IT’S time for the 10-year-old Canberra Fringe Festival to launch itself upon the nation’s capital with a program full of “party, menagerie and cabaret”.

Chenoeh Miller and Gregor Murray co-direct the event, which has traditionally been attached to the National Multicultural Festival as its experimental wing. Miller has told “Citynews” that her contract is up and the ACT government plans to switch the festival to Floriade, taking the sultry summer element out of the equation. That, if it happens, will be the last nail in the coffin of true arts in the wider festival, an event once touted by the Australia Council as one of the most promising arts festivals in the country.

But in the meantime, youthful Canberrans are getting ready to dress up and enjoy Mother Tongue Multilingual Poetry, Mr Tim and the Fuzzy Elbows, The Fuelers, Drumassault, Alice Cottee from No Hausfrau, Positive Feedback Loop, Dead DJ Joke, Little Dove Theatre Art with Fresh Funk Dance, the Sound and Fury Ensemble, Prom, Warm Death, Jessica McKerlie, Spectres of Love, and hovering over all, the event’s outrageous MC Lisa-Skye.

Smith’s Alternative at 76 Alinga Street, Civic, will host a Fringe Curtain Raiser tonight Friday, February 17, with three one-hour shows –  Lisa-Skye with Spiders Wearing Party Hats, Jessica McKerlie with Gender Spanner and Mikelangelo, with his solo show. Each performer, Miller points out, has an international reputation.

“While we don’t know what lies ahead for the Canberra Fringe Festival, we do know that we intend to party like it’s our last!” Miller says.

Canberra Fringe Festival 2017 is taking place on, Saturday, February 18, from 10am – midnight on London Circuit near Petrie Plaza.

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