Nick Mataragas was a fan of and a performer at the Elgin Fringe Festival before he became involved in its planning.
Now the festival’s artistic director, he’s thrilled to help bring new voices and fresh perspectives to the 11th annual Elgin Fringe Festival, which runs Sept. 20-29 at several locations in Elgin.
Festival entry buttons cost $3; performance tickets range from free to $12. A festival pass, offering access to all events, is available for $95. All ticket sales go directly to the artists. Entry buttons can be purchased at Side Street Studio Arts Gallery, 15 Ziegler Court, which serves as the festival’s hub.
The festival includes more than 75 performers and 20 visual artists. There will be music of all genres, theater, burlesque, circus, sketch and standup comedy, drag, dance, poetry, puppetry, spoken word and much more. Performances begin Sept. 26.
The first event is “Next In,” a screening of six short films from 7 to 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Sept. 20-21, at Vern’s Speakeasy in downtown Elgin. Audiences can vote on which films will advance to the Elgin Short Film Festival in October.
An opening reception for the Visual Arts Exhibition is at 6 p.m. Sept. 21 at the Side Street Studio Arts Gallery. The Elgin Fringe Preview Party is at 5 p.m. Sept. 25 at Martini Room. The Almost-Closing Party is at 10:30 p.m. Sept. 28 at Elgin Public House and the closing party is at 5 p.m. Sept. 29 at Martini Room.
Fringe Festival is a celebration of artistic experimentation that features an uncurated, inclusive and affordable experience, said Mataragas, a Sycamore resident.
“That’s the beauty of the Fringe Festival – it’s all-encapsulating in the sense that it’s whatever you bring to the table as a performer,” he said.
The festival has grown exponentially over the years, both in the number of artists and locations, he said.
“It’s gone from – we used to be a first-come, first-served festival, which meant whoever signed up first got in. We switched that over to a lottery system to make it more equitable,” he said. “We have local artists; we have artists from nine different states coming in. One artist from Canada. It’s a pretty cool mix.”
The variety of acts, the price and the proximity are what makes Fringe Fest attractive, he said.
“At no point in time can you get that much variety in that short a period of time,” he said. “It’s affordable. All shows are within walking distance of each other. And there’s this beautiful spirit of the festival … there’s a camaraderie. For me, that’s what makes it so special.
“And these are artists you’re not going to see on a big stage – at least not yet. So you’re getting something new and unique and different and special. And you’re hearing from a multitude of voices. There’s nothing like that, other than Fringe.”
A full schedule of events and performers can be found on its website, elginfringefestival.com.
“It’s a stacked lineup. There really is something for everybody,” he said. “What you see at the Fringe Festival is not like something you’re going to see anywhere else.”
The first Fringe Festival was in 1947 in Edinburgh, Scotland, as an alternative to the Edinburgh International Festival. Now, there are more than 20 fringe festivals throughout the United States. The Elgin Fringe Festival is affiliated with the Canadian Association of Fringe Festivals, the United States Association of Fringe Festivals and World Fringe.
Annie Alleman is a freelance reporter for the Courier-News.
