Elgin Fringe Festival captures creative spirit with one-day winter celebration
On Saturday, Jan. 25, join the sixth annual Winter Mini Fringe, an intimate celebration of artistry and community presented by Side Street Studio Arts and the Elgin Fringe Festival.
This one-day festival features a diverse lineup of performances and events designed to capture the bold and experimental spirit of the Fringe Festival in a cozy, winter setting.
Whether you're a longtime fan or new to the Fringe experience, this event promises an unforgettable evening filled with creativity, connection, and delicious food.
“Winter Mini Fringe is a perfect snapshot of what makes the Elgin Fringe Festival so special,” said Nick Mataragas, artistic director for the Elgin Fringe Festival. “It’s a chance to bring the community together in a warm, welcoming space to celebrate the creativity and boldness that define the Fringe spirit. This year’s lineup is packed with talent, and we’re thrilled to share it with new and returning audiences.”
It will be in the Backspace of Side Street Studio Arts, 15 Ziegler Court in downtown Elgin. This space is up a steep flight of stairs, with no elevator access.
Winter Mini Fringe is produced by Side Street Studio Arts with support from the Elgin Cultural Arts Commission. The mission of the Elgin Fringe Festival is to encourage bold artistic experimentation and innovation by providing an accessible, affordable experience for both artists and audiences alike.
It kicks off with the opening reception of an art show featuring the work of Anna Lenz, the 2025 EFF button and poster artist. Her captivating painting, “Going Places,” was voted 2024 Fringe Audience Favorite in Visual Art. Her work combines vibrant, saturated colors to create pieces that unsettle and resettle the viewer into a new sense of balance. Join in celebrating this special exhibition from 2 to 8 p.m. in the Gallery at Side Street Studio arts.
From 3 to 8 p.m., bring a dish to share and enjoy a communal meal with fellow art lovers and performers in the “Mini-Fringe Potluck.” Share food and conversation before, during, between, and after the performances. Guests are welcome to bring food into each performance.
At 3:30 p.m., take a thought-provoking and comedic journey into the future with “Fringe U: Parallel Timeline Series: DILII FUTURI” by Augie Marado. Fringe University (FU) returns in 2052 (not a typo) with insights from three panelists about what the world might look like in three decades. Coffee, doughnuts, and cold bagels included.
At 5 p.m., Ramona Rotten presents “A Very Dangerous Woman vs. the Holy Fathers of the American Inquisition.” This immersive performance confronts censorship, societal control, and the boundaries of agency. Inspired by the historical legacy of Anthony Comstock, this provocative experience invites participants to grapple with their own role within oppressive systems and explore new possibilities for liberation.
Embark on an irreverent and hilarious adventure into the mythical Pants Labyrinth by Haus of Ruckus’ Calvin Vo & T. Green at 6:30 p.m. When he loses his tuxedo pants before a friends’ wedding, Fungus and Johnny are thrust into an adventure of mythic proportions, as they dare to venture into the Pants Labyrinth. There they must face off against a rascally puppet, an oracle with an unreasonable co-pay, a Minotaur with a flair for pants and disco dancing, a choreographer with snakes for hair, and an over reliance on the beejees. With disco music, puppets, and dancing, this comedy is a delightful romp through a world of quirky characters and outrageous challenges.
Advance tickets are $13 per performance or $35 for a festival pass. Tickets at the door are $15 or $40.