Letters from our Fringe Family

Hello Fringe Fans and Friends, 

Welcome to the 2021 Kelowna International Fringe Festival! 

I’m so excited that you’re here to celebrate art and artists with us. Whether this is your first Fringe or you’re a frequent Fringer, we hope that this year’s festival is something that you’ll remember fondly for years to come. 

Over the past few months, I’ve gotten to know more about each of the shows and the performers putting them on, and I’m very excited about this year’s lineup. The beautiful thing about the Fringe model is that you’re able to see shows that the artists want to put on, without barriers and restrictions. This enables us to bring you unique works of art you may not see anywhere else. I can’t think of a better way to come back to the theatre after this extraordinary and unusual year. 

To everyone who’s purchased a pin and a ticket, we thank you for your support. If you’ve liked or shared a post about one of our shows, sent a friend a picture of a poster, or told a stranger about one of the performances you’ve heard about, we also thank you. It’s people like you that truly make these events special. Your support means so much, and we hope to see you at our shows this year, and at festivals in years to come. 

Here’s to the 2nd annual Kelowna International Fringe Festival. Enjoy yourself! 

Thank you, 
​
Kimberly Billinton 
Fringe Festival Organizer 

Welcome, Kelowna Fringe Goers-

We are so excited to be the producer for this year’s Kelowna International Fringe Festival and hope it is the first of many thrilling years to come. 
It is with gratitude I welcome and thank you for purchasing a ticket to this year’s event. By proudly wearing your bear and sitting in our audiences you are not only supporting the artists you see, but a worldwide movement that believes in the democracy of performance and the motto of New Vintage Theatre “theatre for all”. There are over 20 artist groups involved in our event and I am equally grateful to these artists for taking the risk and putting their work on our stages after such a challenging two years. 
So, get out there, see some shows, enjoy our fabulous outdoor and indoor buskers and stay late for the after hour shows. 
You are now a part of an international movement and can expect the unexpected and a whole lot of fun!

Bonnie Gratz
Artistic Director
New Vintage Theatre

​

I ​am so happy to write a welcome letter to the Kelowna Fringe community, who are lucky enough
to be presenting an in person event along with a small digital component. Despite the ongoing
circumstances the Kelowna team and artists have come together to make this all possible. This is
the first year that the New Vintage Theatre will proudly host the Kelowna Fringe and it will take
place in Kelowna, West Kelowna and Lake Country making it a regional celebration.
It has been such a difficult year for Fringe Festivals around the world and the Kelowna team has
worked tirelessly to stay connected to its artists and patrons over that time. Their ability to safely
produce an in person Festival this year is definitely something to be excited about.
The Canadian Association of Fringe Festivals (CAFF) has over 30 member festivals across Canada
and the USA and we exist as an organization to unite, support, empower, and strengthen our
member festivals in order to cultivate and foster independent artistic exploration for artists and
audiences across North America.
CAFF has been taking the time over this last year to reflect upon what our organization is doing
and can do for the theatre artists of the world and we want to thank you, the audience, who
come out every year to support Fringe Festivals. Your support is integral to these artists. In these
ever-changing times of a global pandemic, precarious funding, expensive living costs, and the
day-to-day struggles many artists face, especially now, having people see their work is more
crucial than ever before.
So please take the time to get involve however you can, and especially safely. You are
ambassadors for these artists, and your support has a meaningful effect on their careers.
Thank you for joining us in this global movement of the FRINGE!
Happy Fringing,

Lucy Eveleigh
CAFF President