Festivals information

Forget dysentery, trench foot and mud baths. Reading does festivals differently. The only filth is in the rock. The only swamp is the incomparable amount of bands that descends upon our green and pedestrianised town.

And now it's got a whole lot bigger. Not content with a standard three days in a field, for the third year in succession the Reading Fringe Festival leads up to the world-famous rock festival, offering a whole week of fresh talent and gigs across town.

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If there is a bar and space for an amp, expect to see people dancing (without Wellington boots) and blessing their dry cotton socks for the chance to see Britain's brightest and most innovative acts before they are helicoptered into the mainstream.

2005 was the first year of the Reading Fringe Festival. Thirty events were put on at just six weeks notice. The idea and the impetus for the Reading Fringe Festival came from messages on the discussion forum Berkshire Live (www.berkshirelive.co.uk) which is part of Josaka (www.josaka.com) and supports local live music.

Elsewhere even ex-Creation Records (Oasis) boss and one time Libertines manager, Alan McGee got in on the act, with his internationally renowned Death Disco night.

Now in its third year, the Fringe is getting bigger than the combined barnets of an entire club's worth of Horrors fans.

It has already attracted the hotly tipped Scottish act Glasvegas for the Club Velocity Festival Warm-Up Night (at Plug 'n' Play, Reading).

Local listings mag Blah Blah has a spectacular festival warm-up at the After Dark. Local promoters Black And White have clambered on board. And this is just the beginning.

The Fringe is for YOU. For the local scene, this is the festival equivalent of the invention of the wheel. So don't sit on the sidelines, get involved.

If you're a performer, artist, film-maker, venue owner or manager, promoter or maybe you just want to get involved, e-mail the team: enquiries@readingfringefestival.co.uk.

And remember: this is one festival the rain can't ruin - we have rooves in Reading.

The Reading Fringe Festival will be running from Friday 17 August to Thursday 23 August 2007 at venues near you.