In simple terms: Fringe Festivals are multi-day, multi-venue performing arts festivals! Every form of performance is welcome On The Fringe, from original plays to Shakespeare, one person shows to ensemble pieces, experimental theater to children’s shows, magic, puppetry, comedy, dance and much more. It all started in 1947 in Edinburgh, Scotland, as an alternative festival that played concurrently with the Edinburgh International Festival. In 1948, Robert Kemp, a local journalist, gave it the name Fringe: “Round the fringe of official Festival drama, there seems to be more private enterprise than before…” Fringes have taken off across the world – and now Scranton is to join the ranks of dozens of US based festivals! Though exact models for festivals vary from city to city, common core values include being uncensored, easy to participate in (both as artist and patron), performing arts focused and rapid fire/low tech!

The Scranton Fringe Festival entered its initial planning stages in the fall of 2014. Co-founded by Conor Kelly O’Brien and Elizabeth Bohan, the inaugural Scranton Fringe Festival occurred October 1st – 4th 2015. Thousands of audience members attended 47 productions within 12 venues in downtown Scranton. The entire downtown was alive with excitement for the arts during the inaugural Fringe weekend, with patrons filling local bars, restaurants, coffee shops and art galleries in between the shows.

We’ve grown and grown and grown every year since! Click here to learn more about our history! 

The Scranton Fringe Festival takes place each year in the fall (typically late September / early October). Please check back soon for our official 2020 dates!

Performing artists/shows/productions of ALL kinds are welcomed on the fringe! Theatre, stand up comedy, improv, musicals, storytelling, puppetry, dance/movement, performance art, film and MORE are possible at this fringe festival! Content varies as well – ranging from all ages/children friendly to dark and gritty adult performances! Don’t worry, every show is rated from PG to R in the Festival Guide (and on this website and at the box office of each venue) so you’ll know what to expect!

Fringe buttons are sold at a very low cost ($5) at Fringe HQ and at all button partners. The proceeds raised from all buttons sales will go directly back to the Fringe to support its mission! All patrons wearing/displaying their Fringe button at the festival will be able to purchase tickets at a discounted rate.

In addition to the fantastic savings at the festival itself, the button will also give its bearer great discounts/deals at numerous local coffee shops, retail stores, cultural venues, etc till the end of the year! Check back in the summer for a full list of our 2020 Fringe button partners!

The Scranton Fringe team works VERY hard to ensure the festival is promoted as much as possible! This includes engaged media relations via press releases, special outreach events, radio & TV features, dynamic social media campaigns, special assistance by regional tourist/cultural agencies, the publication & distribution of the Fringe Guide, digital billboards throughout the region (thanks to one of our sponsors Lamar Advertising) and much more! While the Fringe will be working incredibly hard to ensure the word is spread it is the responsibility of each individual artist/show to promote their own performances!

The Fringe Guide is the official program to the Scranton Fringe Festival, published every year in advance of the annual festival. It includes venue information, directions, full performance schedule, an overview of each show (synopsis, genre, content rating, etc.) as well as information about the Fringe Button Partners and discounts, and recognition of our sponsors! It is a well-crafted publication that is distributed all across the greater Scranton region starting late summer of each year and is offered to the public totally free of charge! Click here to view our 2019 Scranton Fringe Guide! 

There are lots of ways to get involved and support the Scranton Fringe Festival! Volunteers are needed to fill numerous roles (both in planning and during the festival). Sponsors and advertisers are also vital to our mission (and its a great way to promote your company) and of course, donations are always appreciated. Please contact us at scrantonfringe@gmail.com if you want to join the exciting, engaging and fun-loving Fringe team!