Durham Fringe prepares to bring over 100 shows to Durham city centre

Durham Fringe prepares to bring over 100 shows to Durham city centre

Between 23rd and 27th July 2025, Durham Fringe Festival will host a spectacular array of performing arts across nine Durham City Centre venues. Audiences will be invited to explore over 110 unique acts across a programme of 270+ performances. Genres include theatre, music, stand-up comedy, comedy theatre, magic, spoken word, cabaret, dance, physical theatre, circus, and children and youth shows.

Durham Fringe 2025 venues include Gala Theatre’s Studio, The City Theatre, Assembly Rooms Theatre, Durham University's Department of Music, Fonteyn Ballroom and Vane Tempest at Durham SU (Dunelm House), Cafedral, Fabio's Bar, and the Palace Green Stretch Tent which will also be surrounded by food and drinks traders for the duration of the festival. 

2025 is Durham Fringe Festival’s fifth year, and to celebrate, they’re hosting a fifth birthday party on Palace Green to kick off the event at 1pm on Wednesday 23 July - cake and party hats included! Immediately following the birthday party, the sold out family showcase will see up to 10 of the programme’s family-friendly shows give a flavour of their full performance, hoping to entice the audience to join them for their solo performances later in the week. Similar showcases will also take place at 6pm on Wednesday 23 and 8:15pm on Friday 25 July. These are free to attend but must be booked in advance.  

There really is something for everyone to enjoy. Family fun can be found with Bottom’s Midsummer Dream, a fun take on classic Shakespeare. WHISPERS offers those with an interest in the darker themes a theatrical piece to remember, and Kane & Abel Magicians: Twin Feats is a brilliant choice for anyone looking to get lost in magic. This year’s event also has a huge music line-up, with 23 acts across the nine venues. There are also genre-bending shows such as Delusions and Grandeur, a classical cello recital that “plays out like a piece of performance art run by a masterly jester blurring artistry, humanity, and insanity”. 

Tickets cost £10 (£7 concession) for all shows, making Durham Fringe an accessible way to experience performing arts. A true Fringe experience is all about trying something new, so Durham Fringe’s ‘discover offer’ means you can book any three shows for just £24 – that’s just £8 per show. This offer is automatically applied when three shows are added to the basket during booking. 

Shows have started to sell out, and many have just a handful of tickets left. Audiences are encouraged to book in advance to not miss out. Visit the Durham Fringe website to see the full line-up and book tickets. Browse shows by date, genre and venue: durhamfringe.co.uk/events