Mount Gambier’s FRINGELAND community event will return to the city centre next year, with a program set to wow audiences.
FRINGELAND will open the 2023 festival, set in the Cave Gardens/Thugi on March 24 and 25.
The community event will include Fringe performances, roving artists, a First Nations ceremony and performances, and a showcase of local food, wine and craft beers.
The Friday will include the return of the much-loved Lift Off street party and popular community Fringe Parade to launch the festival.
Fringe events will again sprawl across venues in the city and region during the 10-day festival, with event registrations now open via the festival website.
The 2023 festival theme ‘Into the Deep Blue’ will inspire creativity and imagination linked to the deep oceans and their weird and wonderful creatures, and to the region’s iconic Blue Lake and sinkholes.
Fringe UP! will also return, where businesses and the community can embrace the festival colour and theme and turn the town into a sea of blue.
Fringe Mount Gambier/Berrin artistic director Louise Adams is particularly excited for FRINGELAND and the Lift Off street party.
“Next year will see the return of FRINGELAND to the iconic Cave Garden/Thugi precinct and the much-loved Lift Off street party; providing a magical Fringe arts playground to kickstart the 10-day festival,” she said.
“The street party has not occurred since 2019 due to the pandemic and restrictions, and it was clear to the committee the community, artists and businesses all missed this exciting way to launch our unique festival,” Ms Adams said.
“The last three years have been very challenging, as it has been across the arts industry, for businesses and the wider community.
“We are incredibly proud the festival was able to pivot and deliver a modified format of wonderful and exciting art experiences to the community in 2021 and 2022.
“It has been a real credit to the hardworking Fringe committee, artists, venues, and the huge support shown by our community, local government and funding bodies, and business sponsors”
Now with restrictions eased and borders open, Ms Adams said it was time to see the return of some much-loved elements of the Fringe festival, with the Lift Off street party and Fringe Parade re-joining FRINGELAND and Fringe events across the city.
“Fringe 2023 will see an explosion of exciting Fringe performances and celebration of arts and culture.,” she said.
“Fringe Mount Gambier/Berrin is an open access arts festival; this means that anyone with a creative idea can register and present a Fringe event.
“It is the defining feature of any Fringe festival across the world; it encourages artists both professional and emerging to participate, to experiment, present new work.
“Venues and unconventional spaces can be utilised, whether it be a small café or pub, theatres, parklands, a laneway, volcanic sinkhole, or out on the streets.
“There is something for everyone and arts to explore around each corner.
“We cannot wait to again see artists, venues and audiences together dive in to the diverse and wonderful world of Fringe in 2023!”
Jens Hotel and The Globe manager Aaron Davies is also looking forward to Fringe returning to the city centre.
“It’s great to have the Fringe party back in the gardens,” he said.
“Plus it’s always good drinking in Commercial Street, it makes me feel young.”
