Watford Fringe Festival Will Return For 10th Anniversary With 70+ Performances
The month-long festival will take place across Watford Pump House, Colosseum, Palace Theatre, and more.
Marking ten years, the Watford Fringe Festival will return this July with a month-long programme of live performance. Bringing together theatre, music, comedy, dance, family entertainment and more, the festival continues to showcase a vibrant mix of award-winning local talent, award-winning acts and internationally recognised performers to the heart of Watford.
First launched in 2016 to support and champion local creative talent, the Watford Fringe Festival has flourished into an established platform for artists from across the UK and beyond, while continuing to nurture performers from the local community. Over the past decade, the festival has expanded year on year, as well as continuing online during the pandemic - becoming a key part of Watford's cultural calendar. Originally held in October, the Festival moved to July in 2024 to bring even more events and activity under the Fringe umbrella throughout the summer.
This year's programme features more than 70 performances ranging from pre-Edinburgh previews and renowned stand-up comedians to premieres of new work, returning audience favourites, live music performances and emerging local artists. Highlights include comedy offerings such as Mitch Benn: Asking Elvis (11th & 15th July), which sees the acclaimed comedian and songwriter blend music and sharp satire. Jody Kamali: This Is My Dad (3rd July) offers a heartfelt and humorous exploration of family, identity and growing up between cultures, while Crowd Work with President Obonjo (4th July) brings an audience-led comedy style that has made the self-proclaimed African dictator a firm Fringe favourite. Completing the comedy line-up is Alice Keys: Rocket Fan (4th July), a quirky new show packed with stellar storytelling and eccentric humour.
Music fans can look forward to Southern Beauty featuring Alison Wheeler (23rd July), with the former The Beautiful South vocalist performing much-loved songs and soulful classics. Local musical theatre ensemble In Good Company present Heart & Music (3rd - 4th July), featuring West End performer Ashleigh Fleming (Phantom of the Opera) in a celebration of musical theatre favourites and contemporary hits. Audiences can experience the passion and artistry of Flamenco from Spain (5th July), while the high-energy Wrestling World Cup (12th July) brings the action as international WWE wrestlers go head-to-head.
Organised by the Watford Pump House in partnership with Watford Borough Council and sponsored by Watford Town Centre, the festival continues to thrive thanks to the support of its venues, volunteers and local partners. Participating venues include:
- Watford Pump House
- Watford Colosseum
- Watford Palace Theatre
- West Herts College
- Lanchester School
- St Mary's and St John's Churches
transforming the town into a hub of creativity and live entertainment. Every year, dozens of volunteers help promote performances and welcome audiences across the festival, contributing to the warm and community-focused atmosphere that has become central to the Watford Fringe experience.
Chair of the Watford Pump House Lee Farman comments, "When we first floated the idea of staging a performing arts Fringe festival here in Watford, we had no idea that 10 years on it would have grown into the success it is today. We're really excited about the range and quality of performing arts we're able to bring audiences in Watford this year. Some of these shows are going to sell out fast so we highly recommend booking your tickets early to avoid disappointment."
Videos
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Teechers St George's Hall (5/21-5/22) |
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G4 Christmas 2026 - Coventry Cathedral Coventry Cathedral (12/15-12/15) |
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Signature Brew Comedy Club Signature Brew Blackhorse Road (6/03-6/03) |
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The George Harrison Project, WITHAM Public Hall, Fri 29th May 2026 The Public Hall Witham (5/29-5/29) |
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Count Arthur Strong: And It''s Goodnight From Me! Scarborough Spa Theatre (2/26-2/26) |
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Sounds of the 60s at The Beehive Honiton Fri 16th October The Beehive (10/16-10/16) |
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Count Arthur Strong - And it''s Goodnight from Me! Northcott Theatre (5/01-5/01) |
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G4 Christmas 2026 - Nottingham Albert Hall Albert Hall (12/10-12/10) |
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VOIVOD at The Underworld - London The Underworld (6/08-6/08) |
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Mehmet Ergin: Weltmusik, Klassik und Jazz Pfarrscheune Neuenkirchen (11/20-11/20) |
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