Philadelphia Fringe Festival 2024

From Thursday, September 5 to Sunday, September 29, 2024, the Philadelphia Fringe returns with its annual festival of curated and independently produced theatre and performance works. The Festival features in-person and digital events, with 1,000+ performances at 105 venues – including three Festival Hubs (see below for more details). International, national and local artists excite audiences with comedy, drama, cabaret, storytelling, theatre for young audiences, circus performance, dance and more.

Performances include The Rose Garden Performance Series, a month full of live music, conversations and events featuring queer and trans superstars; Black Wood: Winterborn*, an immersive multidisciplinary experience taking audiences into the world of a man-killing coven as they navigate the lore of forbidden love and rebirth (* this show is the bone-chilling sequel to the 2023 smash hit Black Wood); and Nosejob, a ferocious satire featuring college hook-ups, female friendship, football and a medieval saint who cuts off her nose to spite a pack of rapacious Vikings.

About the Philadelphia Fringe Festival

The first Philadelphia Fringe Festival was presented in 1997 by the organization now known as FringeArts, with the intention of providing opportunities for contemporary performing artists to connect with audiences in an exciting social environment. While programming includes some curated performances, artists do not need to be invited or curated to participate – all types of performance and artwork are welcome, including theatre, dance, film screenings, immersive experiences, installation and gallery artwork, workshops and more – and experimentation, discovery and exploration are celebrated! The annual Festival features performances by national, international and local artists of all disciplines in traditional and unconventional venues throughout the city. Read more about their story here.

A woman with a big white hairdo dressed in black performs at the microphone on a cabaret stage, her head tilted back and mouth open in song as she spreads her arms wide.

(Photo credits: Philadelphia Fringe Festival. The Fabric Workshop and Museum & Bearded Ladies Cabaret’s The Rose Garden Performance Series.)

Poster for Black Wood: Winterborn, with "Winterborn" in a rune-like font, against the background a foggy winter forest at night.

(Photo credits: Philadelphia Fringe Festival. Gunnar Montana Productions’ Black Wood: Winterborn.)

A woman wearing a sheer white veil with a halo-like gold headpiece and a red dress with the straps off her shoulders and a crucifix around her neck sits upright with a man lounging on her lap. He's dressed only in white briefs and a Viking helmet, with black football player marks under his eyes and his right hand is bandaged in gauze.

(Photo credits: Philadelphia Fringe Festival. Lee Minora & Scott R. Sheppard in Nosejob. Photo by Emilie Krause.)

Event details

Hosted by: FringeArts

Type of event: theatre & performance festival

Shows & companies: Various; please see the 2024 Festival Events page or the 2024 Festival Guide.

2024 Digital Events: Find digital events here.

2024 Festival Hubs: Check out the 2024 Festival Hubs, including:

The Cannonball Festival (September 1 – 29): 120+ different full-length productions – from rebellious circus, delicious dance, fearless theatre and activist art to workshops, parties and more.
Circus Campus Presents (September 6 – 29): Performances by circus artists, musicians, poets, dancers and theatre artists.
The Glen Foerd Hub: Presenting performances of perennial, and other works for dance (September 8) & For Love of Country (September 15 & 29) at the historic Glen Foerd mansion and grounds.

Dates & times: The Festival runs from Thursday, September 5 – Sunday, September 29, 2024. Dates & times for individual performances vary; please consult the 2024 Festival Events page.

Duration: Varies; please consult the festival events page or guide above for individual performance running times.

Cost: Some shows are free and require registration. Tickets range from USD$15.00 – $49.00 (most are around $25.00), with discounts for students/25 & under, as well as arts workers. All tickets are subject to an order fee. Tickets may be purchased at the door (of the performance venue) or at the Fringe Festival box office. Tickets at the performance venue can be purchased one hour before Curated shows and a half hour before Independently Produced shows; however, some performances will sell out in advance, so advance booking is recommended for popular shows. See full box office details, including how to purchase tickets, here.

Locations: Performances take place at various venues around Philadelphia, PA; please see the Venues page for locations and consult the individual performances for specific venues.

Program guide: See the online 2024 Festival Guide.

Booking link: Book your tickets here by selecting a show and the date/time you want to see it.

Contact Details: Philadelphia Fringe Festival Box Office, 140 N. Columbus Blvd. (at Race St.), Philadelphia, PA, 19106, USA; Box office phone number: 215-413-1318, patronservices@FringeArts.com, phillyfringe.org

Content warning: Please consult the individual performance synopses in the 2024 Festival Guide or on the Events page.

Accessibility: Please consult the individual venues for specific accessibility info.

COVID-19 policy: Please consult the individual performances in the 2024 Festival Guide or on the Events page for health and safety policies.

Refund policy: FringeArts does not offer refunds on ticket purchases. Exchanges are offered for free to current members and Producers Circle members and for $2.00 per ticket for non-members. Exchanges can only be made before the ticketed performance has begun and only for a different performance of the same show.