GUELPH – Downtown Guelph will be alive with wonder and surprise as independent performing artists take the stage August 10 to 13 for the Guelph Fringe Festival.
Each of the participating production teams from near and far will perform three shows at one of three local venues over the four days.
This entertaining event provides a platform for emerging and established artists to showcase their talents in a broad range of theatre, dance, music, and creative storytelling.
Following last summer’s successful Fringe, coordinator Paul Barson is familiar with the kinetic energy and teamwork it takes to stage multiple shows in three locations.
“This is a celebration of artistic freedom and innovation, and we’re here to support all of that,” says Barson, who admits, “it can be a dizzying effort at times, but definitely worth it.”
The Guelph Fringe was rebooted in 2022 through a volunteer collaboration between local artists, thespians and theatre-lovers, including producers from the Downtown Theatre Project, a local production company that launched in Guelph in 2018.
This year’s festival lineup promises to just as dynamic and full of surprises.
A total of 45 live shows will be performed at the Guelph Fringe Festival, which is part of the Canadian Association of Fringe Festivals.
Following a familiar format to fringe festivals around the world, artists participating in Guelph will receive $12 from every $15 ticket sold.
As a new addition this year, Fireflies on the Fringe will feature four shows for the smallest theatre goers, performed by Canada’s own Beppie, and The Shadow Puppet Theatre.
These shows are family friendly.
The other shows in the festival have individual content warnings.
“It could be a personal drama, a lively dance, a mini musical, or something completely unexpected, but there’s something for everyone,” promises Barson.
“That’s the magic of the fringe.”
All Festival shows will be performed at The Red Brick Café, Silence, and the Guelph Civic Museum in downtown Guelph.
For show details, online tickets and times, visit guelphfringe.ca or go to the Eventbrite Box Office.
All seats are $15. Ticket sales end two hours prior to each performance.
Remaining tickets can be purchased for cash only at each venue prior to showtime, space permitting.
