The Stevenage Fringe - 2025

If you want to know more or would like to be involved in 2025 then please contact us by email, facebook or twitter using the links at the foot of this page. Likewise please use these links to contact us to give us details of events below that have incomplete details.

There are a huge variety of events celebrating the arts in Stevenage surrounding and during the festival that weren't part of the main programme (click on the link to view the Main programme). See the Fringe events below.

2025 Fringe Programme

May to June 2025
Click on links below to jump lower down the page for more details about the events.

Events:

TBC

If you're in the Town Centre why not come and experience the beauty of art in all its forms at our community exhibition! Featuring stunning photography and breathtaking visual art this event will inspire and delight all who attend. Join us for a celebration of creativity and community!

Entry: FREE

Please note that the exhibition is accessible during normal Leisure Centre opening hours, but access may occasionally be restricted for operational reasons. Call first on 01438 363200 to check if making a special journey.

Stevenage Museum presents:
Preacher, Punisher and Dredd

An exhibition on the work of British comic book legend Steve Dillon.
Steve Dillon was a British comic book artist from Luton and is best known for his work on comics such as Preacher, 2000 AD, and The Punisher. This exhibition has over fifty hand drawn panels by Steve, dating from 1978 when he was just 16!
Check www.stevenage.gov.uk/stevenage-museum/exhibitions-and-displays for opening times.

TICKETS: FREE

Hertfordshire Libraries present:
100 word poem competition

This competition is part of Herts libraries being 100 years old celebrations.

Send us your 100 word poem for the chance to win fantastic prizes!
Your poem can explore one or more of the following themes: libraries, creativity or reading for pleasure.
Need some inspiration? Watch the commissioned poems from celebrated poets Desree, Simon Mole and Arji Manuelpillai. (Click on the poet's name to view an example poem they have written)
Submit your poem before Saturday 21 June. You can submit the poem and register for the competition here.
The competition has four age ranges Under 11s, 12-15 yrs old, 16-24 yrs old and over 25

Lister Hospital Life Gallery

If you're at the Lister hospital why not take a moment to view the wonderful and uplifting art, some by Lister staff members, on display in this small gallery space.

The LIFE Gallery is located in the pink zone, not far from the main entrance at Lister Hospital. Situated in what is known to NHS staff as the pink corridor – connecting the main hospital corridor with Lister’s Diamond Jubilee Maternity Unit – the gallery provides an opportunity for artists from the surrounding community to display their work for patients and staff alike to enjoy.

FREE EVENT

Hertfordshire Libraries Big Birthday Weekend -

Baby Rhyme Time

Help us celebrate 100 years of Hertfordshire Libraries. Join for half an hour of songs and rhymes to enjoy with your baby or toddler followed by a craft activity. Collect a special certificate for your child, and help us sing our very own birthday rhyme.
This is a free, drop-in event, no need to book.

Stevenage Bororugh Council presents:
Stevenage Day

At Stevenage Day this year get ready to innovate, explore, and inspire as we celebrate the exciting world of STEM!
This popular event will host over 200 stalls with a wide range of entertainment including Rock in the Park, world music performers, childrens' rides and entertainment, games, displays, food stalls and arena events.
For more information go to stevenage.gov.uk/stevenage-day.

ENTRY is free

Stevenage Lytton Players present:
The importance of being earnest

Join the Stevenage Lytton Players for a delightful performance of Oscar Wilde's classic comedy, The Importance of Being Earnest!
This witty and charming play follows mistaken identities, romantic entanglements, and sharp social satire, all wrapped in Wilde's brilliant humour.
Expect laughter, drama, and a touch of the absurd as characters navigate love and deception.
Don't miss this timeless masterpiece brought to life by a talented local cast!
Ticket Booking via: https://shorturl.at/IsJcB or lyttonplayers.co.uk.

Ticket Price: £10 - £14, depending on date and seat.

Hertfordshire Libraries presents: Mo O’Hara Graphic Novel Workshop

Graphic novels are an exciting and vibrant way to tell a story.
In Mo O'Hara's fresh and funny Agent Moose books we meet a secret agent moose, Anonymoose, who is a master of disguise. Mo uses her own graphic novels to demonstrate techniques that you can use to storyboard and create a scene with your own characters.
Come ready to write, draw and explore the fantastic and fun world of graphic novels
Age range: 6 - 12

(Only 30 tickets available as at 22 April 2025)

Tickets: £5 per child - Book Here.

Stevenage Lytton Players and Herts Visual Arts present:
Open Studio and Demonstration Concert

Join us at The Lytton Theatre for an exciting Open Studio in partnership with Herts Visual Arts!
Experience a unique concert featuring live art demonstrations alongside theatre performances and musical acts (takes place at 2pm).
Browse and purchase stunning artworks created by local talent, enjoy delicious refreshments, and take part in our charity raffle for a chance to win a unique artwork. Free entry — don’t miss this vibrant celebration of creativity and performance!

Donations welcome

ENTRY: FREE

South Stevenage Flower Club presents: Those Summer Nights

If you've ever thought about flower arranging then why not join us for a meeting of the Stevenage Flower Club on the theme of 'Those Summer Nights'.
Watch our demonstrator, David Wright, as he shows us how to construct an inspirational display of seasonal flowers.

Tickets: £7.50 (includes coffee and biscuits)

Stevenage and Knebworth Arts Group presents: Colour

The challenge of capturing colour on celluloid occupied some of the best minds in Hollywood for decades, as each technological leap forward enabled moviemakers to show a brighter, richer world.
Join writer and teacher Christopher Budd for a talk covering a little bit of movie science and lots of clips of important milestones in the history of colour filming, as well as an exploration of some of its cleverest creative uses.

TICKETS: - £5 at the door.

Parnassus Poetry and Revolution Records presents: The Word is Revolution

Ready to laugh, gasp, and maybe question your life choices? Join us for a night of free poetry with teeth – sharp, satirical, and unapologetically political. Expect punchlines that jab at power, rhymes that roast the rich, and yes… you know who gets torched. It’s lyrical anarchy with a mic – funny, fearless, and fiercely current. Bring your mates and your rage and your sense of humour.

FREE EVENT

Stevenage Lytton Players present: CODA

Introducing CODA, an award-winning touring company bringing the magic of West End and Broadway to audiences everywhere.
Featuring soprano Gemma Ashley and baritone Mark "#ManInTheHat" James, CODA delivers captivating performances of beloved songs from iconic musicals like Les Misérables, Phantom of the Opera, Little Shop of Horrors, My Fair Lady, Grease, and more. With breathtaking vocals and dynamic stage presence, CODA takes audiences on a journey through musical theatre's greatest hits.

Tickets are £10

TICKET online Booking: https://shorturl.at/YRljR or lyttonplayers.co.uk

Hertfordshire Libraries present: -
In conversation with Jasper Fforde

We are delighted to welcome popular author Jasper Fforde, known for his comic fantasy, satire, literary adventure and absurd humour, to Hertfordshire Libraries as he prepares to publish the much-anticipated Dark Reading Matter later in 2025. Dark Reading Matter will be book eight in the epic Thursday Next series, launched with The Eyre Affair in 2001.

Tickets: £5 per person, available here: https://tinyurl.com/4vp3we4e.

SKAG presents:
Unlocking Victory: Allied Code Breaking Success in WWII

Join historian Mike Barbakoff for a compelling talk on Allied code-breaking in WWII. Learn how Bletchley Park’s efforts helped shorten the war in Europe, and uncover the lesser-known story of breaking Japanese codes.
Explore the vital role of the Government Code and Cypher School and its collaboration with American and Commonwealth cryptanalysts in the Far East—revealing the hidden intelligence war that shaped the outcome of WWII.

Tickets: £5 at the door

Stevenage Locomotive Society presents: Railtours and Specials: the last 40 years

Join railway expert John Day for a nostalgic journey through 40 years of Railtours and Specials.
From rare locos and steam excursions to quirky one-offs, John’s talk is packed with remarkable moments—ranging from the UK across Europe. With photos, stories, and insider insight, this is a must for anyone fascinated by trains, history, and the golden age of rail specials.

Tickets: £3 at the door

Stevenage Lytton Players presents: - Keeping Cool with Adam
A Fundraising Gala

Join us for Keeping Cool With Adam, a fundraising gala in support of the Lytton Players' air conditioning fund! Enjoy an exciting mix of comedy, musical numbers, interactive games, and plenty of opportunities for crowd participation.
Entry is by donation — every contribution helps keep our theatre cool and comfortable for all. Don’t miss this fun-filled event for a fantastic cause!.

Songs of Praise for Stevenage

Come along and join musicans and worship groups from across Stevenage to sing some favourite hymns and worship songs, from ancient to modern, in the beautiful surroundings of St Nicholas Church. All welcome - just turn up.

ENTRY - FREE