The Great Yorkshire Fringe was such a huge success last year that it’s coming back – and promising to deliver the very best comedians, music and family entertainment from all over the world to the centre of York.
The inaugural 2015 Festival, on a temporary village green in Parliament Street, proved a hit with both residents and visitors to the city, with more than 120,000 people flocking to a festival of entertainment, music, cabaret, magic and theatre.
Building on that success and expanding with a weird, wise and wonderful 10-day festival by an extra week – so there will be 17 days of comedy, variety and family entertainment, again centred on Parliament Street, from Friday 15th to Sunday 31st July, 2016
Festival founder Martin Witts said today: “We’ll be announcing the first acts very shortly and tickets will be going on sale – to be the first to hear, sign up to our online mailing list at www.greatyorkshirefringe.com. We have some of the biggest names in comedy signed up and others that will be new to the region. We promise to deliver a non-stop cavalcade of laughs over the summer.”
The competition judges will include professionals currently working in the comedy industry. Past judges have included comedy critics from the Guardian, Independent, Time Out and Chortle, plus industry agents and promoters.New Comedian of the Year 2016: At the heart of the Festival we’re thrilled to announce the return of The Great Yorkshire Fringe New Comedian of the Year competition. Following in the footsteps of our highly successful, sold out 2015 competition, the search is now on for our 2016 champion. We’re looking for the best up and coming comedians from Yorkshire and beyond to compete in daily heats throughout the Fringe, with a grand final on Sunday 31 July. Last year, Tom Taylor, aged 23 from Harrogate, was crowned the very first Great Yorkshire Fringe New Comedian of the Year. Tom beat 74 other aspiring comedians, who took part over eight daily heats, to win the competition.
The 2016 winner will receive The Golden Pudding Award, £750, and the opportunity to perform at Leicester Square Theatre. Second place prize will be £500 and third place £250.
The competition is open to any non-professional act who’s been performing for five years or less and entries from character acts, musical acts, and sketch groups are welcome. The only restriction is that all contestants must stick to 5 minutes of original material or risk disqualification.
Entries will open on Monday 11 January 2016 and are on a first come first serve basis. Entrants must be available for a heat between Friday 15 and Saturday 30 July 2016 (excluding Mondays 18 & 25), and the final on Sunday 31 July.