2012's record-breaking attendance has made way for the Orlando International Fringe Festival to expand into nearby Ivanhoe Village for 2013. During “Fringe First Monday” on August 6 at the Shakespeare Center, it was announced that after a 23 percent increase in attendance at May’s festival, three venues will be added, including The Theatre Downtown and Baby Blue's newly opened home base, The Venue.
George Wallace, general manager of Fringe, said that the move is part the organization’s strategy to boost visibility of the annual festival and will allow for an increase in the number of shows it offers next spring.
“It's time,” said Wallace. “We want to keep the positive momentum going. We said as an organization that we weren't going to expand unless we sold out more than we did in 2011.”
There were 32 sold out shows in 2011 and in 2012, the number of sold out shows doubled, with more than 29,000 tickets sold.
“The demand is there; demand for the artists and for the patrons,” said Wallace. “This year, we had to turn away 40 artists.”
Not only will the expansion allow for more artists there is the possibility to schedule at least ten more shows – it will allow artists to do more with the new space, including the option for more 75 and 90 minute shows. According to Wallace, this will also do away with the outdoor venue something he's particularly happy about.
“No more worrying about flooding, getting electrocuted and no more helicopters overhead,” he said.
Wallace said they carefully planned to ensure all of the added venues are no more than a mile away from Loch Haven Park. The Fringe will move its headquarters next to the Ivanhoe Village Main Street office, and that community-development organization will sponsor the Theatre Downtown venue.
“By Fringe expanding into Ivanhoe Village, it's definitely adding an economic boom,” said Scottie Campbell, executive director of Ivanhoe Village Main Street. “[Business owners] should take advantage of it. This is huge step for us and them.”
“It's a great move for both organizations,” said Wallace. “We'll be more present in the community, allowing us to continue developing our organization and build more partnerships, like Ivanhoe Village.”
He hopes this merger will open the door for Fringe sponsorships by neighborhood businesses.
“There are so many great restaurants and antique shops, et cetera, that patrons may not even be aware of,” he said. “By opening up the festival, we're opening up foot traffic.”
Campbell said they are already gearing up for next year's event. With help from The Main Street Project, an expanded Lymmo route is being added, pending funding, which would offer free transportation from downtown through Loch Haven Park to Mills to Virginia and back downtown. The only foreseeable issue is parking, which they both acknowledge is going to be a challenge but they are currently exploring options.
Being so close to so many LGBT businesses, including The Venue, which is owned and operated by openly gay Baby Blue, does this mean Fringe is getting gayer?
“A lot of people think we're a “gay” festival,” said Wallace. “We're very pleased that we have high-gay content but based on a 2010 survey, shows that 24% of patrons identified as LGBT, which is up to 30% this year.”
Wallace thinks a lot of that is due to Fringe being held right before Gay Days.
“From mid-May to mid-June, there's a lot of gay in Orlando,” he joked.
Campbell acknowledged the area's diversity and hopes it will up their as he calls it “queer quotient” in Ivanhoe Village.
