Return of Saskatoon Fringe Festival like 'buds of spring coming back'
Now that the Fringe Festival has kicked off, artists are thrilled to be back on the stage and the streets after more than a year of uncertainty and cancelled shows.
Gerald Williams is no stranger to Fringe Festivals around the country, but this is his first time in Saskatoon.
He said getting the call that the show will go on was exciting after all that went on in 2020.
“I decided not to go to any because there weren’t any. In 2019 I did nine Fringes in one summer,” Williams said.
Williams said he is excited to put on his show “How I Murdered my Mother.”
“According to the Fringe rumour network, this is the best Fringe in western Canada. I’m not saying the others are bad, the others are great, but I’ve heard Saskatoon is the best place to be for a Fringe,” Williams told CTV News.
Williams said the festival falling so close to provincial restrictions being lifted is a sign of good things to come.
“This wakes up society. It’s like the bird in the coal mine, but this is an indicator of a really good thing happening. This is like the buds of spring coming back to join us,” Williams said.
The festival looks a little different this year, but Williams said he still excited to finally get back up on stage and do what he does best.
Yulissa Campos, playwright of “The Newcomer,” said she had a mix of emotions leading up to festival.
“Grateful, happy, excited. As an artists, this was a really hard year,” Campos said.
Campos said there was still uncertainty in the months leading up to the event, but after everything people have been through during the pandemic, she thinks this is just the thing to start getting back to normal.
“I think people are so ready to be out. We have been in lockdown and just hiding at home. People are like ‘you know what? It’s time to get out,’” Campos said.
“I’m sure the people will enjoy this. It’s nice to be outside, it’s beautiful weather. Enjoy live theatre, I think it’s time. People are ready for this.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canadian gov't proposes new foreign influence registry as part of wide-spanning new bill
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government is proposing a suite of new measures and law changes aimed at countering foreign interference in Canada, amid extensive scrutiny over past meddling attempts and an ever-evolving threat landscape.
Boeing Starliner capsule's first crewed test flight postponed
The long-awaited first crewed test flight of Boeing's new Starliner space capsule was called off for at least 24 hours over a technical issue that launch teams were unable to resolve in time for the planned Monday night lift-off.
Teacher charged in historical sexual assault of Calgary teenage girl
Calgary police have charged a teacher with the alleged sexual assault of a teenage girl more than 20 years ago.
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
Man banned from owning animals after fatal Calgary dog attack
The owner of three Calgary dogs that got loose and mauled a woman to death in 2022 has been ordered to pay a $15,000 fine within one year and banned from owning any animal for 15 years.
East-end Ottawa family dealing with massive rat infestation
Residents in Ottawa’s Elmridge Gardens complex are dealing with a rat infestation that just won’t go away. Now, after doing everything they can to try to fix the issue, they are pleading with the city to step in and help.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Newfoundland and Labrador latest province to tighten rules on Airbnbs
Newfoundland and Labrador is the latest jurisdiction to bring in stricter rules for short-term rentals, with a coming set of regulations that will force operators to register with the provincial government.