Bedfringe 2026, Wednesday, 22 – Sunday, 26 July @ The Quarry Theatre & The Place Theatre
Roll up, roll up, the 19th Bedford Festival Fringe (Bedfringe to its friends) is back, with over 100 fabulous events at The Quarry Theatre and Place Theatre for your entertainment and enjoyment.
After its hugely successful launch last year, the Inclusive Arts Festival will now take place over two days at the Quarry Theatre, so there’s lots more to see, do and get involved in – and it’s accessible to all.
As ever, there are plenty of events that are either free to attend or ask for a voluntary donation, so there’s really no excuse not to come along.
Director’s Picks…
Each year, we ask Bedfringe director James Pharaoh MBE for his top picks from the festival.
“One of my highlights is Mitch Benn’s ‘Asking Elvis’ (Saturday, 25 July),” said James.
“I had no idea he was the Elvis impersonator on Steve Wright’s BBC Radio Show.”
Here are James’ top tips:
Monstering the Rocketman
Saturday, 25 July @ 6pm
Main Auditorium, The Quarry Theatre
Fringe First Winner 2025 / Edinburgh Fringe Theatre Award 2025
It’s Elton John vs The Sun. The world’s biggest star battles the world’s toughest tabloid in epic 80s clash…
What Doesn’t Kill You
Wednesday, 22 July @ 9.30pm
The Studio, The Quarry Theatre
Ever wondered how to survive life’s messy, awkward, and chaotic moments with your sanity (mostly) intact?
Comedian Thao Cao has been there, surviving near-death experiences, racism on public transport, and endless teasing about her Vietnamese name.
Poems from the Daily Mail
Sunday, 26 July @ 3pm
The Studio, The Quarry Theatre
Andy Gilbert, ‘The UK’s number One Poetry Teacher ’, delivers a hilarious lecture on the importance of historical poetry inspired by genuine headlines from the Daily Mail.
Max Fulham’s Monkey Business
Saturday, 25 July @ 3pm
The Studio, The Quarry Theatre
Join Max, his sidekick Gordon the Monkey, and a gaggle of puppet friends as they get down to the seriously silly business of making big laughs for the whole family.
Bollyqueer
Thursday, 23 July @ 2.15pm
The Garden Stage, The Quarry Theatre
Bollyqueer is the UK’s first and only all LGBTQIA+ POC Bollywood performance group. Catch their high-energy group performance and learn some of your own Bollywood moves.
Michael Hill
Sunday, 26 July @ 7pm / 8.40pm
The Garden Stage, The Quarry Theatre
Michael has a rapidly growing global presence on social media, amassing over 15 million views on his viral cover of Benson Boone’s ‘Beautiful Things’ and gaining over 69,000 Instagram followers before the age of 15.
Not to be missed.
Mitch Benn is Asking Elvis
Saturday, 25 July @ 8pm
The Quarry Theatre
For ten years, Mitch was the most popular feature of the most popular show on the radio… but nobody knew it was him.
This is the story of ‘Ask Elvis’ on Steve Wright’s BBC Radio 2 show.
Bedfringe at The Place Theatre
This year’s Bedfringe festival is not only taking place at the Quarry, but events are also happening at the Place Theatre on Bradgate Road.
Here’s the lowdown…
Theatre: Richard Pryor is God
Saturday, 25 July
The Place Theatre @ 2pm & 4pm | Tickets: from £7
Set in a small North Bedfordshire town, this witty and farcical comedy tells the story of God returning to Earth to collect his son, Jesus.
Based on the Richard Pryor skit, this comedic reimagining is packed full of laughs and unexpected turns. Written and directed by Bedford-based Sam Turton
Music: Claire Cameron featuring Dan Thomas and Alex Hallam
Saturday, 25 July
The Place Theatre @ 5.30pm | Tickets: from £5
Singer-songwriter Claire Cameron will be joined by talented lead guitarist Alex Hallam and her friend Dan Thomas on acoustic guitar and backing vocals.
The trio have played in and around Cambridge and are delighted to be performing as part of this year’s Bedfringe
Music: Tom Korni – The One Man Festival
Saturday, 25 July
The Place Theatre @ 7.30pm | Tickets: from £12.50
Watch local talent Tom Korni perform completely live, creating the sound of a five-piece band while playing everything simultaneously — guitar, bass, synths, drums, and vocals all at once.
No backing tracks, no loop pedals — just one musician creating a huge live sound in real time. Featuring tracks by Jimi Hendrix, Pink Floyd, Bob Marley, David Bowie, Fleetwood Mac, Tame Impala, Radiohead, Oasis, Arctic Monkeys, The Strokes, Stone Roses, Blur, The Killers and more.
Poetry and Prose: Sun, Sea and Song – an evening of Poetry and Prose
Sunday, 26 July
The Place Theatre @ 4pm | Tickets: Pay What You Can
Sun, Sea and Song – Celebrate summer with fifty minutes of poetry, prose and, perhaps, a song or two at The Place Theatre.
You can browse the full Bedfringe programme online at bedfringe.com, and there’s even a handy checklist, so you can mark off how many shows you’ve seen throughout the festival.
