For its 42nd year, the Vancouver Fringe Festival returns to Granville Island and stages around the city. From September 10 to 20, the festival delivers eleven days of theatre, dance, comedy, drag, music – more than 80 shows – across 16 venues centred on Granville Island with shows spilling over to venues beyond the Fringe hub. Tickets for all shows are now available for purchase at the Vancouver Fringe website or call the Box Office at 604.336.1736.
This year’s Vancouver Fringe Festival highlights local talent, with Vancouver-based artists behind more than two-thirds of the 84 shows, alongside performers from across Canada. Local Sophia Saugstad, winner of the 2026 Ensemble Prize, and her production Coming of Rage, is a highlight of this year’s festival. The Ensemble Prize, supported by the Levy-Ehrcke Family Fund, is a new cash prize supporting productions with larger casts. Marita Michaelis, also a Vancouver local, has likewise spent the last year developing LIVE IN HELL supported by the Kathleen Flaherty Prize, an artist development program done in partnership with Playwrights Theatre Company designed to elevate bold, new voices in live performance.
“This year we really embraced everything that makes the Fringe special,” says Duncan Watts-Grant, Executive Director of the Vancouver Fringe, “Whether you come for intimate storytelling, engaging site-specific work, moving dance, catchy musicals, or feisty improv and stand-up comedy, this year’s Fringe has Every Kind Of Everything.”
That theme carries throughout the 2026 Vancouver Fringe Festival with its full schedule of events, now listed at vancouverfringe.com.
September 9th, the festival kicks off with an Opening Night Fringe Teaser where performers will have two minutes each to give the audience a taste of what to expect from their shows scheduled across the following two weeks.
September 12th and 13th, Granville Island will also host two days of free child-friendly programming with Kids Fringe feature engaging outdoor shows for kids “and their grown-ups” along with a puppet-making workshop delivered by Arts Umbrella, and a Baby Rave presented in partnership with Carousel Theatre for Young People. The Kids Market is also supporting the returning Kids Summer Craft Fair at Kids Fringe.
September 5th, 6th and 7th, the Festival’s free Fringe Patio music series begins ahead of the main program with a lineup co-presented with the Coastal Jazz and Blues Society, including performances by Parlour Panther, Hyaenas, Cowboy Bebop Bebop Band, Krystle Dos Santos, and Alvaro Rojas 5tet. Located at Ocean Artworks on Granville Island, the all-ages series runs throughout Fringe, offering a showcase of local musicians, entertainment and storytelling. Tickets are not required for Fringe Patio, the full schedule is available at vancouverfringe.com/fringe-patio/
“Coastal Jazz and Fringe have enjoyed a fruitful partnership behind the scenes for many years, and we’re delighted to bring that work to the Fringe Patio this year,” said Coastal Jazz Executive Director, Nina Horvath. “As a favourite Granville Island venue, Ocean Artworks is the perfect host for a weekend of music that showcases the best of both of our festivals.”
September 19th and 20th, The Vancouver Fringe Festival comes to a close with programming by the Vancouver International Flamenco Festival. As both festivals’ schedules overlap for the weekend, Flamenco Rosario will bring free live music, local flamenco talent, and beginner flamenco dance classes to the Fringe.
The 42nd Vancouver Fringe Festival runs September 10-20, 2026 with the festival’s hub at Granville Island. Individual tickets are now on sale starting at just $16. Join the Fringe+ program for discounts or purchase a MultiBuy pass, to save on multiple shows. More information and the full festival program, passes, and tickets are available by visiting vancouverfringe.com