Spring fever at Buxton Fringe!

Buxton Fringe is hailing its latest promotional event to have been a huge success after crowds flocked to Springboard on Saturday April 12th.

The open-to-all, Spring-themed party took place in Buxton’s Pump Room for the first time with extra chairs having to be brought out after Fringe fans queued up to see performers give free excerpts from their shows. With the Pump Room decorated with orange bunting, flowers and balloons, an exciting line-up featured youth theatre group Utopia Unlimited with their take on Gilbert and Sullivan, comedian Dom Hutchins sharing the highs and lows of living with cerebral palsy, local man Dr Andy Mycock discussing his comically problematic surname and singer-songwriter Chris Milner – Journeyman performing with his guitar.

An exciting evening expertly compered by Rob Harrison also included a “giant orange raffle”, supported by Morrison’s, Potters of Buxton and Buxton Crescent Heritage Trust, plus party food, a pay-bar and a stall promoting Fringe Friends’ membership, orange “hot spot” seeds and latest Fringe merchandise. Throughout the evening, other performers also took to the stage to give short “commercial breaks” about their upcoming Fringe events while Underground co-founder Tom Crawshaw announced that in 2025 the managed venue had had the most applications it had ever had with Underground tickets set to be on sale from May 9th.

Fringe Marketing Officer Stephanie Billen thanked the Fringe’s many supporters including High Peak Borough Council, the Pump Room, Parkwood Leisure and its Fringe Friends. Commenting after the event, she added: “Interest in Buxton Fringe is phenomenal at the moment both from performers and in the town generally. It is really great to see and a tribute both to our talented entrants and our hard-working committee of Fringe volunteers.”

The Fringe currently has around 160 entries with more expected by the closing date for the printed programme, Easter Sunday (April 20th). Anyone still looking to perform at the Fringe should see Take Part on www.buxtonfringe.org.uk for full details.