COMEDY from Frankie Boyle and music from Happy Mondays and The Manfreds will be on offer this summer at North Berwick’s Fringe by the Sea festival.

Getting under way in August, the 10-day festival features more than 200 events at a host of venues around the town.

Also among the high-profile names taking part this year are Aly Bain and Phil Cunningham.

Following the success of the Big Top in the Lodge Grounds last year, that venue will now be the main hub of the festival, with other locations around the town, such as the Marine Hotel and the Scottish Seabird Centre, also hosting events.

Scottish comedian Frankie Boyle, best known for shows New World Order, Tramadol Nights and his self-titled Netflix special, will headline the Just the Tonic Comedy Club on August 11, while hugely influential indie rockers Happy Mondays will perform their classic hits – including Step On and Hallelujah – on August 13.

East Lothian Courier:

Frankie Boyle (image: Dominic Lipinski/PA Wire

The Manfreds, one of the most respected bands from the ‘60s era, will take to the stage on August 10 – original members Paul Jones, Mike Hugg and Tom McGuinness, and former member Mike d’Abo, will be joined by Rob Townsend, formerly of Family, on drums, Marcus Cliffe on bass, and Simon Currie on saxophone and flute.

Traditional music legends Aly Bain and Phil Cunningham will entertain audiences on August 8.

The festival’s first Storyteller in Residence, Lorna Hill from Dunbar, was announced last month.

Last year, the festival brought £3,139,616 of economic benefit to East Lothian, according to an independent report by MKA Economics. This represents a doubling (103 per cent increase) of the 2019 figure (£1,546,609).

More than 39,000 people visited the festival in 2021, with 25,000 buying tickets to one of 200 events and an estimated 14,000 attending free events throughout the town.

In 2019, visitors totalled 19,500, with 95 per cent rating the festival either excellent or very good, and 86 per cent saying they would ‘definitely’ attend in the future.

Rory Steel, festival director, said: “We are so pleased to have these latest acts join us in North Berwick this August. Every year our programme gets more exciting and brings more people to the festival, which is great for the town and East Lothian.”

Welcome back

John McMillan, East Lothian Provost, said: “It was wonderful to welcome back Fringe by the Sea in 2021, to see the impressive programme of events and of course to see people enjoying themselves!

“I have no doubt that the 2022 event will be another resounding success and help to cement the festival’s position on the national events calendar.

“The boost it brings to North Berwick, to East Lothian and to local businesses is enormous.

“East Lothian Council will once again work with the organisers to ensure a safe and happy, fantastic time for all to enjoy at Fringe by the Sea 2022.”

Funding and support from EventScotland, East Lothian Council and other partners including Scottish Seabird Centre, Shaw Marketing, Signman, Scotland Loves Local, Gilsland Park, Citizen Tickets, The List, North Berwick Trust and McInroy & Wood has also been critical to the festival’s return, say organisers.

For more information, visit fringebythesea.com