*** EVENT SCHEDULE Updates, CHANGES, AND CANCELLATIONS ***
No Holds Barred & This Short, No Budget, Latecoming Hamont Musical have CANCELLED their July 27 performances @ Relay Coffee Roasters due to air conditioning issues.
The Midshipman’s Handbook @ Staircase Theatre Elaine Mae is 40 mins long. It is erroneously listed as being 75 mins in the print version of the Festival Program.
Team Buja Artists @ The Zoetic have CANCELLED ALL PERFORMANCES
Whose Vagina Is It Really? has CANCELLED the following performances:
- Fri July 28 9:30PM @ The Zoetic
- Sat July 29 2:30PM @ The Zoetic
- Sun July 30 9:00PM @ The Zoetic
The Hamilton Fringe Festival will return for its 21st year, running July 16-27, 2025. The festival features over 50 companies and 350+ performances taking place in historic venues across town.
In 2024, over 17,500 theatregoers attended from all over Canada, the US, and beyond. Hamilton Fringe showcases a diverse lineup of sketch comedy, improv, theatre, dance, puppetry, magic, musicals, and more!
Make sure to get your tickets early, as some shows sell out quickly.
Tickets are on sale NOW!
Meanwhile, scroll down to learn more about Hamilton Fringe Festival below!
The Hamilton Fringe Festival will return for its 21st year, running July 16-27, 2025. The festival features over 50 companies and 350+ performances taking place in historic venues across town.
In 2024, over 17,500 theatregoers attended from all over Canada, the US, and beyond. Hamilton Fringe showcases a diverse lineup of sketch comedy, improv, theatre, dance, puppetry, magic, musicals, and more!
Make sure to get your tickets early, as some shows sell out quickly.
Tickets are on sale NOW!
Scroll down to learn more about Hamilton Fringe Festival below!
And keep an eye out for the 2025 Hamilton Fringe Festival Programs coming soon to a little shop or cafe near you!!
It’s our 21st festival! (Ah, they grow up so fast.) We’re back with a full slate of 55 Fringe plays at some of Hamilton’s favourite spots including Theatre Aquarius, Mills Hardware, Players’ Guild, The Westdale, The Staircase, Hamilton Theatre Inc., The Gasworks, Centre for the Talking Arts, and Ringside.
Fringe On The Streets returns for its second year—a FREE walking tour of the city unlike any other. Fringe Club gets a reboot as Fringe Boulevard, lighting up a pedestrian-only stretch of King William St with free programming, while Relay Coffee Roasters brings the drinks and snacks on the licenced patio.
The Fringe Benefits Button is back at $5, a one-time purchase giving you access to ALL festival events PLUS great discounts and perks at shops across the city. This operations-supporting button helps cover the cost of our programming year-round!
We can’t wait to share what Hamilton Fringe 2025 has to offer, lighting up our incredible city with performances, new connections, community, and fun. Happy Fringing!
Christopher Stanton
HFTco Executive Director
Franny McCabe-Bennett
HFTco Managing Director
Festival Program Pick-up Locations
Grab a physical copy of this year’s Festival Program at any one of these locations:
- Coach & Lantern | 384 Wilson St E, Ancaster
- Crown and Press | 303 Ottawa St N
- Democracy* | 202 Locke St S
- Detour Cafe | 41 King St W, Dundas
- Last Supper Books | 148 James St N
- Mulberry Coffeehouse | 193 James St N
- Paisley Coffeehouse & Eatery | 1020 King St W
- Playhouse Cinema | 177 Sherman Ave N
- RELAY Coffee Roasters | 27 King William St
- Shady Grove Lukaya Cafe | 592 Upper Wellington St
- Tourism Hamilton | 28 James St N
- Vintage Coffee Roasters | 977 King St E
What is the Hamilton Fringe Festival? (click to expand)
Hamilton Fringe Festival is the city’s biggest, boldest 12-day arts festival, lighting up spaces across town with live comedy, theatre, music, dance, art, film, family fare, and more.
The first Fringe theatre festival burst onto the scene in 1947 when some audacious Scottish theatre rebels decided they were going to crash the mainstream Edinburgh International Festival. Performing on the “fringe” of the main event, they ignited a revolution of wild, unfiltered creativity that totally upstaged the more established festival. This daring act of defiance unleashed a global phenomenon, with Fringe festivals around the world becoming the ultimate playground for boundary-pushing artists and thrill-seeking audiences.
Like other members of the Canadian Association of Fringe Festivals (CAFF), Hamilton Fringe follows a unique set of ground rules:
- We don’t pick the shows! Main Series shows are chosen randomly via lottery. Doing away with artistic “gatekeepers” levels the playing field for people who want to perform at the Fringe.
- We don’t take a cut of ticket sales! 100% of the ticket price goes straight to the artists. So when you buy a ticket, you are directly supporting the people making the shows.
- We keep it CHEAP! After a one-time $4 Fringe Benefits Button purchase to support the festival, single tickets are just $14 ($5 for kids), and a multi-show pass makes it even less per show. More affordable ticket prices means you can take in more shows! Plus there’s loads of FREE outdoor programming all festival long.
"Fringing" Tips & Tricks!
If you’re new to the festival, here are some “Fringing” tips to keep in mind:
- Get to know your Festival Program! There’s a lot going on and this Festival Program is your indispensable guide as to what’s happening where and when. And check out hftco.ca/events for the latest info about show changes and cancellations.
- Listen to the word on the street! With 50+ shows and events, how do you choose? The best source for the shows getting the most buzz is other festival-goers!
- Take a chance! Every year there are shows just waiting to be discovered by an audience. See something in the program that sparks your interest? Don’t be afraid to risk the low price of a Fringe ticket to find that hidden gem. Remember: lots of actors got their start in Fringe shows—a name that’s new to you today might be a big star tomorrow!
- Fringe shows start ON TIME. Not every venue or show is able to accommodate late arrivals. Plan to check in 10 minutes before start time just in case!
- All ticket sales are final. There are no refunds. Exchanges may be made for a different performance of the same show at least 48 hours in advance for service charge of $2.50.
- All seating is general admission. Patrons
with accessibility requests will receive
priority seating as needed. - Tip the Fringe! We need your support to keep this festival running. When you buy tickets and attend events, we’ll be asking you to “Tip the Fringe.” You decide how much to give––just think about what Hamilton Fringe means to you and how important the festival is to the city’s live performance community!
Buy Your FRINGE BENEFITS BUTTON!
All Fringe patrons ages 12+ (including passholders) must make a one-time purchase of a Fringe Benefits Button for $5 to access all ticketed indoor events. Hold onto that button – you can’t get into the show without it!
Hamilton Fringe Festival gives 100% of the ticket price straight back to participating artists. Additional programming like Fringe On The Streets, Fringe Club, Kids Club, and Spark Teen Performance is free to attend.
So how do we manage to keep the lights on?
The fact is that Hamilton Fringe relies on Fringe Benefits Button sales to make the festival possible. This small but mighty contribution ensures that the festival can continue bringing cutting-edge performances and vibrant arts experiences to our community. With just $5, you’re not just getting a button; you’re investing in the future of Hamilton’s growing, dynamic, and unique arts community.
ALSO! Showing your button to participating businesses gets you exclusive deals and discounts! That means more savings for you while you’re supporting the Fringe AND local businesses. It’s a rare win-win-win situation! Check out our Visit Hamilton page for the full (and growning!) list of participating companies around town.
Join your fellow Fringers in championing the arts in Hamilton—and wear your button with pride!
Fringe Benefits Buttons are available in advance or at the door.
Tickets & Multi-Show Passes
Advance tickets can be purchased via the online box office right up until show time.
Tickets are also available at the door beginning 45 minutes prior to show time. Talk to the friendly Box Office staff stationed right outside your show’s venue and they’ll get you set up.
- General Admission: $14 (+fees)
- Kids Under 12: $5 (+fees)
- Fringe Mini Bar: $8 (+fees)
MULTI-SHOW PASSES
- Fringe Sampler 3-Show Pass: $36 (+fees)
- Fringe Binge 6-Show Pass: $66 (+fees)
- Fringe Frenzy 10-Show Pass: $100 (+fees)
- Fringe Double Frenzy 20-Show Pass: $200 (+fees)
- Fringe Mini Bar Pass: $30 (+fees) redeemable on Mini Bar shows only
Save on booking fees when you buy a pass!
We offer complimentary tickets for Support Persons & Personal Support Workers. Go to HFTco.ca/accessibility for details.
ABOUT CASH SALES: From July 17 – 27, in order to make your Fringe experience quicker and smoother, cash sales will ONLY be available for ADVANCE sales made at the incite Fringe Info Hub located in the Lister Block (28 James St N – entrance on King William St). That means NO CASH SALES at the door! Debit and Credit Card sales are available at all venues.
Still have questions? Come by the incite Fringe Info Hub, email boxoffice@hftco.ca, or give us a call at 289.698.2234!
Located on King William St at James St N, Fringe Boulevard transforms the street into a vibrant, pedestrian-friendly hub filled with music, dance, drag, film, painting, and performance (Don’t forget to check out the local artisans in the Marketplace tents on both Saturdays from 12-9PM). It’s the living, beating heart of the festival – and the place to celebrate the weird, wild, and wonderful Hamilton Fringe community! Best of all? All the programming is FREE!
While you’re there, make sure to pay a visit to our incredible neighbors along the Boulevard. The Mule, The French, The Diplomat, HAMBRGR, Undefined, The Standard, Electric Diner, Parma, and Piccolo are just a few of the many amazing businesses along the strip that are celebrating the Fringe Festival with us. For more information and to get access to exclusive deals during the festival, visit HFTco.ca/Visit-Hamilton.
Click on the Fringe Boulevard Schedule below for more details!
Relay Licensed Patio – Open 6PM – 10:30PM every night
Join us each evening in the licensed tent for a bite and a bevvy at The Relay Outdoor Patio. Brought to you by our pals at Relay Coffee Roasters.
Visual Fringe Venues:
A FREE outdoor performance tour presented in partnership with the City of Hamilton with support from the Downtown Hamilton BIA and Keeping Six.
Fringe On The Streets is an immersive walking tour that reimagines downtown Hamilton. Audiences will experience a wild and wonderful version of the city through live art and performance. Hop on or off anywhere along the 75-minute route along York & James as we bring you music and avian sculpture at the Farmers’ Market, a sidewalk burlesque, the women of vaudeville behind the Tivoli, a puppet show with a historical twist, a condo realtor presentation from the great beyond, and a dancing grand finale on King William. There’s never been a tour of Downtown Hamilton quite like this!
For more information about our Fringe On The Streets performances, visit HFTco.ca/Events
Tours depart Hamilton Farmers’ Market (35 York Blvd) at the following times:
Fri July 18: 6:00PM
Sat July 19: 3:00PM & 6:00PM
Sun July 20: 3:00PM
Thu July 24: 6:00PM
Fri July 25: 6:00PM
Sat July 26: 3:00PM & 6:00PM
Sun July 27: 3:00PM
Here's a list of the Hamilton Fringe Festival 2024 AWARD WINNERS...
Best in Venue – Mills Hardware
The Little Black Fish
Pedagogies of Hope | Hamilton ON
Best in Venue – The Players’ Guild of Hamilton
It’s Always Hazy in Hamilton
The Intergalactic Federation of Space Beers | Hamilton ON
Best in Venue – Theatre Aquarius Studio
Izad Etemadi: Let Me Explain
Green Light Arts | Toronto ON
Best in Venue – The Westdale
Ushindi: When We Are Welcome
The Ushindi Collective | Hamilton ON
Best in Series – Mini Bar
3 Queens
Bon Mots Productions | Hamilton ON
Best in Series – Indie Venues
Spookshow
Nicholas Wallace | Niagara ON
Best Touring Show
Robert Will Show You the Door
Susan Jeremy Productions | Brooklyn NY
Critic’s Picks (three-way tie!)
Grabbing The Hammer Lane: A Trucker Narrative
HARBOUR WORKSHOP LLC | Montclair NJ
GRINGAS
First Born Theatre Company | Toronto ON
Underwear Fairy and Other Love Stories
A Company of Players | Hamilton ON
Audience Choice
Stationary
Tough Love Collective | Hamilton ON
Best in Fringe
Spookshow
Nicholas Wallace | Niagara ON
2025 Visual Fringe Artists:
Haylie Maria Dittrich
Nico Lavender
Elaine Lauzon
Death of a Lover Girl
Kevin Sooley
Wolf Dottir
All Han Made
Rulito
K. Swackhammer
2025 Kids Visual Fringe Artists:
Aadhav Dineshkumar
Madhu
Visual Fringe gives artists a chance to have their artworks displayed on the walls of Relay Coffee, Vintage Coffee Roasters, and more this July.
In true Fringe spirit, Visual Fringe features work from no fewer than 9 regional artists selected by random draw. We don’t curate or critique—artists don’t even need to have their pieces completed when they apply!
We’ve also partnered with Dundas Valley School of Art to bring you Kids Visual Fringe! Specifically for artists 16 years old and under, this lottery gives two randomly selected young artists the opportunity to display their works of art in the lobby of DVSA.
Visual Fringe Venues:
Films On The Fringe: Shorts Showcase
Fringe Boulevard (on King William St at James St N).
Thursday, July 17 starting at 9 PM.
The Films On The Fringe: Shorts Showcase competition, presented by Downtown Hamilton BIA, offers Hamiltonians a FREE opportunity to enjoy short films under the stars on Fringe Boulevard, located on King William St at James St N.
The winning film will be screened in its entirety and the winning filmmaker will receive a $400 screening fee. Second and third place will each receive a $100 honorarium and a Fringe Binge 6-Show Pass for use at the Hamilton Fringe. Selections are made by a jury of industry professionals.
All longlisted filmmakers will have a short clip shown at the Shorts Showcase.
Presented by
Support Hamilton Fringe & HFTco
Your support is vital as we make the theatre experiences you love accessible to both audience members and theatre makers! As the live performance arts continue to rebuild, YOU can help HFTco train, platform, and amplify Hamilton’s next generation of theatre artists and storytellers.
