Edmonton Fringe Festival

The Edmonton International Fringe Festival is an annual arts festival held every August in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Produced by the Fringe Theatre Adventures (FTA), it is the oldest and largest fringe theatre festival in North America (based on ticket sales). The Edmonton Fringe is a founding member of the Canadian Association of Fringe Festivals. In 2014, 118, 280 tickets were sold, up from 117, 000 in 2013. The 2014 event had over 210 shows and 1, 600 performances, with an estimated outdoor site attendance of 665, 750. In 2016, the attendance rate reached a record breaking high of 850, 000 + attendees. In 2017 there was a record breaking 130, 000 tickets sold and $1. 2 million in box office sales during the festival, which held performances from over 1, 500 artists in 220 shows. HistoryIn 1982, Chinook Theatre's artistic director Brian Paisley received $50, 000 from Edmonton's Summerfest to put together "A Fringe Theatre Event" in Edmonton’s Old Strathcona District. Inspired by the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Scotland, the Edmonton Fringe (the first in North America) offered 200 live performances in five theatre venues. VenuesThe festival itself takes place in Old Strathcona which has a number of permanent theatres (including the Westbury Theatre and Nordic Studio Theatre in the ATB Financial Arts Barns, the Walterdale Playhouse, the Varscona Theatre, the Roxy on Whyte, and the Princess Theatre) and a number of other venues which are converted by FTA or independent artists into temporary theatre venues. During the festival, the streets and alleys of the neighbourhood are also filled with street performers and masked or costumed actors promoting their plays.

The Edmonton International Fringe Festival is an annual arts festival held every August in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Produced by the Fringe Theatre Adventures (FTA), it is the oldest and largest fringe theatre festival in North America (based on ticket sales). The Edmonton Fringe is a founding member of the Canadian Association of Fringe Festivals. In 2014, 118, 280 tickets were sold, up from 117, 000 in 2013. The 2014 event had over 210 shows and 1, 600 performances, with an estimated outdoor site attendance of 665, 750. In 2016, the attendance rate reached a record breaking high of 850, 000 + attendees. In 2017 there was a record breaking 130, 000 tickets sold and $1. 2 million in box office sales during the festival, which held performances from over 1, 500 artists in 220 shows. HistoryIn 1982, Chinook Theatre's artistic director Brian Paisley received $50, 000 from Edmonton's Summerfest to put together "A Fringe Theatre Event" in Edmonton’s Old Strathcona District. Inspired by the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Scotland, the Edmonton Fringe (the first in North America) offered 200 live performances in five theatre venues. VenuesThe festival itself takes place in Old Strathcona which has a number of permanent theatres (including the Westbury Theatre and Nordic Studio Theatre in the ATB Financial Arts Barns, the Walterdale Playhouse, the Varscona Theatre, the Roxy on Whyte, and the Princess Theatre) and a number of other venues which are converted by FTA or independent artists into temporary theatre venues. During the festival, the streets and alleys of the neighbourhood are also filled with street performers and masked or costumed actors promoting their plays.