San Diego International Fringe Festival Returns

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Artists showcasing their talent during the San Diego International Fringe Festival.

News Summary

The San Diego International Fringe Festival celebrates its 13th year with over 230 performances across seven venues from May 15 to 27. This year features international artists, outreach programs, and family-friendly events. Special performances will occur both in San Diego and Tijuana, highlighting the festival’s commitment to community engagement and diverse artistic expression.

San Diego – The San Diego International Fringe Festival has returned for its 13th year, promising to bring a diverse array of performances and a celebration of global artistic expression. The festival, which is set to unfold over the course of two weeks, features over 230 shows from artists around the world, although the number of scheduled performances is down to 48 compared to previous years. This year’s festival runs from May 15 through May 27, showcasing a mix of genres and styles.

The festival’s producer highlighted its expanded impact, emphasizing community engagement and outreach initiatives. Upcoming performances will take place in seven venues across San Diego including notable locations in Logan Heights and Liberty Station. For the first time, the festival will also extend across the border with live shows at three venues in Mexico, enabling artists to perform in both Tijuana and Ensenada.

This year, a special outreach program will support the Eunime Orphanage, where performers will entertain HIV-positive children and distribute donated non-perishable food items. In addition to established venues like Balboa Park’s Centro Cultural de la Raza and the Marie Hitchcock Puppet Theater, two new locations will host festivals: the School for Creative Careers in Old Town and The Chrysalis, an arts center in Barrio Logan.

Families are also encouraged to participate in the festival, with Family Fringe events scheduled for May 17, 18, 24, and 25, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. These family-oriented events will occur in various community spaces including the City Heights Performance Annex, Liberty Station’s central promenade, Lincoln Park, and the North Park Recreation Center.

The festival aims to showcase a variety of performers, including stand-up comedians and solo artists who explore a multitude of themes such as gender, politics, and personal experiences. In line with audience accessibility, each show adopts a rating system to better inform attendees about the content.

Pricing for the festival remains affordable, featuring a $7 festival fee, with individual show tickets starting at $13. Each performance is designed to be under an hour, with back-to-back show scheduling allowing audiences to enjoy multiple performances in a single evening. Artists participating in the festival include Lani Gobaleza, Kazu Kusano, Chanel Samson, and Alvarado, who will present unique shows that reflect personal stories and address relevant community issues.

A standout performance will be Australian mime actor Marcel Cole, who will present “Smile: The Story of Charlie Chaplin.” Cole’s production won an award that sponsored his participation in San Diego, further enhancing the festival’s reputation for showcasing innovative work.

The San Diego International Fringe Festival remains dedicated to celebrating all forms of performing arts, including those that are less commonly seen, such as clowning and magic tricks. The festival’s commitment to promoting creativity and diverse narratives continues to attract both emerging and established artists.

For those interested in attending, detailed information and performance scheduling can be found on the festival’s official website, sdfringe.org.