Every year, the Melbourne Fringe Festival makes jaws drop and eyes widen across the city with its unconventional line-up of independent theatre, comedy, drag, art, music and events. This year marks the 42nd iteration of the festival, which is known for championing big, radical ideas and being an all out celebration of Melbourne at its weirdest.
Melbourne Fringe returns to the city again this October, with a program of events set to show punters exactly how to experience the best that the arts in our fair city has to offer. The theme of the 2024 festival is ‘Eat Your Art Out’, because the program focuses on the messy yet moreish intersection between food and art. After all, in divided times, what brings the community together better than a fringey feast?
A barbecue pavilion aptly named 'Cooked' will pop up in Fed Square, transforming the amphitheatre into a public dining meets performance space. The Wheeler Centre will fascinate you with saucy storytelling, and a special edition of Melbourne Museum’s Nocturnal will give you food for thought. But that’s just the beginning.
As always, this year’s festival will feature a mix of established and emerging artists, while the open access program is a feast for the senses created by independent artists. Keep an eye out for 'Free Fairy Floss' – where performer Niow dances with fairy floss, spreading it into the air while flying high above Maddern Square in Footscray. Or, watch the powerful 'Body of Knowledge', an intimate and playful work performed by teenagers who call into the theatre on mobile phones.
With more than 470 performances, talks and events to imbibe, look out for our Fringe guides to help you craft your itinerary. In the meantime, peruse the entire enormous program, squiz the session details and lock in your tickets on the Melbourne Fringe website.
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