Guide to Edmonton Fringe Festival
The stage is set for Old Strathcona's annual theatre extravaganza.
The 42nd iteration of the Edmonton International Fringe Theatre Festival begins in earnest on Thursday, with 186 indoor shows staging 1,558 performances at 37 venues, 21 outdoor performers, 18 artisan vendors, 17 food vendors and five patio/beverage tent spaces set to bring the area alive over 11 days. Indoor shows begin Thursday, Aug. 17, at 8 p.m.
For Fringe artistic director Murray Utas, this year's festival -- theme: The Answer Is Fringe, inspired by Duglas Adams' The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy -- should be memorable if only because it features the return of many artists who last graced Fringe stages years ago.
"I look at that as such a positive sign of health, recovery and community," Utas told CTV News Edmonton on Wednesday night during a kickoff event at the site. "I think there's something here that has a spirit that's kind of hard to describe, but you feel connected. There's a magic. SOmetimes in theatre, you go to a show then you leave the show, but the Fringe, you don't leave. You go see a show, you stay, and then there's an artist you saw and you're talking to them about the show you just saw. It's an instant collision between those two wonderful things that allow people to stay around."
The Fringe site is located in the bosom of Old Strathcona, in the area bounded by 104 Street/Calgary Trail to the west, Gateway Boulevard/103 Street to the east, the alley between 82 and 83 Avenues to the south, and 86 Avenue to the north. That said, a number of venues host shows outside the main site.
Tickets
All tickets are general admission: first come, first served.
- Buy them online
- By phone: 780-409-1910
- In person: at the Fringe Theatre Arts Barns box office (10330 84 Ave.), the 83 Avenue box office (near ATB Park), La Cité Francophone (8627 Rue Marie-Anne Gaboury), The Roxy Theatre (10708 124 St.) or EAC Shop & Services (9930 102 Ave.).
- Daily discount tickets: On each day of the Fringe, discount tickets are available to select performances. They must be purchased in person at any festival box office. Shows offering discounted tickets are posted daily.
Free events and activities
- Kids Fringe: children and caregivers alike are welcome at Light Horse Park.
- Fringe Music Series: the outdoor stage at ATB Park, commonly known as McIntyre Park, features a variety of local musical acts from 9-11 p.m. each night.
- Pêhonân: a celebration of Indigenous performances, installations and stories curated by MJ Belcourt Moses, the Fringe’s new Indigenous director.
- 8-5 Crew: a lineup of some of Edmonton’s hottest graffiti artists, rappers, dancers and microphone assassins on the north side of the festival grounds each weekend of the festival.
Printed guide
- Buy a Fringe Festival guide at the Fringe Theatre Arts Barns box office, the 83 Avenue box office, at 83 Avenue info booths and at festival merchandise booths.
Transportation
- Transit: Routes 4, 8, 404 and 701 travel along Whyte Avenue or Gateway Boulevard. There is a drop-off spot for those using the Disabled Accessible Transit Service (DATS). Plan your trip via ETS.
- Cycle: Bike lock-up is available around Old Strathcona
- Streetcar: The High Level Streetcar offers service between downtown and Old Strathcona, stopping on the Fringe site.
- Parking: Find a place to park your car via this map.
- Shuttle: A free shuttle takes show-goers from the main site to venues (and back) in the French Quarter and near Mill Creek. Hours: Aug. 17, 8 p.m.-12 a.m.; Aug. 18-26, 12 p.m.-12 a.m.; Aug. 27, 12-8 p.m.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Former B.C. premier John Horgan dies at 65
Former B.C. premier John Horgan, who helped the provincial NDP return to power after 16 years on the sidelines, has died.
Body found in Montreal park identified as cryptocurrency influencer
The body of a man that was found in a park in the Ahunstic-Cartierville borough last month has been identified as cryptocurrency influencer Kevin Mirshahi.
Here's why thieves may be stealing butter in Canada
The case of the missing butter remains a mystery, but some have ideas on what's behind the unusual crimes.
B.C. teen with Canada's first human case of avian flu in critical condition, Dr. Bonnie Henry says
The teenager who is sick with the first-ever human case of avian influenza acquired in Canada is in hospital in critical condition, provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said Tuesday.
What consumers need to know if Canada Post workers strike ahead of a busy holiday season
Canada's postal workers could walk off the job or the company could lock them out as soon as 12:01 a.m. ET Friday if the union and the company don't reach an agreement. Here are tips for shoppers and businesses.
Ottawa high school principal apologizes for song played during Remembrance Day assembly
The principal of an Ottawa high school is apologizing to students, parents and guardians after an Arabic-language song was played during the school's Remembrance Day service. The Ottawa-Carleton District School Board is conducting a "thorough investigation" to ensure it "is addressed appropriately and meaningfully."
History in Halifax is slowly being wiped off the map: study
Saint Mary's University archeologist Jonathan Fowler is sounding an alarm with a new study. According to Fowler, the centuries-old architecture that adds to Halifax’s heritage and historic vibe is slowly being wiped away as the city grows.
Bev Priestman out at Canada Soccer in wake of Olympic drone-spying scandal
Bev Priestman is out as coach of the Canadian women's soccer team in the wake of an independent report into the Olympic drone-spying scandal.
Trump picks former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee to be ambassador to Israel
President-elect Donald Trump will nominate former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee as ambassador to Israel, Trump announced Tuesday.