Wynnum Fringe Festival

I interrupt my short blogging hiatus with a very important question ….  are you going to the Wynnum Fringe Festival?

The Wynnum Fringe Festival has a special place in my heart for many reasons which includes the fact that it is held in and showcases my local area here in the bayside of Brisbane … and it’s fun and joyful and fabulous and boy doesn’t the world need more of that these days!!

What is Wynnum Fringe Festival?

Let me tell you more about it:

• It’s an annual event that celebrates non-mainstream arts, entertainment and cultural experiences taking place in the bayside suburban precinct of Wynnum. It creates venues from under-used public and private spaces, brings in purpose-built portable venues, creates an uplifting carnival atmosphere with street design, lighting, food trucks and activations and presents a program of both ticketed and free arts and cultural events that appeal to a wide range of audiences, ages and backgrounds.
• This  will be the 4th Wynnum Fringe Festival!  This is the vision Wynnum Fringe founder Tom Oliver had four years ago when the world was in the grip of Covid. Rather than wait it out, Tom created a major festival. He’s already won a prestigious Matilda Award, cementing its reputation as a top-tier event on the Australian arts calendar, and last year welcomed a staggering 36,000 people to the Bayside. This year, Tom’s planned more! 
• Wynnum Fringe is all about community and its charity partners for 2023 are Bayside Community Fund, Down Syndrome Queensland, The Forgotten Women. So, when you enjoy a show at Wynnum Fringe Festival, you will not only be having a wonderful time but you’ll be doing great things to support those charities.
• Wynnum Fringe Festival kicks off on Wednesday 15th November with a star studded lineup of local, national and international acts across three weeks from 15 November – 3 December 2023.
• Fun Fact: The very impressive and inspiring founder of the Wynnum Fringe Festival –  ‘Tom Oliver’ – was at high school with my sons and I’m pretty sure he was in a school musical or two with my daughter (yes I’m that old)!

Marcia Hines

Wynnum Fringe Garden

Tom Oliver & Friends

What’s On

Here’s a glimpse at WHAT’S ON. For more details go to the Wynnum Fringe Festival ‘What’s On’ page.

There is something for everyone at Wynnum Fringe – from the Bluey & Bingo Live Interactive experience for the kids, or maybe take them to CIRCUS – The Show, to comedy with Comedians Wil Anderson, Dave Thorton & Geraldine Hickey, and Jimeoin, or maybe you’d enjoy an Adults Only Magic Show or if you’d like a bit of rock ‘n’ roll maybe you’d like to see a two hour solo show by DIESEL or how about going to ‘Rock the Bay‘ seeing artists like Daryl Braithwaite, Marcia Hines, and The Bamboos?  Why not join newcomer to Wynnum Fringe, Rhonda Burchmore’s After Party?! You can even attend an art class (oh hello!!) or maybe you’d like to be part of The Wynnum Takes It All – Community Choir event where you could be part of history as an attempt is made to set the world record for the largest gathering of people singing “The Wynnum Takes It All” in Wynnum.  Yes that’s right “The Wynnum Takes it All” (to the tune of the similarly named Abba Song). Check out the lyrics at this link. They’re fabulous and were penned by founder Tom Oliver, a quadruple threat talent as a singer, performer, producer, director and much more. He will lead the choir on the first Saturday (November 18 at 10am)!

Mini Fringe – ticketed and free shows tailored for young people and families. Ticketed shows include: The Greatest Magic Show, Prehysterical, Justin’s Big Balloon Show, Circus: The Show, Dino Disco, Artiste, Party Pooper, KABOOM. Activities include Old MacFarms Petting Zoo, Face Painting, Crazy Hair Stand, Bubbles, free experiences include Bluey & Bingo, Memetica Creatures, Cocoloco, Ferris Wheel and a PupplyPalooza day in the Garden dedicated to dogs and their owners on November 18!

Bay Pride – the first ever pride event in Brisbane’s Bayside, and a testament to the Fringe’s commitment to diversity and inclusivity. The Fair Day will host free and ticketed Queer shows and LGBTQIA+ market stalls, Boy & Girl, Hayden Tee: Bad Guy and a Pride Variety Show.

Acoustic Thursdays – performances by well-known and local artists including Diesel, Rai Thistlethayte, Lecia Louise, Sarah McLeod, Jason McGregor up close, unplugged and right there.

Opening Ceremony ‘yana marumba’ – this means ‘Walk Good’ in Jundai language, with local Quandamooka community members. Over four wonderful years this experience has grown from 200 people to 1,000.

Wynnum Fringe Garden

Wynnum Fringe Garden – the heartbeat of the Fringe, the ultimate place to be, and it’s free to be there!

• The Wynnum Eye – AKA a fancy ferris wheel
• The Downtown Toyota Piano Lounge, a caravan dressed like a giant piano where Dr Trevor Jones will play a real piano every night (!)
• The Outdoor Stage is home to free concerts and this is where BLUEY and BINGO will perform (OMG yes!)
• Award-winning puppet company Memetica Creatures will roam their Wild Birds the Cassowary & Bush Turkey each weekend joined by international Street Theatre Royalty, Cocoloco
• First Nations Zone featuring beautiful artworks and yarns with Elders
• The Fringe Bar and The Backstage Bar
• Food offerings and outdoor bars filled with Green Beacon Brewing Company, Archie Rose spirits and many other cold delights!

Ticketed Venues

• RAINE & HORNE WYNNUM OPERA HOUSE: The biggest and most prestigious venue at the Festival, the home of Music & Comedy.
• BOQ (Bank of Qld) WONDERLAND SPIEGELTENT: The second biggest venue at the Festival and home to Circus, Burlesque and Cabaret.
• THE LUNCHBOX: The first Wynnum Fringe owned venue, a 90 seat black box venue for local artists and hidden gems. Not potato gems, unfortunately. Home of all types of live performance from comedy to cabaret, music and more!
• THE BUS: A cute retro bus for ticketed performances. Home of Speed: The Movie, The Play.

On the bottom right hand side of the Wynnum Fringe Festival home page is a sitemap where you can see the location of all venues.

Links to find out more

Here’s some links where you can find out much more about what’s on and when. Under ‘WHAT’S ON‘ is where you also can buy your tickets! 

Home Page: wynnumfringe.com 
What’s On: wynnumfringe.com/whatson/
Schedule: wynnumfringe.com/schedule/
FAQS: wynnumfringe.com/faqs/

Wynnum Fringe on:  Instagram   |   Facebook   

So what are you waiting for? If you live in Brisbane you really don’t want to miss out on this opportunity to add a little joy and fun into your life. If you don’t live in Brisbane, then maybe this is a sign it might be time for a visit? 

You can’t Wynnum all, but you can Wynnum Fringe! 

Ciao for now,

Linking up with Denyse Whelan’s LAST EVER  ‘Wednesday’s Words and Pics‘