Help lay foundation Saturday for Elgin's inaugural Fringe Festival

Enjoy some "Family Fringe Fun" from 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday, May 31, at Side Street Studio Arts, 15 Ziegler Court, Elgin.

Join the Elgin Fringe Festival Committee and Kirkpatrick, Jones, and Herzog Insurance for some old-fashioned free family fun, including outdoor games, face painting, barbecue, and art projects, as well as performances by select Elgin Fringe Festival artists.

You will be able to purchase your Elgin Fringe Festival button for $3. The buttons are designed by Elgin artist Jim Lloyd. All proceeds will help offset production costs of the Elgin Fringe Festival, which will kick off in Sept. 11-14.

You will be able to make and take your own festival T-shirt. It is free if you bring your own T-shirt, or $5 if you use one of the supplied ones. Visit www.elginfringefestival.com.

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.

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, vist the website wlginfringefestival.com.