Explore the visual and performative arts at the annual Elgin Fringe Festival Sept. 20-29
The Elgin Fringe Festival returns for its 11th year, running from Friday, Sept. 20, through Sunday, Sept. 29. This celebration of artistic experimentation will feature an uncurated, inclusive, and affordable experience, drawing both local and national talent to Elgin’s historic downtown.
More than 80 performances will captivate audiences, showcasing dance, theater, comedy, music, magic, and other innovative art forms at venues all around downtown Elgin — Side Street, Vern’s, Elgin Public House, Martini Room, and for the first time the DuPage Court.
Festivalgoers can easily walk between venues and enjoy local dining and entertainment.
The “Preview Party” will be 5 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 25, at the Martini Room. It is for ages 21 or older. Check out short previews by Elgin Fringe artists as they attempt to lure you to their shows. Wear your fringe button, drink a #fringetini, and start your festival right! Buttons and tickets will be on sale.
The festival also features a visual art exhibition, outdoor performances for all ages, an “Almost-Closing Party,” and a “Closing Party.”
Festival entry buttons cost $3. 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. For the schedule of performers or to purchase tickets, go to www.elginfringefestival.com.
All performances, even the free ones, require physical tickets for entry. Sorry, no downloadable tickets — it’s all old school.
Stop by Fringe Central at Side Street Studio Arts, 15 Ziegler Court, to pick up physical tickets and buttons for show entry. No tickets are available for sale or pick-up at Fringe venues.
Next-In
Love movies? The Elgin Fringe Festival kicks off with Next-In, a special short film screening where you get to vote for your favorites! The top films will move on to compete in the Elgin Short Film Festival on Saturday, Oct. 5. It will be at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Sept. 21-22, at Vern’s Speakeasy, 76 S. Grove Ave. A $3 festival entry button is required for admission, available for purchase at the door.
Discover more about the Elgin Short Film Festival at elginil.gov/1828/Elgin-Short-Film-Festival.
Visual arts exhibit
More than 20 talented artists will be featured at the Elgin Fringe visual arts exhibit on Sept. 21-29. Artists are selected via lottery, and the exhibition is not curated.
Meet the artists at the exhibit opening on Friday, Sept. 21, from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Side Street Studios gallery, 15 Ziegler Court in Elgin.
Andrew Vo is the creator of the 2024 Elgin Fringe poster and button, as well as the creator of the Fringe Fox logo and the 2022 EFF festival artwork. He is a vital part of the festival team, serving as the visual arts coordinator and an exhibition coordinator at Side Street Studio Arts. He is a first-generation Vietnamese American artist whose practice is in 2D, with an emphasis on drawing and card making.
The artists include: BaM! (Bruce Bachelder and Mike Rende), David Bremer, Rebecca Cynamon-Murphy, Nicki Fortunati-Warren, Kathryn Fredrickson, Timothy Griffith, Mal Hiraoka, Anna Lentz, Kimberly Lloyd, Erica McKeehen, Theresa Nollette, PandoPOP!, Sara Peak Convery, Laurie Peters, Melissa Routzahn, Bobby Rowland, Ken Simonsen, Joshua L. Smith, and The Church of Dust. Learn more about the artists at www.elginfringefestival.com/art-exhibition.
Something for everyone
Elgin’s Fringe movement brings artists and audiences of all kinds together in an eclectic mix of venues in the historic downtown center. Over the past decade, they have hosted hundreds of artists, performances, and thousands of guests for original theater, dance, music, comedy, magic, and the undefined.
The 11th annual festival welcomes perennial fan favorites, emerging artists, and original material that offers something for everyone.
Shows include: “Burlesque is …” by Haus A'Blaze Burlesque; “Body Works” excerpts by Dance Uprising; “The Chase: A Light Bringer Story” by Light Bringer Productions; “Big Honor Student Energy” by Alisa Rosenthal; “Conversion Therapy: Drag Queens on Parade!” by Moana Lotte & Friends; “feverdream” by Memoriam Development; “ElectroCult Circus presents… “; “5 Minutes* of Vulnerability: *a 50 minute comedy show” by Michael T. Oakes; “The Greatest Betrayal” by Vague Idea Production; “Hamlet in Jazz” by Makoto Yamaguchi; “Intimate and Appropriate” by Paul Thomas; “He-Man is the Devil: A Satanic Panic Tale” by Kyle B. Dekker;: How to Make Friends & Alienate Them” by Danny Wightkin; “Jen Tries to Make a Comedy Special: A Comedy Special” with Jen Durbent; “Ka$h Money Karl Presents Bringing Home the Bacon”; “keeping/tracking/passing” by Ambo Dance Theatre; “Kelly Bolton Presents Nice to Meet You! “; “The Picture of Dorian’s Gray Hair” by Slapdash Theatre; Marie Cooney Stories' “Pre-Perceptions”; “The Kindness Show” with Miss Make-Believe; “Memories In Motion,” a multidisciplinary one-woman show by Rachel Benzing; “Sad Girl Songs: A Comedy Show” with award-winning comedian Gwen Coburn; “Slicing Oranges for the Exorcism” by Mike Chernoff; “Subversive Librarian: Stories Lived and Told by An American Librarian in Norwich, England” by Sarah Beth Nelson; The Ghostly Podcast with tales of the “Butcher of Palos Park,” ghosts at O’Hare Airport, and more; “That Woman — The Monologue Show” by Tennessee Playwrights Studio; Stuart Tilton: Experimental Electronic Music on two Benjolins; “Too Fat to Run” by the Fat Theatre Project; “Turtle Knows your Name” and other tales by DramaforaChange; and “Upstairs neighbor music” by Thomas A. Rodriguez.
Free Fringe on DuPage Court
On Saturday, Sept. 28, Free Fringe on DuPage Court will feature three all-ages performances from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. It also will feature community friends from the Elgin Symphony Orchestra, School of Rock, Side Street Studio Arts, League of Women Voters, and more.
Bring a chair, grab a snack from a downtown restaurant, and spend the day at DuPage Court.
At 10:30 a.m., FeelJones offers a fresh take on gospel music with a performance that infuses hip-hop and R&B to create a distinctive and polished sound. It is rated G, and includes audience interaction and religious content.
At noon, enjoy the Dinder Brother's Circus, a two-person circus show featuring magic, aerial arts, comedy, danger and more. This is an all-ages show but has something for everyone ages 2 and up. Featuring the high-flying, pain-proof princess Claira Bell and her marvelous counterpart, Magic Rob, an award-winning deaf magician. This program is rated G and includes audience interaction.
At 1:30 p.m., join Miss Make-Believe in an enchanting show that teaches children and families about the power of kindness. The show combines magic, handmade props, puppets, original music, and an abundance of laughter. It is rated PG and includes audience interaction.
Volunteers needed
With over 80 performances across downtown Elgin, plus additional parties and activities, Fringe requires a lot of hard work to put together.
They need volunteers for venue support (taking tickets at a specific venue for 2-4 hours at a time, a total of 8 hours); runner (run lunches, messages, help out where needed for 2-4 hours at a time); and more. Each role comes with perks like tickets and other stuff. For an application, go to www.elginfringefestival.com/volunteer.
Follow facebook.com/elginfringefestival/ or instagram.com/elginfringe/.