By: Emma Morrison
Photo Courtesy: Facebook
Edmonton is known as the Festival City with more than 50 festivals per year. But the city is especially known for one festival in particular: The Edmonton International Fringe Festival. The Fringe runs from August 15–25 in Old Strathcona and this will be its 38th year.
The Fringe is an arts festival of all types. More accurately it has more than 1,600 performances, 38 venues, two outdoor stages, four patios and over 65 local vendors. So if you don’t like watching theatre, don’t worry, there is something for everyone to enjoy.
The Fringe celebrates some of the most esteemed performers and talents. Some of the most important aspects come from the interaction between the performer and the audience. The performer asks for volunteers and when you volunteer, you open yourself up to a world of possibilities. That’s what the festival is about: sharing your experiences with one another and the people around you.
Another part of the Fringe Festival is the huge theatre lover aspect. There are plays about anything and everything. The plays for this year’s Fringe Festival have yet to be announced, however, some of the directors currently have performance being shown in Edmonton.
13 Encounters at the Bottom of the Sea
This performance has been described as a love story for Edmonton. The performance integrates aerial circus, beautiful poetry, sound and a world of heartbreak. The show runs from April 3-13 in the Westbury Theatre.
A Man Draws a Bird
This story centers on a man and his partner who become trapped in the “in-between” of life and death after an accident. The play has been described as uplifting and “probes the visceral connections between memory and identity.” The story is based on true life events. The show runs from April 30-May 12 in the Backstage Theatre.
These two plays are showing the talent, creativity and passion of these artists and performers who attended the Fringe Festival.
They even have Kid’s Fringe, which is the fringe but more family friendly. The performers are more appropriate for kids and young families.
One of the most memorable nights at the fringe is the Skills ‘N’ Thrills show. The show is formerly known as the Friday Night Fire Show. This new show has a lot fewer flames but has even more daring and hot thrills that you don’t want to miss.
