ORLANDO — Attention, artists: the clock is ticking.
“We miss you — and there’s so much to catch up on!” notes Orlando Fringe. Their concern? The May “Fest Applications,” since the deadline is rapidly approaching, and Fringe wants artists to know they better hurry before applications close.
“It’s been quiet without the laughter, the weirdness, and the buzz of the lawn,” Fringe notes. “We miss the energy you bring to Fringe, and we’re hoping you miss us too.”
Applications are still open for next year’s Orlando International Fringe Theatre Festival. But not for very much longer.
Who can Apply to Perform at the Orlando Fringe Festival?
Anyone from around the globe can apply to perform at the 35th Annual Orlando International Fringe Theatre Festival, which is happening May 12-25, 2026. The festival isn’t limited to just Central Florida artists. Applications, which went live on Sept. 1, can be for everything from original plays to dance performances, music concerts, magic shows, and comedy improv. Those creative decisions are left entirely up to the artists.
The deadline to apply on the Orlando Fringe website is Nov. 15 at 5 p.m. The winners will be chosen through a lottery system in December.
“As always, Fringe is proudly 100% unjuried, and our artist selection is done through a lottery system,” Fringe notes. The rules are:
- 50% of slots are reserved for local artists (within two hours of Orlando)
- 25% go to national artists (outside Central Florida but within the U.S.)
- 25% are set aside for international artists
The live lottery drawing will be on Monday, Dec. 8 at 6 p.m. in Loch Haven Park, where Orlando Fringe has their office space at the Lowndes Shakespeare Center, 812 E. Rollins St. “You can join us in person to see the results,” Fringe noted.
Results are posted on Fringe’s website. For those unable to attend the lottery, Orlando Fringe will be live streaming the event on its socials and website.
What Is Orlando Fringe?
The 2025 Orlando Fringe Festival was held at the Lowndes Shakespeare Theater in Loch Haven Park last May, when there were more than 400 performances leading up to Memorial Day Weekend.
The Orlando Fringe Festival is the oldest Fringe in the nation, and in 2022 celebrated its 31th year. It was created in 1991 by Terry Olson (who is now the director of the Orange County Division of Arts and Cultural Affairs), Andy Anthony and Rick Kunst, and held in 1992 in downtown Orlando.
The concept was simple: a festival featuring multiple theatrical shows, mostly done in venues in empty storefronts. In 2004, the festival started to relocate to Loch Haven Park, and from 2005 on, the festival has been held entirely in that park and in nearby Ivanhoe Village. It’s the longest running Fringe Festival in the United States, a 14-day festival held in the spring.
Michael Freeman is an Orlando journalist, playwright, and author of the book A Christmas Eve Story. Contact him at Freelineorlando@gmail.com.
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