Edmonton Fringe Festival reaches fundraising goal

Edmonton International Fringe Festival on Sunday Aug. 25, 2024. (Miriam Valdes-Carletti/CTV News Edmonton)

Edmonton's International Fringe Festival will return in full force next year after organizers announced their fundraising goal was met.

Due to increased costs associated with a festival the size of Fringe, the organization started a campaign, called Sustain Fringe, earlier this year.

• The information you need to know, sent directly to you: Download the CTV News App

"Without your immediate support, our festival will be very different," the organization said on its website.

In 2020, the festival was cancelled due to COVID, which resulted in a loss of $3 million in revenue, the organization added.

On Thursday, the organization announced that its fundraising goal for next year's festival had been met.

"Fringe is Edmonton's own, it's Edmonton grown, what happens here over the 11 days of our festival doesn't happen anywhere else in the world," Megan Dart, Fringe Theatre's executive director said on Thursday. "To see that outpouring of support come forward, for Edmontonians to rally to help us meet our goal is just … we are humbled and we are grateful.

"It means Fringe Theatre can continue to contribute to the vibrancy of our community, and keep Edmonton on the map as a creative destination."

After official wrap-up over the weekend, the festival was $58,000 short of its goal. MHCare Medical then donated that amount to ensure the festival would continue without having to downsize.

"Mental wellness is just as important as physical, probably doesn't get the same amount of attention, and the arts are an important part of mental wellness," Blayne Iskiw, the executive vice president of MHCare Medical.

"We know budgets are tight everywhere and every dollar matters and fortunately, we're in a position where we were able to help out and take a little bit of pressure off people that are giving their blood, sweat and tears to their passion."

Fringe may be over for the year, but theatre enthusiasts can still enjoy the holdover shows, which continue through until Sunday.

Edmonton's festival is the largest and longest-running fringe theatre festival in North America. It also ranks among the top 5 fringe festivals in the world, according to the festival website.