Back for its 25th year, the Midwest's biggest performing arts festival is expected to draw nearly 50,000 attendees to 132 shows, each no longer than an hour, at more than a dozen venues Aug. 2-12. Star Tribune reviewers will swarm the fest to see as many shows as they can stand, and tip readers to the good, the bad and the curious. New this year: a Family Fringe with six shows at Celtic Junction in St. Paul.
Tickets are $5-$10 per show, $19-25 for a daylong pass, $220 for VIP all-access pass. Seats for some shows can be reserved for an extra $3 via minnesotafringe.org.
The Fringe is centered in two Minneapolis neighborhoods: Northeast and Cedar-Riverside, with Red Stag Supperclub returning as Fringe Central, the official post-show hangout. There's also a new Minnesota Family Fringe at Celtic Junction in St. Paul, and a Family Central at nearby Can Can Wonderland where ticketholders can do mini-golf or other activities from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Aug. 2-5 and 9-12.