Side Street Studio Arts presents the seventh annual Winter Mini Fringe
On Saturday, Jan. 31, join the seventh 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. Whether you're a longtime fan or new to the Fringe experience, this event promises an unforgettable day 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, Elgin Fringe Festival artistic director. “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.”
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.
The day of arts and performance will be 1 to 9:30 p.m. at Side Street Studio Arts Back Space, 15 Ziegler Court in downtown Elgin. For tickets and more information, visit elginfringefestival.com or call (847) 429-2276.
Online pre-sale tickets are $13 per performance or $40 for a festival pass. At the door, it will be $15 per performance or $40 festival pass
Mini Fringe Visual Art Show from 1 to 3 p.m.
Winter Mini Fringe kicks off with the opening of a visual art show featuring Adam Grewenig, the 2026 Elgin Fringe poster artist, and work by previous Elgin Fringe poster artists including Anna Lentz, Andrew Vo, Kathryn Eli, Jess Rocha, Kerri Liu, and Christopher Hodge. Come early and enjoy this special exhibition in the Side Street Studio Gallery. Free and open to the public.
Mini-Fringe Potluck from 3 to 9 p.m.
Bring a dish to share and enjoy a communal meal with fellow art lovers and performers. Share food and conversation before, during, between, and after the performances. Guests are welcome to bring food into each performance.
“Ozark Phantasmagoria” by Ursa Miles at 3 p.m.
The Ozarks in the 1930s is a strange and mystical place. As new dams are built and towns plunged underwater, cryptids that once hid in the woods and the rivers are forced into contact with humans. When Sarah Jane's brother is taken, it is the hills that will be her revenge.
“The Aisle Play” by Sword and Ink Theater at 5:30 p.m.
What would you do at the end of the world? This dark comedy follows a group of survivors as they raid a grocery store and try to hold onto the fonder moments of their past, as the future looks more and more bleak. Rated PG-13. It includes: abrupt loud noises, death, drugs/alcohol, guns, and adult language.
“Bad Stories for Bad Children” by Cardboard Theatre at 7 p.m.
Are you a bad child? Experience a series of original short stories written by Mike Eserkaln, with shadow puppets by Maggie Dernehl. Four darkly comedic tales of what happens when bad children face the consequences of their bad behavior. A Cardboard Theatre production. Premiered at the Green Bay Fringe Festival 2025. Rated PG. It includes: audience interaction, mild violence, and implied death.
Closed Captions, a Spanglish Standup Comedy Show with Jose Alfredo, Adrian Ayala, Carlos Alvidrez, and Uzi Acosta at 8:30 p.m.
This comedy showcase featuring four Chicago area comedians where English leads, Spanish sneaks in, and everyone gets the joke. Even if you don’t speak Spanish, the punch lines land — because funny is a universal language. Rated R. It includes: adult language, sexual content, mature themes, and mentions of guns, drugs, and alcohol.