Take a walk on the wild side at Downtown’s 4th annual Capital Fringe Festival, which will run over 18 colorful days, from July 9 through July 26.
For the first time since 2006, the entire wacky but artistic endeavor will be exclusively Downtown, with new venues in the Goethe Institut (812 7th Street) and a new state-of-the-art theatre at Mt. Vernon Place United Methodist Church (900 Massachusetts)—just two of the 11 Downtown sites where hundreds of creative performances by local, national and international artists will take place—creating a true Festival experience. In 2007 and 2008, the Festival also had venues on H Street, NE, and in DC’s Dupont Circle, Adams Morgan and Columbia Heights neighborhoods.
The Downtown BID is a huge sponsor of this independent performing arts festival, which is “open to the unknown, to risk and chance.” Fort Fringe, combination box office, Festival headquarters and theater venue, opens July 7th–look for the circus tent at 607 New York Avenue. This year, as in the past, revelers can expect to see one act plays, comedies, dramas, musicals, dance, puppetry, improvisation, mime, hip hop–you name it.
Also new this year: the Green Plan, environmentally-friendly initiatives designed to encourage a host of activities, including avoiding litter, minimizing food packaging and educating artists on ways to produce green events. Watch out for the Fringe environmental officer, a staff member who will be on hand to give a long and painful lecture about climate change if he catches you, say, putting a beer can in the regular trash instead of the recycling bin!
All ticket prices to the award-winning Festival are $15, plus a one-time purchase of a $5 Fringe button, which is good all year for discounts at local shops, restaurants, museums and theatres. Savings also are available with special $50, $75, $110 and $300 passes. Tickets may be purchased at Fort Fringe, online or by phone. For more information, visit www.capitalfringe.org, or call 1.866.811.4111.