THE Great Yorkshire Fringe will return to York for a third year, this time running from July 21 to August 6 on its Parliament Street village green and beyond.

Organised by festival founder, York resident and London theatre and comedy impresario Martin Witts, the festival embraces comedy, music, cabaret, magic, theatre and family entertainment and will once more be extended to September with a Family Feastival. Craft beer and wine bars, gourmet street-food and music will add to the festival flavour.

Pocklington-born cult comedian Richard Herring is among the first to be announced and go on sale for this summer’s festival. Herring, king of the Edinburgh Fringe, Metro columnist and the Podfather of podcasts, will perform a brand new show.

Slightly Fat Features, winners of The Great Yorkshire Fringe 2015 Flat Cap Award, will crash-land into York for five “variety shows for the 21st century”; The Scarecrows’ Wedding will receive its York premiere direct from the West End in a show for three year olds from the creative team behind GYF successes Stick Man and Tiddler And Other Tales, based on the book by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler.

The Ronnie Scott All-Stars will present The Jazz Divas, featuring vocalist and BBC Radio 3 presenter Claire Martin in a celebration of Ella Fitzgerald, Peggy Lee, Billie Holiday and their contemporaries.

The Great Yorkshire Fringe Dog Show will return, in aid of the Greyhound Rescue North Yorkshire charity, and full details of all shows can be found at greatyorkshirefringe.com, with new ones being added every week.

The festival will take place in the White Rose Rotunda, a century-old, mirrored spiegeltent; The Shed, hosting shows throughout the day and evening, and The Tea Pot, home to up-and-coming comedy acts, the Free Fringe and the Great Yorkshire Fringe New Comedian of the Year competition.

Bob the Box Office Bus will be at the heart of the festival once more, taking up residency in Parliament Street before the GYF starts for ticket sales, but all shows are bookable now online.