Adelaide Fringe

Editorial

Established in 1960 as an alternative to the Adelaide Festival, the Adelaide Fringe has grown to become Australia's largest and most exciting arts festival and the second largest Fringe festival in the world.

Originally held every two years, the festival's demand became so great in 2007 that it became an annual event and it's shown no signs of slowing down.

Artists from around the country flock to Adelaide for the Fringe, where they rub shoulders with such international guests as comedians Arj Barker, Eddie Ifft and Dead Cat Bounce. But there's much more than comedy on offer at this sprawling and remarkable celebration of all things creative, including cabaret from Fiji, post-modern circus from Melbourne and gory, gothic home-grown puppetry.

It all kicks off on 18 February with the new-look Fringe Parade and opening night party, featuring free performances across two dynamic stages. Thereafter, The Garden of Unearthly Delights offers up a smorgasbord of performances to suit every taste, including One Man Lord of the Rings, international cabaret diva Amanda Palmer, and Wil Anderson's new stand-up show, Man Vs. Wil; while in Arcade Lane, between the Regent and Adelaide Arcades, you can find a pop-up bar and entertainment nightly in the former Regent Cinemas, including jazz and poetry from Shaggy Doo Beats and The Jazzcateers, and award-winning cabaret from The Spaces Between.

From jaw-dropping spectacle to quiet, confident creativity, the Adelaide Fringe has it all. So what are you waiting for? Pick up a program and dive on in!

Richard Watts, Citysearch