The Inaugural Perth Fringe Is Here!

17 August 2026

Striped black and white costume on woman on pink circus silks with red light behind her
82 Shows. 15 venues. One Very Good Reason to Get Out On The Town!

Perth Fringe | From 4th to 13th September

We all love the colour, spectacle and weird-in-a-good-way elements of a well done Fringe Festival. What we don’t like so much are the long queues, £30 burgers and playing last-bus roulette home from the capital. 

Billed as the sane alternative to Edinburgh, Perth Fringe brings a culture-packed ten days of comedy, magic, drag, belly-dancing and everything in between to the heart of Perth City Centre. We're talking 82 shows across 15 venues and 21 rooms, including pubs, hotels, cafes, and often-forgotten corners of the city all turned into sensational stages.

It doesn't get more fringey than that!

Big Names and Fresh Faces

The line-up is a great mix of talent from across Scotland with acts travelling from Edinburgh, Fife, Stirling, Aberdeen and Glasgow, to rub shoulders with home-grown Perth performers. 
Some are brand new to the circuit, testing out material for the first time; please remember to be kind and one day you could be the person saying, "I saw them when they played at Perth….!" 

Others are seasoned Edinburgh Fringe veterans including comedians Richard Pulsford and Lorraine Hoodless, ready to roll out polished, festival-tested shows for their new Perth audience.

Whatever you're in the mood for, there's a show for it at Perth Fringe.

  • Comedy — from sharp new stand-up to festival-honed sets
  • Magic — sleight of hand and big reveals up close
  • Live Music — live sets across genres and venues
  • Poetry — spoken word for a night that's a bit different
  • Choir — voices raised across the city centre
  • Burlesque — glamour, wit and a wink
  • Drag — big personalities, bigger performances
  • Belly dancing — rhythm and colour up close
  • Musical theatre — big numbers from local favourites
  • Opera — Perth Amateur Operatic Society hits the high notes

Tickets are £6 per show, or £13 for multi-act shows at The Salutation Hotel. In addition to this, the following venues are offering free entry.

  • The Twa Tams
  • Slainte Bar
  • Perth Theatre Conservatory

Most shows are billed from 7pm to 8pm leaving you plenty of time to enjoy a few drinks, a meal out - or to catch that last bus home! 

Keep an eye out too for food and drink offers popping up at your favourite local eateries.  Details coming soon.

RICHARD PULSFORD

Why does Perth need a Fringe?

Why not? The organisers put it simply: they wanted to give Perth something of its own. A genuine reason to get out on a Wednesday night. It has taken a huge team effort to pull off, with local businesses, performers and venues all pitching in to make it happen. The result is a fabulous, feel-good festival built on Scottish talent with a colourful sprinkle of homemade kitsch.   

Local talent, front and centre. Perth Fringe offers a stage for local performers to shine alongside touring acts, in front of a home crowd.

Supporting our venues. Every ticket and every pint bought at a Fringe show goes straight back into supporting the pubs, bars and small venues that host it. You're not just watching a show; you're helping to keep Perth's night scene alive.
 

You must enable javascript to view this website