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The creative world of fringe theatre will burst back onto the local arts scene next summer as artists travel to Windsor for four days of live performances during Fringe Windsor.
“This incarnation of Fringe Windsor is brand new,” said Laura K. Bird, who along with Valerie Bonasso is co-producing the summertime event.
“This will be the first festival under this title and under this name.”
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Windsor has joined the international world of fringe with its new membership in the Canadian Fringe circuit beginning in 2025.
“In order to call yourself a Fringe in North America, you need to be part of CAFF, the Canadian Association of Fringe Festivals,” Bird said. “So we just got our approval earlier this year.
“We’re excited to do Fringe in 2025.”
Bird, who first participated in fringes in the early 1990s, said being part of the Canadian circuit means that artists from across Canada can apply for the Windsor festival, which promises to bring a diverse range of performances
“Really, you don’t know (what to expect),” Bird said. “You’ll have a chance to read a little bit about what each show is.
“They’re generally a maximum of 60 minutes long so you can do what’s called a fringe binge. You might go see four shows in a day and intersperse that by, you know, having a bite to eat or a drink somewhere.
Bird said the shows are often original works, and primarily theatre performances, but not always and they are performed in pop-up theatre venues most often.
“It will be spaces that are transformed into theatre spaces, and honestly, you don’t know what you’ll get, and that’s part of the fun and the risk of fringe,” she added.
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“The other thing that’s really neat with the Fringe Festivals is that you get to mingle with the artist, perhaps more than you would if you went to a traditional show, because there’s usually a fringe hub, a place where people can gather in between shows,” Bird said. “We’ll have some activities and it gives you a chance to actually talk to the people.”
Fringe facts
Fringe Windsor is slated for July 24 to 27.
Organizers are hosting two information sessions for potential participants, volunteers, sponsors or audience members on Tuesday, Nov. 19, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. and Sunday, Dec. 1, from 2 to 3:30 p.m., at Sho Studios, 628 Monmouth Rd.
RSVPs are appreciated but not mandatory for attendance, via fringewindsor@gmail.com
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