Fringe2

Very generally speaking, Fringes are...

  • Focused on the performing arts: Theater, dance, puppetry, spoken word and the like make up the Fringe core, but festivals often may include film and visual arts elements. Fringes don't have a focus on a single discipline or genre, but are a performing-arts smörgåsbord
  • Uncensored: No one gets too fussy about swears or nudity but squeaky-clean content isn't marginal or discouraged, either
  • Easy to participate in: Ticket prices are low for audiences and production fees are low for artists. Show selection varies from festival to festival but is generally quite open to participation by the gamut of amateurs to professionals
  • Festivals: They last from just a few days to a few weeks and involve boatloads of people at multiple venues
  • Original: Fringes feature a huge array of original material—sometimes by design, but usually because that’s what Fringes naturally do well
  • Rapid-fire: Typically, tech is minimal and time is a factor at our festivals. Shows are often kept brief (Fringes most frequently have shows right around 60 minutes in length) and technical requirements kept simple (minor sets, streamlined cues, nothing elaborate)

It all started in 1947 in Edinburgh, Scotland, as an alternative festival that played concurrently with the Edinburgh International Festival. In 1948, Robert Kemp, a local journalist, gave it the name Fringe: "Round the fringe of official Festival drama, there seems to be more private enterprise than before..." (Read more about Fringe history at Wikipedia.)

And enterprising Fringe has been. Fringe performing arts festivals can now be found all over the world and, in the United States, the concept has taken off like a rocket in recent years.

In the United States, no one organization or individual owns, controls or regulates the name “Fringe.” There are no national rules for how each individual festivals operate; the festivals’ content, finances and structure vary from city to city. Generally, however, all the festivals are committed to an open forum of expression that minimizes the financial risks for both artists and audiences. Fringes strive to keep application fees and ticket prices low so that more people can participate in our festivals.

Capital Fringe is a proud founding member of THE UNITED STATES FRINGE FESTIVAL ASSOCATION.


WHERE TO FRINGE - USA

New USA Fringe Festivals

O'AHU FRINGE FESTIVAL

Coming November 2010

Email: info@oahufringe.com

Site: http://www.oahufringe.com/

JANUARY

GREENSBORO FRINGE FESTIVAL
Email: Info@GreensboroFringeFestival.org
Phone: 336-549-7431
http://www.greensborofringefestival.org/
Festival Runs: late January - early February

ASHVILLE FRINGE FESTIVAL
C/O Asheville Contemporary Dance Theater
20 Commerce St.Asheville, NC 28801
Email: info@ashevillefringe.org
Site: http://www.ashevillefringe.org/
Festival Runs: late January

MARCH

ROGUE PERFORMANCE FESTIVAL
416 East Brown Avenue Fresno, CA 93704
Phone: 559.709.1464
Email: darogue@roguefestival.com
Site: http://www.roguefestival.com/
Application Fees: $50-$250 + $25 processing
Festival Runs Early-Mid March
Application Deadlines October

not official fringe - but, fringe like

FRIGID THEATRE FESTIVAL
Email: mailto:akia29@hotmail.com
Site: http://www.frigidfest.com/
Festival Runs Early-Mid March

PHOENIX FRINGE (PHX:FRINGE)

P.O. Box 231, Phoenix, AZ 85001-0231
Phone: 602.476.1066
Fax: 602.606.7601

Email: info@phxfringe.org

Site: http://www.phxfringe.org

Festival Run late March early April

APRIL

DIVA FEST
156 Eddy St.
San Francisco, CA, USA 94102
Phone: (415) 931-1094
Email: mail@sffringe.org
Site: http://www.sffringe.org/
Festival Runs mid April

not official fringe - but, fringe like

DETROIT FRINGE FESTIVAL
350 Madsion Ave.
Detroit, MI 48226
Phone:(313) 887-8501
Email: MariaP@musichall.org
Site: http://www.detroitfringefestival.com/
Festival Runs mid April

MAY

ORLANDO INTERNATIONAL FRINGE FESTIVAL
398 West Amelia Street
Orlando, Fl. 32839
Phone: (407)-648-0077
Email: producer@orlandofringe.org
Site: http://www.orlandofringe.org/
Festival Runs mid-MayFee: $258-$600
Application Deadlines November

CINCINNATI FRINGE FESTIVAL
Phone: 513 319 9385
Email: bruffy@cincyfringe.com
Site: http://www.cincyfringe.com/
Festival runs Mid May

PICCOLO SPOLETO FESTIVAL
Phone: (843) 724-7305
cultural_affairs@ci.charleston.sc
Site: http://www.piccolospoleto.com/
Festival Runs Late May-Early June

not official fringe - but, fringe like

JUNE

HOLLYWOOD FRINGE FESTIVAL

Email: support@hollywoodfringe.org
Site: http://www.hollywoodfringe.org/
Festival Runs Mid June

JULY

CAPITAL FRINGE FESTIVAL
607 New York Ave NW Washington, DC 20001
Email: info@capitalfringe.org
Site: http://www.capitalfringe.org/
Festival Runs mid-late July

BERKSHIRE FRINGE
Bazaar Productions, Inc.
6 Cherry Hill Rd
Box 226
Stockbridge, MA 01262
sara@berkshirefringe.org
917-685-2982
Site: http://www.berkshirefringe.org/
Festival Runs: late July

KC FRINGE FESTIVAL
PO Box 415001
Kansas City, MO 64141-5001
Phone: 780-402-5983
Email: info@kcfringe.org
Site: http://www.kcfringe.org/
Festival Runs end of July
APPLICATION FEE: $35-$235
Applications Due early April

INFRINGEMENT BUFFALO
Phone: (716) 408-0488
Email: info@infringebuffalo.org
Site: http://www.infringebuffalo.org/
Festival Runs end of July to early August

not official fringe - but, fringe like

St. Louis (Improv) Fringe Festival
Email: festival@stlfringe.com

Site: http://www.stlfringe.com/
Festival Runs early-mid September

NEW ENGLAND FRINGE FESTIVAL
Phone: 978.667.0550
Email: info@NEFringeFestival.com

Site: http://www.nefringefestival.com/

Festival Runs September - October

AUGUST

WOODSTOCK FRINGE
PO Box 157
Lake Hill, NY 12448
Phone: (845) 810-0123
Email: info@woodstockfringe.org
Site: http://www.woodstockfringe.org/
Festival Runs early August - early September

MINNESOTA FRINGE FESTIVAL
528 Hennepin Ave S, Suite 503
Minneapolis, MN 55403
Phone: (612)-872-1212
Email: info@fringefestival.org
Site: http://www.fringefestival.org/
Festival Runs early-mid August
Fee: $400 Applications Due end of January

BOULDER INTERNATIONAL FRINGE FESTIVAL
1020 ½ Portland Place
Boulder, CO, 80304
720-563-9950
info@boulderfringe.org
Site: http://www.boulderfringe.org/
Festival Runs mid-late August
Dance and Theater - Applications Due Late January
Music, Film and Visual Art - Applications Due Early April

INDIANAPOLIS FRINGE FESTIVAL
Indianapolis Theatre Fringe Festival
P. O. Box 532355
Indianapolis, IN 46253
317-297-2287
E-mail: info@indyfringe.org
Site: http://www.indyfringe.org/
Festival Runs mid-late August

NEW YORK FRINGE FESTIVAL - FRINGEnyc
The Present Company 520 Eighth Avenue, Ste.
311New York, NY 10018
Phone: 212.279.4488
Fax: 212.279.4466
Email: info@FringeNYC.org
Site: http://www.fringenyc.org/
Festival Runs Early-Mid August
Application Deadlines Early Feb

LIVE ARTS FESTIVAL & PHILLY FRINGE
32 N Front St
Philadelphia, PA 19106
Phone: 215.413.9006
Fax 215.413.9007
Email: getinfo@livearts-fringe.org
Site: http://www.livearts-fringe.org/
Festival Runs Late August-Mid-September
Application Deadline April 1

RHINOCEROUS THEATER FESTIVAL
Curious Theatre Branch
7001 N. Glenwood
Chicago IL 60626
Site: http://www.rhinofest.com/
Festival runs end August - early September

not official fringe - but, fringe like

SEPTEMBER

CHICAGO FRINGE FESTIVAL NFP

Email: info@chicagofringe.org

Site: http://www.chicagofringe.org/

Runs Early September

SAN FRANCISCO FRINGE FESTIVAL
156 Eddy St.
San Francisco, CA, USA 94102
Phone: (415) 931-1094
Email: mail@sffringe.org
Site: http://www.sffringe.org/
Festival Runs early-mid September
Fee: $475
Applications Due mid February

ST. LOUIS (IMPROV) FRINGE FESTIVAL
Email: festival@stlfringe.com
Site: http://www.stlfringe.com/
Festival Runs early-mid September

OCTOBER

WILMINGTON FRINGE

Email: info@fringewilmingtonde.org

Site: http://fringewilmingtonde.com/

Festival Runs Early October

NOVEMBER

NEW ORLEANS - FRINGE FESTIVAL

732 France Street

New Oreleans, LA 70117

Phone/Fax: 504.941.3640

Email: info@nofringe.org

Site: http://www.nofringe.org

Festival runs mid November