Buxton Festival Fringe Celebrates Standout Talent at 2025 Awards Ceremony

The Buxton Festival Fringe wrapped up its 2025 season in celebratory style with a vibrant Awards Ceremony held on Sunday, July 27 in the Serpentine Community Garden’s polytunnel.

Hosting the ceremony for the first time, Fringe Chair Ian Bowns declared it a “really good year” and praised performers for delivering a “wonderful Fringe,” reflected in both the strength and breadth of this year’s entries.

Fringe Chair Ian Bowns at the 2025 Fringe Awards ceremony.

A Celebration of Creativity and Community

Bowns expressed thanks to the Fringe committee, awards judges, reviewers, and the many behind-the-scenes volunteers who make the Fringe possible. He also acknowledged key supporters including High Peak Borough Council, Morrisons, Parkwood Leisure, Lomas Distribution, Fringe Friends, and the local media, along with venue hosts at the Serpentine Garden.

In a nod to local heritage, he highlighted special anniversaries including 20 years for Buxton’s The Shakespeare Jukebox and Underground, and 50 years for Chapel-en-le-Frith Morris.

From left to right: new Fringe Chair Ian Bowns, Jeanette Hamilton, retiring Chair Stephen Walker (with his inscribed tankard leaving present) and Fringe Secretary Carole Garner (credit: Stephanie Billen)

Top Honours and Local Wins

Among the many award recipients:

• The Shakespeare Jukebox took home the Street Theatre Award

• REC Youth Theatre (Buxton) won Youth Ensemble

• Utopia Unlimited (New Mills) celebrated Youth Actor (Lie Jennings)

• Burbage Band earned the Film Award for Burbage Works – Heart of Brass

• Peak District Artisans won Visual Arts Event for Art at the Crescent

Youth Actor winner Lie Jennings of Utopia Unlimited (credit: Moira Kean)

In the Theatre category:

• Wummy by Charis King won Theatre Production

• Lexi Wolfe (The Baker Street Ladies) and Patrick Kealy (Fiction Romance) won acting awards

• Dr Korczak’s Example by Shadow Syndicate (Nottingham) took Youth Production

• Stacey Cullen won New Writing for Overwhelm

• The John Beecher Memorial Award went to There is a Light and a Whistle for Attracting Attention by Play Nicely Theatre

One of 2025’s Actor winners in Theatre, Patrick Kealey with Fringe Chair Ian Bowns (credit: Stephanie Billen)

Music, Comedy & Spirit of the Fringe

Musical standouts included:

• Hannah Brine

• Manchester Recorder Orchestra

• Cheshire Chamber Collective

• Blues duo Bob Hall & Hilary Blythe

• Classical guitarist Ed Billingham

• Ordsall Acapella Singers

• Robert Hazle & Helena Northcote for musical theatre

The enthusiastic audience at Springboard 2025 (credit: Stephanie Billen)

In Comedy:

• Will BF won for Comedy Show

• Alasdair Beckett-King for Stand-Up

The coveted Spirit of the Fringe Award went to Darren Poyzer and Trish Plant of Stockport for their outstanding contributions in supporting and spreading the spirit of the festival.

Visit buxtonfringe.org.uk/awards2025.html for the complete list of winners and nominees. Video footage of the event is also available on the Fringe’s YouTube channel and gallery.