National

Edmonton's Fringe Festival breaks ticket sales record, extends theatre dates

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 25 Aug, 2025 10:21 AM

North America's oldest theatre festival says it has set a record for most tickets sold in its 43-year history.

The Edmonton International Fringe Theatre Festival says it has broken its all-time box office record set in 2019 and sold 138,500 tickets this summer.

It amounts to $1.47 million for the festival's artists, surpassing the $1.39 million in sales garnered in 2019.

The festival was set to come to an end this weekend, but is extending some shows for another week due to the turnout.

Festival organizers say the milestone confirms that Fringe is an essential part of Edmonton's cultural identity.

Alberta's capital city was the first one in Canada to host the theatre festival in 1982, drawing inspiration from the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, which first began in 1947.

Picture Courtesy: HE CANADIAN PRESS/Handout - Edmonton Fringe Festival

Prev Next

MORE National ARTICLES

Family 'heartbroken' after B.C. mother and baby killed by falling tree

In a statement provided through the Comox Valley RCMP, the family thanks emergency responders and others on the beach at Cumberland Lake Park Campground who tried to save the pair on July 31.

Family 'heartbroken' after B.C. mother and baby killed by falling tree

Carney calls on Métis groups to help change Canada's 'economic trajectory'

"We have the opportunity to work together on transformative projects that can help change the economic trajectory of our country to the benefit of all," Carney said to Métis leaders from Ontario, Alberta, Saskatchewan and the N.W.T. who gathered in Ottawa for the meeting.

Carney calls on Métis groups to help change Canada's 'economic trajectory'

Two climbers, one of them injured, plucked off sheer mountain face in B.C.

North Shore Search and Rescue says in a social media statement that they went in late Tuesday, but weather was rapidly deteriorating and the climbers were hanging mid-face on the 2,100-metre peak.

Two climbers, one of them injured, plucked off sheer mountain face in B.C.

First Nation disappointed as B.C. court rejects challenge to Mount Polley dam level

The Xatsull First Nation claimed the province's approval of the plan to raise the level of the dam in B.C.'s Interior by four metres was improper and done without "meaningful" consultation with the nation.

First Nation disappointed as B.C. court rejects challenge to Mount Polley dam level

Canadians of South Asian heritages contribute to vision for provincial museum

The Province recently concluded a 12-month engagement to explore the diverse range of perspectives for a vision of a museum and then reported what are shared values and what is unique and distinctive between and within communities' visions.

Canadians of South Asian heritages contribute to vision for provincial museum

Alberta creates accident exclusion zone, fines to curb predatory tow trucks

Transportation Minister Devin Dreeshen says concerns have been raised about tow truck drivers showing up at car accidents and pressuring those involved to unnecessarily accept their services.