Elgin Fringe Fest’s 13th Year Set to Delight with Diverse Performances

The Elgin Fringe Fest marks its 13th year, showcasing over 80 diverse performances in dance, theater, music, comedy, and magic. Running from Wednesday to Sunday, the festival takes place across five downtown venues. To attend, you need a festival entry button priced at $4. Performance tickets vary, ranging from free to $12.

For comprehensive access, the festival pass costs $95, available at Side Street Studio Arts located in downtown Elgin. This pass grants entry to all events at Side Street as well as Elgin Public House, Habitat for Humanity, Martini Room, and Elgin Art Showcase.

Nick Mataragas, the festival’s artistic director, expressed his confidence in the festival’s resilience over the years. He noted: “This is a festival that has always been great at finding ways to make things work, through both lean and hearty times.”

The festival begins with a preview party at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 23, at the Martini Room. Artists will provide brief teasers of their performances. Afterwards, the Fringe Cabaret starts at 7 p.m., hosted by comedian Jose Alfredo.

Highlights of the festival include special events like the Almost-Closing Party at 10:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 26, and the official After Party at 5 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 27. Mataragas commented on the significance of these gatherings, saying: “The closing party Sunday is our chance to celebrate everything that’s happened—celebrate the successes and failures, give out awards, say goodbye to our touring artists, all those things.”

A plethora of performances await, such as The Snake Oil and Skullduggery Show (improv), Tap Into Time by Gregg and Katie, “Twilight-ish the Musical” by Slapdash Theatre, and “The Lunatic’s Fringe: An Enigmatic Multimedia Driven Rock Spectacle” by The Lunatic’s Fringe. Other notable acts include “A Play I Wrote in Fourth Grade” by Claire Jolie Goodman, “Weird Jazz” by Grey Noise, “Over Qualified for this Disaster” by Tricia Babischkin, “Thick Thighs Ride the Red Line” and “Closing Arguments” by Fat Theatre Project, and “Cabaret Chaotique: An Improvised Burlesque Show” by Autumn Leaves.

Fringe-goers are encouraged to visit elginfringefestival.com for a detailed schedule that categorizes events by day, genre, and venue. A notable innovation this year is storytelling experimentation, as highlighted by Mataragas: “Taking things we have preconceived notions about and turning them on their head.”

Lauren Kee, a performer from Chicago, presents “Dealbreaker” on Sept. 24 and 26 at Elgin Public House. Her one-woman show illustrates how the herpes virus impacts her life, including her dating experiences. Kee describes the show as “comedy, storytelling, vulnerability, and sex education wrapped into one.” She hopes to touch on topics rarely discussed publicly.

Reflecting on her premier performance at the Harrisburg Fringe Festival in Pennsylvania, Kee expressed excitement to perform closer to home. Speaking of the Elgin Fringe, she said, “It’s the closest Fringe to where I live so I feel a connection.” She praised the organizing team for their support in social media and marketing.

With 22 local acts and 12 touring performances, festival-goers are guaranteed an enriching experience. Mataragas encourages attendees to explore various shows. “We have an amazing number of new performers this year, which is great,” he commented. “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.”

Mataragas sees the Fringe as a significant opportunity for Elgin’s vibrant art scene. “Elgin is incredibly receptive to the arts,” he stated. “You get to see art in its purest forms for a relatively low price. 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 encourages others to create and share their stories. “I am really hopeful that my show can be a seed for someone else’s art someday,” she said, stressing the therapeutic power of art.