When I first heard about Oahu’s Fringe Festival, I had to look up the term. Fringe, to me, implied a type of bikini with stylish adornments. But thanks to collegiate academia way back when, I recalled the secondary meaning to the term fringe: “not part of the mainstream; unconventional.”
Of course, that did not quite answer my curiosities about this upcoming festival, so I looked it up and discovered that it actually originated in Scotland in 1947 and has since spread across the globe as a way to promote freedom of expression in various forms of media, including theatre, music, dance and multimedia.
A Fringe Festival in Hawaii totally makes sense!It’s a way to present the islands’ unique multicultural ways into one unique festival. For the past three years, the Oahu Fringe Festival has been a part of Chinatown’s revival. The arts district hosts the series of events throughout November. These include a drag show, belly dance, storytelling and hula.
An eclectic mix of performances for the willing because, according to promoters, “no two Fringe Festivals are alike;” however, they do all have the “fringe spirit.” So get into the spirit and enjoy as Hawaii’s originality comes out on stage.
OAHU FRINGE FESTIVAL
• November of every year • Chinatown, Oahu • www.oahufringe.com
Photos Courtesy: Oahu Fringe Festival Fan Facebook
