Watford Fringe Festival 2025 – Save the dates

The Watford Fringe Festival is back and will run for the whole month of July, bringing you the best of festival entertainment right on your doorstep.

This will be the ninth Watford Fringe Festival – which brings high quality performing arts to local audiences to enjoy alongside supporting the best of local talent to develop and perform their shows – and it has now become a well-established fixture in the cultural calendar.

Lee Farman, chair of the Watford Pump House which co-ordinates the Fringe, said: “After successfully moving the festival from October to July last year and extending it to a full month we’re pleased to be bringing it back in the same format this year. That way we can make the most of the summer weather and attract the best live acts that will be touring the national festival scene at that time.”

Every year, venues across Watford host an extraordinary live line-up of great theatre, music, comedy, dance, magic and family fun-filled shows. 2024 saw 120 performances enjoyed by nearly 4,500 audience members. There was everything from pre-Edinburgh shows and returning favourites, to local talent, special youth performances, award-winning acts and premieres of new material.

The festival is only possible thanks to the support of Watford Borough Council, all the Fringe venues and the dozens of volunteers who give up their time to promote the shows and make sure audiences are so well looked after.

This year there will be a range of venues hosting performances across Watford including the Watford Pump House, Watford Library, the Wellspring Centre, St Mary’s Church, Oxhey Chapel, the One Crown and the Mad Squirrel.

Get involved in 2025

The performer registration portal is NOW OPEN to applications. Anyone and everyone is welcome to apply, there’s no selection criteria. All you need to do is register your event online before the end of May.

And as the festival continues to grow year on year, organisers need more volunteers to help run the show. Last year 245 volunteers helped out. This year, could it be you?

To register as a performer or volunteer just visit https://www.watfringe.co.uk/

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