South Bend hosted its first Fringe Festival last weekend.

Fringe Festivals are an opportunity for performers/artists to expand the narrative on what a performance can be and, also, what can be included in an arts festival. The content of the performances is purposefully uncensored to allow for artists to maintain creative freedom. For this festival, the acts ranged from burlesque to live painting to movement performances and more. In South Bend, the stages were found at the Studebaker Fountain, at Leeper Park, at Leighton Plaza, and others in the downtown corridor. The live music reverberated off the buildings and the magic of live performances filled the public spaces.

The festival was slated to cover four days, but the Thursday and Sunday performances were rained out. Even with half the shows canceled, I found myself at nearly every performance on the schedule. Beyond the shows, there were street performers adding their own contributions to the energy of the event. This was the biggest event that I’ve covered in over a year (maybe longer). It was a multi-day assignment with a relatively broad focus—document the festival with a focus on the performances. As the event concluded on Saturday night, I was grateful to have had a front-row view of South Bend's first Fringe Festival!