Mount Gambier’s CBD is set to come alive with colourful characters as Fringe Mount Gambier/Berrin kicks off tomorrow night with the highly anticipated opening night Fringe Street Party and Fringeland.
The party will start in the Cave Gardens and spill out into Commercial Street East from 4pm with an extravaganza of Fringe performers, live music, roving artists, cabaret, comedy, circus and aerial artists, coupled with street food and bars.
It’s been three years since the city has seen the much-loved Fringe Street Party and the Fringe parade, with the community encouraged to embrace the “Into The Deep Blue” theme.
The Fringe UP campaign is back too, where businesses, organisations and schools are encouraged to dress up their shop windows or buildings in the festival colour blue and the oceanic theme, creating a wave of blue across the city.
Artistic Program Manager Louise Adams said the opening weekend was a chance for the community and visitors to come together and celebrate arts and the wonderful vibrance, talent and diversity that artists bring to our lives and community.
“The opening weekend at Fringeland offers a free and accessible experience for everyone to enjoy, which then sets the tone for the 10-day festival, encouraging audiences to seek out and buy tickets to Fringe shows across the city,” she said.
“We cannot wait to see Fringeland and the street party back in the middle of town, and we are excited to see so many artists and venues wanting to participate in this year’s festival, registering ticketed Fringe shows all around the city; we encourage everyone to check out the program and support these shows.”
The festival includes more than 50 events across the city, including international shows.
The Fringe parade returns from 5.30pm tomorrow and will wind from the street into Thugi/Cave Gardens, led by Parade Director Gavin Clarke and fellow musicians and marching bands, before the official Welcome to Country and ceremony, and a performance by the Koondoom Yarkeen Dancers.
Cabaret royalty Tash York and Dolly Diamond will guide audiences through all the Fringe frivolity as the Fringeland host MCs on Friday and Saturday.
The Fringeland main stage will wow audiences with acclaimed drumming ensemble The Junkyard Beats and their ‘Junk Orchestra’; internationally acclaimed Flanagan Collective (UK) bringing big beats and soul with ‘Gods Gods Gods’; incredible feats of circus, comedy and antics with ‘The Big Balloon Show’, Clara Cupcakes and Wildhouse Circus’s kids show Party Poopers.
Meanwhile, DJs and live music acts will keep the vibes going at Fringeland across Friday and Saturday.
Fringeland and the street party will be filled with street and festival food offerings, pop up bars s and a twilight market.
Fringe Mount Gambier/Berrin runs from March 24 to April 2.
See programs, Facebook page andhttp://www.fringemountgambier.com www.fringemountgambier.com for info.
