Minnesota Fringe Festival 2026

The Minnesota Fringe Festival is the largest unjuried performing arts festival in the United States, held over 11 days each August in Minneapolis and Saint Paul. The festival presents approximately 170 shows in over 20 venues across the Twin Cities — theatre, dance, comedy, music, and performance art selected by lottery rather than artistic jury. The Fringe has been deeply and consistently LGBTQ+-friendly since its founding in 1994: a significant proportion of shows each year are by or about LGBTQ+ artists and communities, and the festival's unjuried format means that queer work that might not pass through conventional gatekeeping processes gets presented. The August timing is in the heart of Minneapolis's summer season — warm, outdoor-friendly, and following Twin Cities Pride by approximately six weeks. For LGBTQ+ visitors to Minneapolis who are interested in arts and performance, the Fringe Festival is a compelling reason to plan a visit in August.