All applications are closed.
The Hamilton Fringe Festival will return for its 22nd year, running July 15-26, 2026. The festival features over 50 companies and 350+ performances taking place in historic venues across town.
What is the Hamilton Fringe Festival?
Hamilton Fringe Festival is the city’s biggest, boldest 12-day arts festival, lighting up indoor and outdoor spaces across town with live comedy, plays, music, dance, art, film, family fare, and more. Keeping Hamilton weird since 2003!
Hamilton Fringe Festival is Hamilton Ontario’s biggest, boldest 12-day performing arts festival.
The 22nd Hamilton Fringe runs July 15-26, 2026, and will light up 16+ indoor and outdoor locations across the city.
Welcoming 50+ performance companies from the local, national, and international arts community, and with over 400 performances on our stages, this annual summer arts festival draws 25,000+ attendees and engages 150+ volunteers each year.
With live comedy, theatre, music, dance, visual art, film, family fare, and more – there truly is something for everyone at Hamilton Fringe!
Karma Kameleon performing at the 2025 Hamilton Fringe Festival Closing Night Ceremony. Photo by Dave Pijuan-Nomura.
Click here to learn more about Fringe festivals...
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.
Take a look at what Hamilton Fringe is all about...
Events & Tickets
Free Outdoor Events
Program Guides & Schedules
Fringing Tips & Tricks
Show Updates & Cancellations
Family Programming
Visual Fringe
FREE Outdoor Programming @ Hamilton Fringe
Fringe On The Streets returns for its third year—a FREE walking tour of the city unlike any other.
And Fringe Boulevard is back in full swing, offering more free outdoor programming than ever on a pedestrian-only stretch of King William St.
Festival Program Pick-up Locations
Grab a physical copy of this year’s Festival Program at any one of these locations:
- Café Oranje | 312 King St E
- Coach & Lantern | 384 Wilson St E
- Crown & Press | 303 Ottawa St N
- Detour Café | 41 King St W
- Last Supper Books | 148 James St N
- Mulberry Coffeehouse | 193 James St N
- Paisley Coffeehouse | 1020 King St W
- Playhouse Cinema | 177 Sherman Ave N
- RealFruity | 998 King St W
- RELAY Coffee Roasters | 27 King William St
- Shady Grove Lukaya Café | 592 Upper Wellington St
- Thirsty Cactus | 2 King St E, Dundas
- Tourism Hamilton | 28 James St N
- Vintage Coffee Roasters | 977 King St E
The Hamilton Fringe Festival returned for its 21st year, running from July 16-27, 2025. The festival featured 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!
Family Programming at the Hamilton Fringe Festival
Do you know a kid or teen who loves making art and performing? With music, dance, painting, and tons more, there’s something for everyone to enjoy.
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.
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 Boulevard, Kids Club, and Spark Teen Performance is free to attend. So how do we manage to keep the lights on?
Hamilton Fringe relies on Fringe Benefits Button sales to make the festival possible. This small but mighty $5 investment means that the festival can continue bringing cutting-edge performances and vibrant arts experiences to our community.
PLUS! Showing your button to participating businesses gets you exclusive deals and discounts. Keep your eyes on this space for more to come!
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)
We offer complimentary tickets for Support Persons & Personal Support Workers. Go to HFTco.ca/accessibility for details.
MULTI-SHOW PASSES
- Fringe Sampler 3-Show Pass: $39 (+fees)
- Fringe Binge 6-Show Pass: $72 (+fees)
- Fringe Frenzy 10-Show Pass: $110 (+fees)
- Fringe Double Frenzy 20-Show Pass: $220 (+fees)
- Fringe Mini Bar Pass: $30 (+fees) redeemable on Mini Bar shows only
Save on booking fees when you buy a pass!
ABOUT CASH SALES:
From July 16 – 26, 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 outdoors on Fringe Boulevard (King William St at James St N). That means NO CASH SALES at the door! Debit and Credit Card sales are available at all venues.
Still have questions? Check out the Box Office Info & FAQ page!
“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.
➭ Listen to the word in 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.
➭ Fringe shows start ON TIME.
Don’t show up at the last minute! Plan to check in at your venue at least 10 minutes before start time.
➭ 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!
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!
➭ You need Hamilton Fringe merch!
Getting your hands on HFTco swag is another way to show your support. Available to purchase at Fringe Boulevard and HFTco.ca/merch.
Here's a list of the Hamilton Fringe Festival 2025 AWARD WINNERS...
Best in Venue – Mills Hardware
A Question of Character
Minmar Gaslight Productions | Toronto ON
Best in Venue – The Players’ Guild of Hamilton
Minimum
The Intergalactic Federation of Space Beers | Hamilton ON
Best in Venue – Theatre Aquarius Studio
Bangs, Bobs & Banter: Confessions of a Hairstylist
Gravity Theatre | Vancouver BC
Best in Venue – The Westdale
Raccacloon
Playdough Productions | Toronto ON
Best in Series – Fringe Mini Bar
3 Hours, 10 Minutes
Beauchemin Productions | Hamilton ON
Best in Series – Indie Venues
Men Love Horsies: The Musical
Devin Bateson | Hamilton ON
Best Touring Show
Bangs, Bobs & Banter: Confessions of a Hairstylist
Gravity Theatre | Vancouver BC
Critic’s Picks Winner:
Men Love Horsies: The Musical
Devin Bateson | Hamilton ON
Critic’s Picks Honourable Mention:
Unsolicited: Good Advice Gone Dad
Kristi Boulton | Hamilton ON
Audience Choice
Ostrich Park
The Plot Hole Company | Hamilton ON
Best in Fringe
Men Love Horsies: The Musical
Devin Bateson | Hamilton ON
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.
