The DC Region’s Fringe Festival
July 2026
APPLICATIONS ARE OPEN!
2ND ANNUAL
DISTRICT FRINGE FESTIVAL
District Fringe was created by artists for artists to promote and propel the strong independent theater tradition in the D.C. area.
Held over three dynamic weeks each summer, District Fringe brings together local and national artists across theater, dance, music, comedy, and multidisciplinary works — all in the heart of the nation's capital. Powered by creativity, accessibility, and community, District Fringe is a home for risk-takers, storytellers, and art-lovers of every kind.
Whether you’re stepping into a black box premiere, an immersive pop-up, or a one-night-only spectacle, every moment at District Fringe pulses with the energy of what’s possible when artists are given the freedom to go big, get weird, and make something unforgettable.
District Fringe was created by artists for artists to promote and propel the strong independent theater tradition in the D.C. area.
STORY AND VISION
Welcome to the future of independent theatre in the DMV: District Fringe. When Capital Fringe announced the discontinuation of its festival in January 2025, a few of us veteran producers (Karen Lange, Tracey Erbacher, Aubri O’Connor) decided it was time to pick up the torch. We are so thankful and inspired by the nearly 20 years Capital Fringe presented their festival, and we knew it was up to us to take the opportunities we had and pay them forward to the next generation of producers.
Enter District Fringe: a new summer festival showcasing locally grown theatre hand-picked to entertain you, make you think, and make you feel. We are:
UNINHIBITED
We’re inviting people to bring their most creative performing arts into the world. The art belongs to artists, and we support true freedom of expression in a medium that teaches empathy as well as entertains.
UNAFRAID
If people can dream it, they can do it. We will be curating this festival, as the spaces are very limited. We’re not applying for federal government grants because they quash freedom of expression. We’ll look for shows that celebrate the diversity of this great city and its residents. District Fringe should reflect all the kinds of people who live here.
UNSTOPPABLE
Just because one organization stops does not mean another can’t begin. This is, we hope, the first of many in the grand tradition of fringe festivals the world over. We are a city bursting with creativity in the performing arts. We owe no allegiance to major organizations or established, large theaters. We can literally do anything, so we intend to open the floodgates.
