PRESS & MEDIA
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ELGIN FRINGE FESTIVAL: A CELEBRATION OF ARTISTIC INNOVATION
The Elgin Fringe Festival (EFF) returns for its thirteenth year in September 2026! The festival kicks off with the Visual Arts Opening on Friday, September 4, followed by pop-up performances and creative events throughout September. The festival culminates with the main Performance Weekend, held September 23 through 27.
This vibrant celebration of artistic experimentation features an uncurated, inclusive, and affordable experience, drawing both local and national talent to Elgin’s historic downtown. Nearly 90 performances captivate audiences, showcasing dance, theater, comedy, music, magic, and other innovative art forms. Festival-goers can easily walk between venues and enjoy local dining and entertainment.
Performance Weekend begins with a Preview Party on Wednesday, September 23, where Elgin Fringe artists perform short previews designed to introduce audiences to their shows. Festival Weekend also includes an Almost-Closing Party, and a Closing Party! Festival Entry Buttons cost just $4, and performance tickets range from free to $12. A festival pass, offering access to all events, is available for $95. All ticket sales go directly to the artists, supporting the creative community.
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WHAT IS A FRINGE FESTIVAL?
Fringe festivals exist worldwide as havens for underground and emerging arts scenes. The Fringe concept was incubated in Edinburgh, Scotland. In 1947, eight performance groups appeared uninvited on the “fringes” of the exclusive Edinburgh International Festival. The Edinburgh Fringe Festival has since grown into the largest arts festival in the world, with hundreds of artists, thousands of performances, and millions of patrons every summer. It annually grosses over $100 million for the local economy and remains the biggest tourist draw in the UK.
Fringe Festivals have since sprung up in dozens of cities across the world. Most Fringe festivals are open and unjuried, preferring lotteries, first-come-first-served, and find-your-own-venue systems to a formal selection process. This open means of programming fosters the work of both the well-established and the obscure; everyone has the opportunity to participate. Fringe festivals nourish young visionaries by providing networking opportunities and production experience. They also provide large economic and cultural boosts for their hosting communities. It's exciting and meaningful that Elgin Fringe is a part of the larger Fringe movement, learning and encouraging each other to better our world through artistic expression.
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The Elgin Fringe Festival is part of the United States Association of Fringe Festivals (USAFF),
the World Fringe Association, and the Canadian Association of Fringe Festivals (CAFF).
​2025 ELGIN FRINGE FACTS
80+
Performances
Seats Filled
37
Visual
Artists
1300+
Performers
20
8
150+
Venues
Performing Groups
A WIDE SPECTRUM OF ARTISTIC EXPRESSION​
Cabaret, comedy sketch shows, burlesque dancing, Appalachian traditional music, dance parties, biographical storytelling, stand-up comedy, clowning, acrobatics, juggling, Spanish punk ’n’ roll, multi-instrumental improvised music, Americana, rock, group dance, queer performance art, pop music, magic, improv comedy, microfiction, multimedia, improvised mariachi, daring circus acts, musical theater, role-playing improv, solo dramedy, spoken word, instrumental & classical guitar, improvised storytelling, musical improv, visual art, and the undefined!
PRESS PASSES
Whether you’re interested in reviewing shows, covering special events, or writing larger stories about the festival, we’d love to have you at Elgin Fringe.
​​​​Press Passes will be available for pick-up at Fringe Central during operating hours. A Press Pass is required to enter any Fringe performance. ​
PRESS CONTACT: Michael Novelli michael@elginfringefestival.com
