Arts & Culture

Edmonton Fringe Festival Returns With Record-Breaking Lineup

The city’s beloved theatre festival is back, featuring over 1,800 performances and attracting artists from across Canada and beyond in its most ambitious program yet.

By By Natalie Brooks • 2025-08-09

The Edmonton Fringe Festival is back in full swing this summer, boasting its largest lineup in the event’s four-decade history. With more than 1,800 performances scheduled, the festival is set to draw artists and audiences from across Canada and around the world.

Held in the heart of Old Strathcona, the festival transforms the district into a vibrant hub of theatre, music, comedy, and street performance. This year’s program includes productions from over 30 countries, as well as a strong contingent of local performers eager to showcase their work after years of pandemic disruptions.

Festival Director Janet Morrison says the expansion reflects both pent-up demand and a renewed commitment to supporting the arts. “We’ve never seen such an outpouring of creativity from our artists,” she said. “It’s a celebration of resilience and the enduring power of live performance.”

The event’s popularity has long made it a key driver of Edmonton’s tourism economy, with local businesses benefiting from the influx of visitors. Hotels, restaurants, and shops in the surrounding area report fully booked weekends and a noticeable boost in sales during the festival period.

In addition to ticketed performances, the festival offers a variety of free outdoor shows, workshops, and interactive installations. Organizers have also expanded accessibility measures, including sign language interpretation, relaxed performances, and wheelchair-friendly venues.

Audience favourites this year include a modern adaptation of Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night,” a one-person autobiographical drama from an award-winning Vancouver playwright, and a high-energy circus act from Australia. Each performance is chosen through a lottery system, ensuring a diverse mix of genres and perspectives.

Despite the festival’s size, Morrison says the heart of the event remains its community spirit. “Fringe is about more than just shows,” she said. “It’s about bringing people together in a shared space of creativity and discovery.”

The Edmonton Fringe Festival runs until August 25, with tickets available online and at on-site box offices. Organizers are encouraging early booking for popular shows, which often sell out within days of opening.