Dates set for virtual Fringe North

The annual Fringe North festival, which will be held virtually in 2021, will kick off on  Aug. 19.

Following is a full release from organizers on the event:

The Fringe North Theatre Festival, proud member of the Canadian Association of Fringe Festivals, is pleased to announce that this year's festival will take place from Aug. 19 to 22, 2021. This year marks the 5th annual Fringe Fest in Sault Ste. Marie, Ont. and audiences are advised to expect the unexpected.

Artist registrations are now officially closed, and the Fringe team will be presenting the full lineup of performers and events in the following weeks. Due to the current new normal, Fringe North has opted to host this year’s festival online, via YouTube Livestreams, and the team is working hard to create a dynamic and interesting virtual experience for all. 

Fringe North strives to provide easily accessible and affordable opportunities for all artists and audiences to participate. Artists are paid 100 per cent of box office sales, and ticket prices are capped with a maximum ticket price of $12. “We at Fringe North would never want cost to be a barrier to someone who wants to experience what the Festival has to offer”, said Artistic Producer Tova Arbus, who went on to say that the team is looking at ways to include discounted and pay-what-you-can options for audiences.  

Considering just how difficult this past year and a half has been for anyone working in the arts, the Fringe North team also made the decision to waive artist participation fees, making it free for creators to participate in this year’s festival. Thanks to funding from the Ontario Trillium Foundation and Canadian Heritage Fund, participating artists will receive a guaranteed amount in addition to their box office proceeds. 

Something truly exciting about Fringe Festivals is that they don’t censor works, which means audiences will experience shows that are surprising, raw and edgy, and yes, definitely unexpected. “Fringe is a great way to enjoy the whimsical wonder of being temporarily transported to another realm. Participating allows you to support local, deepen community, and reconnect with individuals you haven’t seen in a long time”, said the Festival Production team. There will be performances suitable for all ages, by artists coming both locally and internationally. Workshops and artist talks will also be part of the festival.

So mark your calendars and plan to Fringe this Aug. 19 - 22! Everyone is welcome to join the Fringe experience. Follow us on social media @fringesault and keep checking our website for all the details!  “We can’t wait to Fringe with you - Thank you, Merci, Miigwetch!”.