Ninth Tallinn Fringe Festival attracts over 10,000 visits
The Tallinn Fringe cultural festival, which wrapped up last week, brought together guests from dozens of countries and around 10,000 spectators.
Between August 18 and September 18, the festival hosted 203 performances across 22 different venues. While just over 9,000 visitors attended last year, the ninth edition of Tallinn Fringe Festival drew as many as 10,174 people.
"The growing audience numbers show that people are interested in diverse culture and entertainment that not only helps them escape everyday life but also offers artistic experiences. The festival has managed to keep ticket prices accessible and many shows follow a pay-what-you-want principle. At the same time, the money invested in organizing it pays back many times over for Tallinn's tourism. I see no reason why Tallinn Fringe couldn't grow into mainland Europe's biggest cultural festival," said chief organizer Dan Renwick.
Tallinn Fringe Festival brought comedy, music, theater, burlesque, dance and circus acts from 19 countries to the city. Among the many international and local performers was Estonia's stand-up comedy heavyweights, including Ari Matti Mustonen, who is gaining fame in the United States and surprised audiences with two unannounced performances.
On the festival's penultimate day, Salme Cultural Center hosted a packed concert marking the 100th anniversary of blues legend B.B. King's birth, featuring Kaisa Ling's band alongside Ivo Linna, Jan Uuspõld and Laura Põldvere. Tallinn's Town Hall Square also staged the festival's street program on several days, where circus artists and musicians performed free shows.
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Editor: Neit-Erik Nestor, Marcus Turovski
