The Orlando Fringe Festival

The Fringe is an eclectic, edgy and untraditional 12-day-festival founded on the concept of offering accessible theatre, music, dance, art and madness to all types and ages where 100 percent of the box office ticket sales go directly back to the artists.

The original Fringe was produced in Edinburgh, Scotland in 1947, and is now a huge International Festival. The Orlando Fringe has been entertaining audiences since 1992. Drawing visitors from around the globe, the Orlando International Fringe Festival is the longest running U.S. Fringe festival, taking place at Loch Haven Park May 14 – 25, 2009 with performances by more than 75 artistic groups.

Though there's an overall edgy vibe, the festival also has a surprisingly family friendly atmosphere. Kids Fringe, a special weekends only mini-festival created just for the little ones, and select kid-friendly shows ensure that no one is left out of this inspired fun.

Check out the complete schedule. Event tickets range from free to $10 with prices set by each of the artists. In addition to specific performance tickets, a $6 festival button is required for admission to the festival. All of the proceeds from the festival are returned to the participating artists. Advance tickets are on sale online or can be purchased on-site during the event.

For a complete schedule, ticket pricing and directions, go to orlandofringe.org.