Elgin Fringe Festival buttons go on sale
You've heard the phrase cute as a button, but have you purchased one? Well, now you can to help support the first Elgin Fringe Festival.
Elgin Fringe Festival buttons will be available for the first time at the Martini Room Speakeasy Prohibition Party on Saturday, March 29, starting at 7:30 p.m. at the Martini Room, 161 E. Chicago St., Elgin.
The event will feature art installations, performances, music, and special discounts for people purchasing an Elgin Fringe Festival button. Admission is free for fringe supporters.
The buttons are designed by Elgin artist Jim Lloyd and will be available for purchase for $3. All proceeds will help offset production costs of the Elgin Fringe Festival, which will kick off in September.
Fringe buttons are a long-standing festival tradition. Participants need them to purchase tickets to performances, obtain access to fringe parties and events, and get discounts at area businesses throughout the year.
"Each fringe festival sells specially designed buttons to help support fringe festival operations," said committee member Erin Rehberg, who is also director of Side Street Studio Arts. "With these buttons, a patron can easily help support the festival, the artists, and downtown Elgin."
This is the inaugural year for the Elgin Fringe Festival, which was selected because of its burgeoning arts scene, urban architecture, abundance of spaces, and proximity to Chicago.
There are more than 50 Fringe Festivals throughout the world, featuring performing arts, film, visual arts and music. Performances take place in downtown areas in cafes, theaters, storefronts, and a variety of other locations. The first Fringe Festival started in 1947 in Edinburgh, Scotland, as an alternative festival that played concurrently with the Edinburgh International Festival.
The Elgin Fringe Festival is sponsored by the Elgin Cultural Arts Commission, Elgin Art Showcase, Janus Theater Company, Side Street Studio Arts, Martini Room, Elgin Public House, Imago Studios, and Business Matters. For more information, go to www.elginfringefestival.com.