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Frequently Asked Questions
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Buttons, Tickets, & Box Office
The Shortest Story
Button + Ticket = Fringe Fun!
The Short Story
1. Buy a Fringe pin-back button.
The button is your $5 admission the the entire Festival, and the ticket is your admission to the show. Everyone needs a button to Fringe. You'll look cool, and you'll feel great knowing that you've supported the nuts and bolts of this annual festival. These can be purchased at any preview event, at the Midtown Farmer's Market July 15 or 22nd or at any venue box office during the festival.
2. Buy individual tickets at the venue on the day of the performance, or online right up to the day before the performance. If you want to Fringe Binge, discounted multi-show passes (5 and 10 show passes) will be on sale at online until they sell out (we have a limited number of them!)
You're financially supporting our adventurous artists with this purchase. You won't receive a physical ticket (we use reusable tokens at each venue). When you buy an online ticket, we will have your name at will call. You can buy multi-show passes, too.
3. Check in at the box office before the show.
You'll get a seat token that gives you access to the theatre. Please, please be on-time, as we must start our shows on-time, and cannot allow late seating.
The Longer Story
A much more detailed version of ticketing can be found at our Box Office page. Tons of questions answered there. You can also reach us at boxoffice@fringefestival.org!
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Searching for Shows
There are several ways to search or choose shows!
Use the Search Bar: In the upper righthand corner, there is a magnifying glass icon - use it to search by show title, artist, company name, random noun, etc, etc.
Search by festival, genre, content, features, or venue: There are a variety of features to help figure out what, when, where (or why!) you are interested in seeing during your Festival adventure.
Talk to people: Sound scary? Just look for someone in a lanyard. Lanyards are worn by Fringe artists, and there are over a thousand of them dying to tell you about their show.
Read and write reviews: See what audiences are raving about, then return the favor by letting others know what you thought. You can look at reviews on individual show pages.
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Volunteering at Fringe
We are so glad you are interested in volunteering! We literally cannot run this festival without volunteers. Volunteers receive a Festival t-shirt, free tickets, and other perks (like an exclusive volunteer button and treats on volunteer appreciation day!) Find out more and register to volunteer here.
Questions? Reach out to us at volunteer@fringefestival.org
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2023 Fringe Festival
2023 is our 30th Anniversary!
The 2023 Minnesota Fringe Festival will run August 3-13, 2023.
For information about our audience policies and how to see shows, see our Box Office Page.
For information on how to volunteer, see our Volunteer Page.
For upcoming celebrations and events, see our Event Page.
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Biking Home?
NEW THIS YEAR
Minnesota Fringe is pleased to announce our first-ever Bike Bus! This safe ride home program is in partnership with BikeMN, the Bike Alliance of Minnesota. In consideration of the environmental impact we have on the Cedar Riverside neighborhood, we are celebrating a festival with fewer cars (and easier parking!) by encouraging and supporting alternative ways of travel. Each night, leaving from the corner of Cedar and Riverside at 11:00 pm SHARP, there will be a group ride to the Midtown Greenway. BikeMN will provide lights, safety tips, and, on August 9, snacks!
We recommend bike parking on either University of Minnesota or Augsburg campuses.
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FRINGO?
For the 2023 Festival, we're introducing a new game! Fringe Bingo, AKA FRINGO, is a fun way to challenge yourself to see shows for a chance to win prizes!
Here's how to play:
- Grab your "FRINGO" card at any Box Office.
- Attend any show on your "FRINGO" card.
- On your way out of the theater, ask an usher to stamp the title of the show you just attended. You'll only receive one stamp per show.
- A "FRINGO" is achieved by accumulating 6 stamps in a vertical, horizontal, or diagonal row.
- Once you have a "FRINGO," fill out your name, email, and mailing address on the front of the card.
- Drop your card in the designated box at Fringe Central prior to midnight on August 12.
- Winners will be selected at random from among the completed "FRINGO" cards during the Closing Night Party prior to the Golden Lanyard Ceremony on August 14 at Fringe Central, hosted by The Red Sea. Winners do not need to be present to win.
More details can be found here.
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Get Involved
Fringe isn't just a festival - it's a community, and it couldn't exist without people like you.
Create: Applications for the 2024 festival will be live on this website. Fringe is open to everyone, shows are selected by lottery, and you don't even need to have a show ready when you apply.
Socialize: Join us any night of the festival at our official hangout, Fringe Central, hosted by The Red Sea, for a beer, sambusa, and maybe even some late-night shenanigans.
Support: Help us create Minnesota's Summer Theater Crawl by donating to or sponsoring our annual festival. Gifts of any size make a large contribution to our ability to meet our mission.
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How do I get to the Fringe Festival? Where do I park?
Fringe this year is held at eight venues in Cedar Riverside. For information on parking, see our Venue Pages!
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How many shows does my pass have?
If you purchased any of our multi-show passes, you can check your remaining balance by scanning the QR code on the rear. You can also check the balance by clicking the link below and entering your card number and pin.
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How to Line Up
Seating isn't always available in our lobbies. The box office opens 30 minutes before the show, and the house will open 10 minutes prior to performance.
Our house managers will help you understand where to stand!
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IP Shows (Independently Produced)
This is information for 2023 IP Shows:
Traditionally, Fringe selects, staffs, and manages every venue in the Festival. In 2019, we invited producers to select any venue in the metro to stage their show and join the festivities. We believe there's a place for everyone in the Fringe Festival and welcome participation from anyone along the entire artistic spectrum. But the Festival may not be right place for every kind of production. The introduction of Independently Produced (IP) festival shows in 2019 was intended to offer a wider range of options for location, length, and complexity -- among other choices.
Things to Know about IP Shows
- Independently Produced shows may deviate from typical festival start times and show lengths. Read the "More Information" sections on the show pages carefully before purchasing your tickets and scheduling your day
- Minnesota Fringe is not responsible for front-of-house at IP Shows
- Comps, Vouchers, and Multi-Show Passes will be honored at IP shows, but each show has the option to institute a rush line for patrons with Artist Passes, comps, or vouchers. Check with their box office when you arrive for the show.
- Independently Produced shows may deviate from typical festival start times and show lengths. Read the "More Information" sections on the show pages carefully before purchasing your tickets and scheduling your day
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Login Help
Help! I'm having login issues!
Don’t worry! We migrated our system in 2021 and updated our security to give you the best and safest experience online. When you attempt to log in to the new system, it will ask you to please validate your email and create a new password to enter your existing account.
*If you are logging in for the first time, look for THREE (3) emails: make sure you confirm your email address!
Stuck in a loop? New system, new glitches...sometimes you'll validate your email and then get the same page again! First, try navigating to any other page on the website, then click on the person icon in the top right corner to see if you are logged in.
Are you having any other issues that you need help with? We want everyone to have a fantastic Fringe experience. If any issues arise, please reach out. We’ll find a solution! For ticket or pass issues, email boxoffice@fringefestival.org with your full name, phone number, and details. If anything else comes up, send your question / comment to info@fringefestival.org. All inquires will receive a response.
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Previews & Farmers Markets
Fringe Previews are 3-minute teaser trailers of Festival shows. Each night has up to 30 previews from our Festival. Come make a list of what you want to see! Previews take place at the UMN Rarig Thrust Stage.We do not sell tickets in advance, instead, buy your $5 Fringe button at the door for entry.
Want to get your button earlier than Previews? Join us at the Midtown Farmers Market! You can grab your button AND support amazing local farmers!
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Printable Schedule
On the Schedule Page, there is a button called "Print Schedule" on the top right of the grid that will populate a PDF for home printing.
Once you have created/logged into your own account, you can design your own personal Fringe schedule by clicking on the "Add to Schedule" button on any show page or on the schedule page. On your account dashboard, you can view your schedule in the "My Schedule" tab. There is a tiny "Print Schedule" button just above your schedule to the right.
We also have a PDF of Shows by Day that you can view and print from home.
If you're feeling "old school" you can also download our Sortable Schedule in an Excel file. It is sorted in alphabetical order by title and has filters so you can find shows by title, venue, and time!
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What forms of payment are accepted?
We are a cashless festival. You can pay with a credit card, Apple Pay, Google Pay, a festival pass, or ticket voucher.
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What to Wear
Wear what you like, come as you are! Comfort is the goal here. All theaters are air conditioned and as Minnesotans, we recommend layers. You may be asked to wait outside of a theater, so bring your sunscreen and parasols!
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Where is the office located?
Our office is at 79 13th Ave NE, Minneapolis, MN.
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Where to Buy Passes
This year, our 5 and 10 show passes are limited. Prior to and during the festival, they can be purchased at our office.
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Will there be a taco truck?
Rather than bring outside food vendors, we're collaborating with some of the tasty local restaurants on Cedar Ave. Your button even gets you discounts at select restaurants on select days. Check out the map - we've labeled restaurants that are offering button deals! There are some custom, quick grab-and-go options (as well as a few other favorites that are a little less zippy). Come out a bit early and taste the neighborhood.
There will also be concessions at TRP and the Southern Theater.