Whangārei Fringe Festival returns

It's back - the Fringe Festival returns to Whangārei for a second time.

Following the success of last year's Whangārei Fringe Festival debut, Northland creatives are being encouraged to "get weird" and register for its 2021 return.

This year's theme is "Let's get weird" and Northland artists, performers and creatives are invited to bring their weird and wonderful events to the party which will run from October 1 to October 17. The festival provides a platform for Te Taitokerau's arts community to present topical, original events, and for local audiences to discover new work from Northland and around the country.

The theme reflects that, like Fringe Festivals around the world, the Whangārei Fringe Festival is open to quirky and experimental works from all disciplines: theatre, circus, art, comedy, digital technology, music, poetry, cabaret, fashion, drag and more.

The 2021 festival builds on the runaway success of Whangārei's inaugural 2020 festival. Of the 91 events, approximately two-thirds were by Te Taitokerau creatives. Venues included the pop-up Fringe After Dark comedy club, art galleries, disused shops, a waterfront warehouse, and arts and community events space ONEONESIX.

Artists are being encouraged to bring their "weird" to this year's Fringe Festival.

Plans for 2021 include a Fringe party bus, which will feature on-board entertainment as it travels between venues and Whangārei's suburbs during busier nights of the festival.

Fringe co-founder and theatre-maker Laurel Devenie said the broader plan is to build the profile of artists within the community, and provide a pathway for artists to take their work further afield.

"Professional and community arts are a vital part of Whangārei's wellbeing. Fringe illustrates how artists from Whangārei and Northland can tangibly enhance the culture of our city, and reflect our community and the times that we live in.

"Fringe will liven up the city even more this year, so make sure you're part of it."

Festival co-founder Georgia-May Russ said: "We loved seeing so much new work last year, especially new local work, and we really want to foster that again this year. Fringe is about trying new things and developing ideas, which people might then take on tour and to other festivals."

Whangārei Fringe Festival received core funding this year from Creative New Zealand, which was also a key sponsor for the 2020 festival. Registrations close August 1. Register at: www.whangareifringe.co.nz