Buttons

In 2025, the new price of the Festival Button will be $10 with a guarantee that we will not raise the price again for a minimum of 10 years.

Since 1993, Minnesota Fringe has connected adventurous artists with adventurous audiences. Through our dynamic annual performing arts festival and additional year-round programming, Minnesota Fringe supports artistic growth and serves as a vibrant catalyst for audiences to experience new ideas, artists, venues, and neighborhoods.

As we enter our 32nd year, expenses are skyrocketing, arts funding is dwindling, and previously dependable revenues are not keeping pace with the cost of producing the Midwest's largest celebration of the performing arts. After reflecting on labor and production costs rising as much as 300% coupled with an audience decline of 40% since the pandemic, we have decided it’s time to make a price adjustment to the Festival Button in 2025.

Increasing the cost of festival entry has not been an easy choice. Leadership agonized over the decision, as we know the effect it can have on our patrons. That is why we are offering a few opportunities to lock in the $5 Festival Entry Button Fee one last time:

• Purchase a Fringe Forever Pin - This limited edition 2” soft enamel pin is good for 10 years of festival entry. For just $50, plus shipping & handling, you’ll be able to participate in every Fringe Festival from 2025-2034 without having to purchase a new Festival Button! Pins purchased prior to December 15 will be shipped in time to arrive before the holiday break. Beginning in January, buttons will be shipped every 21st of the month.
• Attend another year-round Fringe event - Most year-round programming introduced in 2018 was suspended during the pandemic to focus on stabilizing the Festival. As we work to revive these opportunities to serve artists year-round, we’ll offer $5 Festival Buttons at non-festival events in 2025, such as our annual Five Fifths fundraiser, Beyond the Box collaborations, and Fringe Presents performances.
• Volunteer for Minnesota Fringe - Fringe volunteers gain valuable experiences, practice new skills, make friends, and contribute to making our Festival great. Sign up to volunteer during the festival and throughout the year for an opportunity to earn a free Festival Button.

To be sure you ‘get your Button’s worth,’ we are expanding the benefits of the Festival Button to include a $5 discount on multi-show passes. As always, Festival Buttons offer year-round perks, including Button Deal discounts on food and drink purchases from local businesses during the festival and reduced theater admission prices for shows around town in the off-season, all found in the bi-weekly Fringe File newsletter.

We are not the only Minnesota nonprofit facing financial challenges. Precarious arts funding and several theater closings have made it difficult for independent companies to find and fund performance space. Minnesota Fringe is one of the most economically accessible ways for artists to produce live performances in the state, and we need your support to keep it that way. Thank you for understanding and thank you for supporting adventurous art!