Le Show Must Grow On: Ottawa Fringe Returns Bold, Bilingual, and Bursting with Originality
- Ottawa Festival Network
- 7 hours ago
- 3 min read
Ottawa - Something quirky is taking root in the heart of the city. From June 12–22, Ottawa Fringe returns for another 11 days of on-the-edge and unforgettable performances. With 58 original productions, over 350 performances, and featuring artists everywhere from Ottawa to across the globe, Fringe is ready to sprout up everywhere, vibrant and boundless. From the hilarious to the heart-wrenching, the musical to the mysterious, the improv to the proudly uncategorizable, this is Ottawa’s largest theatre festival.
And this year, we’re blooming en français too. For the first time, we’ve sown the seed of a dedicated Francophone category, featuring eight French-language shows. It’s a major moment in our growth as a premiere and influential bilingual arts festival in Ottawa. C’est pas mal cool, non? “With near-record attendance on the festival grounds in 2024, a reinvigorated Fringe Courtyard, and now the launch of our brand new Francophone category, the festival is in full bloom,” says Executive and Artistic Director Alain Richer.
Here’s a taste of what’s sprouting up at this year’s Ottawa Fringe: a featured production from
our Open Doors Mentorship Program, Agni_Creative dives into brotherhood, identity, and the fragility of connection in Divine Masculine: A Rhapsody (Ottawa, ON). Local Francophone artists at Production Chez Suzette invite audiences behind the diner counter for a messy, chaotic, and wildly theatrical kitchen adventure. Fresh off sold-out runs in Edinburgh, Taiwan and Australia, Torontonian Duane Forrest brings Bob Marley: How Reggae Changed the World, an interactive acoustic journey through the roots of reggae and the life of a global icon. And for something totally unclassifiable, check out ANATOMICA by Amica Hunter (USA), a gloriously deranged TED Talk-meets-clown-show about skeletons, chronic pain, and the strange beauty of bodies. Craving more? Visit ottawafringe.com/shows.
Fringe will unfold across nine venues throughout downtown Ottawa, with three central hubs
at its core: Arts Court (67 Nicholas St.), La Nouvelle Scène Gilles Desjardins (333 King Edward Ave.), and Café Alternatif (75 Laurier E). At the centre of it all, The Fringe Courtyard
at Club SAW, is our buzzing backyard, late-night hangout spot, and the beating heart of the
festival. This year, we’re planting a brand-new FREE Happy Hour series (select nights, 5–7
p.m.), with performances that showcase the rich diversity sprawling across Ottawa. And
that’s not all! We’re also bringing back crowd-pleasers like the Silent Disco, and on Sunday,
June 15, Fringe Family Day returns with all-ages joy, tasty eats, and community fun that’ll
make you wish everyday was a Fringe day.
Fringe is unjuried, uncensored, and unlike anything else in the city. Every show is chosen by
lottery and 100% of ticket revenue goes to the artists. It’s a space where creators from all
backgrounds come together to take bold, artistic leaps. Rooted in community, Fringe
celebrates raw, authentic creativity and is always full of surprises.
All tickets are $14. 5 and 10-show passes are available to help you catch more for less.
Every audience member also needs a Fringe Pin to attend performances: $5 each, or $15
for a Legacy Pin, your golden ticket to all future Ottawa Fringe Festivals.
Find show listings, tickets, and festival updates at ottawafringe.com. Follow the buzz @ottawafringe on social media.
Tickets go on sale starting May 15th.
For more information and interview requests, please contact:
Cedric Belisle
Engagement and Development Manager
Ottawa Fringe
The Ottawa Fringe Festival is proudly supported by:
Presenting Partners
La Nouvelle Scène Gilles Desjardins, Saintlo Hostel
Funding Partners
City of Ottawa, Canadian Heritage, Ontario Arts Council, Government of Ontario, Ottawa
Bilingue, and the Donner Canadian Foundation.
Venue Partners
SAW, odd, Arts Court, University of Ottawa,Digital Arts Resource Centre, Café Alternatif
Media Partners
Live 88.5, apt613
Community Partners
National Art Centre, Théâtre Action, Capital Pride, S&S Bolton, Ottawa Festivals, Broadhead
Brewery