The Elgin Fringe Fest is celebrating its 13th year with over 80 performances ranging from dance to theater and music to magic. The festival will run from Wednesday to Sunday across five downtown venues.
Festival entry buttons are priced at $4, with performance tickets ranging from free to $12. A $95 festival pass, available at Side Street Studio Arts in downtown Elgin, grants access to all events at Side Street, Elgin Public House, Habitat for Humanity, Martini Room, and Elgin Art Showcase.
Nick Mataragas, the Fringe artistic director, expressed confidence in the festival’s continued success, stating, “This is a festival that has always been great at finding ways to make things work, through both lean and hearty times.” The festival kicks off at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, September 23, with a preview party at the Martini Room, featuring performance teasers from participating artists. Following this is the Fringe Cabaret at 7 p.m., hosted by comedian Jose Alfredo.
Special events include the Almost-Closing Party at 10:30 p.m. on Saturday, September 26, after the festival’s busiest day, and the official After Party at 5 p.m. on Sunday, September 27. Mataragas explained, “The closing party Sunday is our chance to celebrate everything that’s happened.”
Highlights of the festival include performances such as The Snake Oil and Skullduggery Show (improv), “Twilight-ish the Musical” by Slapdash Theatre, and “Weird Jazz” by Grey Noise. “Dealbreaker,” a one-woman show by Chicagoan Lauren Kee, will be presented on September 24 and 26 at the Elgin Public House. Her show offers a candid look at living with the herpes virus, blending comedy, storytelling, and education.
Kee is excited about performing at the Elgin Fringe and describes it as “the closest Fringe to where I live, so I feel a connection.” She praised the festival’s organization and support for artists.
Mataragas emphasizes the diversity of the festival, with 22 local acts and 12 touring acts. He encourages attendees to explore different performances, “Come out and see more than one show. You can’t go wrong. Finding ways to experience multiple things is the key to the festival.”
The festival showcases Elgin’s vibrant art scene and offers art in its purest forms at a reasonable cost. Mataragas reflects, “It’s the right city for it … the story of where Elgin has been in its journey makes this the perfect time and place for a fringe festival.”
Kee hopes her show will inspire others as she has been inspired by fellow storytellers. “I hope ‘Dealbreaker’ can inspire them to create something out of their pain or at the very least just feel seen by my story,” she shared.