Not sure how to stay entertained this September? We've got news. The state’s largest independent arts festival, Sydney Fringe Festival, is back for 2024 – with 400 events hitting our stages for the next four weeks. Presented across the city throughout September 2024, the dynamic program spans theatre, music, comedy, visual art, film, musical theatre, dance, circus, street festivals, literature and poetry – and it's looking fun.
This year, Sydney Fringe Festival is presenting a city-wide playground of entertainment, with 12 venues across town offering very different, very entertaining experiences. After a successful launch back in 2023, Spiegeltent Festival Garden is back, bringing all the splendour and razzle-dazzle of the Big Top to the EQ Showring in Moore Park. The iconic Sydney Spiegeltent will pop up as home to two headline shows by triple Grammy award-winning Soweto Gospel Choir (History of House and Hope) plus the 27 Club: a celebration of some of the music world's most tragic losses (with live renditions of songs by Janis Joplin, Amy Winehouse, Kurt Cobain, Jim Morrison and Jimi Hendrix).
Also landing at EQ for Sydney Fringe is the glorious 300-seater circus dome, the Vault. Comedy-acrobats Headfirst Acrobatics will bring back their multi-five-star-reviewed show Godz, which was met with a lot of love back at Sydney Fringe 2023.
Further towards the CBD, you’ll find Darling Quarter’s newly-expanded Village Green Festival Garden, which will be hosting a stacked four-week line-up of comedy, drag and circus programming. Highlights include musical comedy duo Otto & Astrid, Leather Lungs: Shut Up & Sing! (a gloriously naughty cabaret show) and Something Wicked, which has been described by the Sydney Fringe team as “bewitching burlesque”.
At inner-Sydney’s 107 Redfern, the pioneering LIMITLESS hub will return with a celebration of the work of d/Deaf artists and artists living with a disability – creating an inclusive and accessible space for audiences and artists to enjoy.
New venues playing host to Fringe festivities include Qtopia Sydney, which will come alive with the inaugural Queer Hub, and Sydney’s sexiest new event space, Machine Hall. Here, you’ll find a dynamic series of events including an intimate performance by the multi–talented singer-songwriter Ngaiire with sweet treats on tap, and a night of conversation hosted by You Can't Ask That co-creator Kirk Docker, with a communal dinner served by the good people from Plate it Forward.
Spanning a full four weeks across 12 Sydney venues, the Sydney Fringe program includes a heap of other events, like a free open-air party popping up at Sydney Place on Saturday, September 7, and Sydney Fringe Sideshow (a series of immersive, boundary-pushing shows) taking over The Rocks every Tuesday to Sunday throughout the festival.
You can learn more and plan your Sydney Fringe experience over here.