STROUD Fringe Festival returns today for its 21st anniversary and will present the best in music, theatre and performing arts over three days.

The festival, which starts today and lasts until Sunday, will take place throughout the town from specially installed outdoor stages to an eclectic range of more than a dozen unique venues in and around Stroud, including Colourscape, a labyrinth of colour and light.

As well as music, comedy, art and street performances – totalling more than 150 acts – there will be an abundance of food and drink at the Fringe’s Food Street through Lansdown.

Chef at the No 23 bistro in Nelson Street, Laurence Kapoor, has scoured the Five Valleys for the best of the area’s street food scene, bringing wood-fired pizzas, burritos, waffles and much more to the town centre – and past the Stroud News & Journal office.

All the profits from beer sales – of which there are sure to be many – at this year’s Fringe will be ploughed into organising costs for next year’s events.

“It brings the buzz to Stroud,” said one of the Fringe’s new organisers Chris Mattos.

“It’s great to bring so much local talent and we hope it will continue for many years to come.

“We’re a community interest company and all the work is carried out by volunteers – it’s a real community event.

“It also makes people aware of what is on offer in Stroud, people might visit and say ‘oh I didn’t know about that’ and come back again.

Bank Gardens will be the Fringe’s main stage and performance hub, with a musical line-up that includes Stroud-based singer-songwriter Emily Barker alongside Lancastrians Lowes.

This main area is also the home of the flag-making workshop for the annual Fringe parade on the Sunday afternoon, as well as the pop-up bookshop and magazine-making workshop Burning House Books.

The Fringe is organised from volunteers and professionals throughout the Five Valleys from start to finish, right down to technical assistance and sound gear from d&b audiotechnik in Nailsworth.

Ecotricity Canal Stage will be transformed into Stroud’s own Village Green with a 'bandstand'-style stage and the Cornhill farmers’ market square will offer a comedy stage for Friday night and reggae and world music for the remaining two nights.

The canal-side stage near Wallbridge will play host to sing-a-long social and the ‘banjo-fuelled stomp’ of Curtis Eller’s American Circus.

“It’s such a brilliant event for the town,” said organiser Lotte Lyster, who is landlord of the Prince Albert in Rodborough.

“There’s always a great energy in Stroud when the Fringe comes round, a great sense of community, everyone gets involved and it draws so many people to the town.

“It showcases a lot of local talent and there’s always a friendly atmosphere.”

Now in its third year, the Block Party stage has moved this year from Merrywalks to Fawkes Place – due to the sheer amount of people who attended the event at the last Fringe – and will feature headliners including Dynamite MC and DJ Format as well as The Nextmen.

Joining the fray this year is Lansdown Hall which will play host to ‘Late at the Fringe’, featuring popular act Johnny Quiz for a night of madcap, musical mayhem.

Over at the Subscription Rooms some of the best DJs will be putting on live sets to a create an unforgettable Fringe experience with big names such as Groove Rider, The Plump DJs, Aries, Ragga Twins and the Utah Saints.

The Sub Rooms also have a mix of local DJs including Jamie Rainbow, Spanked, Rob Twin, Joe Dymond, Pete Drive and Dom Thompson.

On Sunday they present a family friendly gig with Aswad star Brinsley Forde MBE.

For full details visit stroudfringe.co.uk, download the free app or pick up a pocket-sized programme from Shambles Market.