this venue's lineup & book tickets on our website (see link in our bio)
If you've been to one of the first five Durham Fringe Festivals, there's a good chance you've seen one of our shows at @fabsdurham 🙌 We are so excited to return to this top-floor diamond of a venue with these shows 👇 Granny Apocalypse Mark Daniels: That's Terrifying. Can We Brunch Now? WOKE Alex Love: How To Win A Pub Quiz 2026 101 Impressions In One Hour Kelly Rickard Burning Love Shy Bairns Comedy The Stand-Up Experience Jukebox, The Musical Stephen Catling: Clownfish Out Of Water Ask A Stripper: Pulling Back The G-String Richard Cobb: Best Job in the World Find tickets for shows at Fabio's here: https://durhamfringe.co.uk/events/?&venue=94 📸 Photo by @johnlyons99
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Durham Fringe Festival would not be possible with support from our sponsors

EMG Solicitors
Durham Council
Durham Parish
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Durham Group
The CDB Group
Durham School
Durham University
Durham Student Theatre
Ramside Hall
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