What do iconic Canadian theatrical works Kim’s Convenience, The Drowsy Chaperone and The Drawer Boy have in common? They all started as very small, very indie productions at the Toronto Fringe performing arts festival.
The 38th annual Toronto Fringe is set to return this year running June 30 to July 12 with more than 120 independent productions spread across an array of venues, from bona fide soft seat theatres to churches, cabarets, and pop-up performance spaces.
At the centre of it all is Soulpepper Theatre, which returns as the festival hub. The Distillery District venue will house four performance spaces under one roof—Michael Young Theatre, Weyni Mengesha Theatre, the Kevin and Roger Garland Cabaret, and the RBC Studio—while also anchoring a wider centre of activity that spills out into the surrounding laneways. There are free events and informal gatherings in the Studio Lounge, plus additional programming nearby at Old Flame Brewing Co., the Distillery Stage, and Spirit of York Distillery.
Across the city, Fringe will feature a number of returning and new venues. Regular Fringe haunts include Tarragon Theatre, Factory Theatre, and Native Earth Performing Arts are back. Native Earth will activate both Aki Studio and the Minogitoon Workspace Giizis Studio as satellite venues deepening the festival’s connection to Indigenous performance.
This year’s Fringe will also use the Alumnae Theatre, VideoCabaret’s Deanne Taylor Theatre, and Sweet Action Theatre. More unexpected venues include the College Street United Church, Arts & Letters Club, Ollie Quinn, Jamii Hub, Studio 162, CineCycle, The Geary Avenue Warehouse, Cake Cabaret, BirdHaus, Society Clubhouse, BeBloor Condos Party Room, B Street Arts Hub, and Atlantic Avenue Athletic Club.
One big more this year is the pause of the Next Stage Series, a post-Fringe platform for standout productions. In its place is the new Fringe Encore Series, which is a curated fall showcase running Sept. 26 to Oct. 11 at Soulpepper. The Encore Series is hoping to extend the life of the festival’s best works, offering a second run—and a bigger spotlight.
As always, awards and artist development remain central to the Fringe.
Toronto Fringe will also feature performances from its 2026 award recipients: This year’s New Play Contest winner, Danse Macabre by Rhoma Spencer, joins Olivia O, The Musical by Diane Currie and Jessica Carmona (recipient of the Adams Prize for Musical Theatre) and Tango After Midnight by Erin Scott-Kafadar and Alexander Richardson (B Street Collaborative Award for Dance) among the highlighted productions. Meanwhile, the TENT (Theatre Entrepreneurs’ Network and Training) Program continues its track record of nurturing emerging talent, with its 2025 cohort returning to produce Snacey! by Priscila Gonzalez.
Full programming and ticket details arrive June 3.
