Vancouver Fringe Festival - Fringe Festival Edmonton Founder Brian Paisley, 80, Has Passed Away

 

Photography by THE Indie Media Eastcoast of Vancouver's "New Agora" Newspaper on Facebook:  The New Agora | Facebook

Vancouver Fringe Festival 2026...

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Announcing our 2025 festival artists! - Vancouver Fringe

"We’re super excited to announce this incredible list of artists selected to take to the stage in our 2025 Fringe festival, taking place this September 4–14 on Granville Island. A small group of our Fringe team members, board, and donors gathered to witness the live-streamed draw, celebrating the talent coming to this year’s festival. 

This year’s Fringe Lottery had a total of 39 spots, 4 from the CAFF touring lottery and 35 drawn live. 

The Vancouver Fringe team will be reaching out to the artists who have been selected to confirm their spot. If any artists who were drawn in the 1st phase who are unable to accept their spot, the spot will be offered to the first artist on the waitlist who entered the 1st-phase of the draw.

Congrats to all the artists selected, we can’t wait to Fringe with you this year!

• Administration
• 604-257-0350 | 11 AM – 4 PM (Mon – Thu)
• administration@vancouverfringe.com

• Vancouver Fringe
• Box 203, 1398 Cartwright St. Vancouver, BC V6H 3R8

Located on the ancestral, traditional, and occupied territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and sə̓lílwətaʔɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations.

• Charitable Tax No:
• #11891 9547 RR0001"

News on founder of Edmonton's Fringe Festival Brian Paisley's death, and life here:

Brian Paisley, founder of North America's longest-running Fringe festival, has died

"Paisley, a screenwriter, author and playwright, launched the festival in Edmonton 45 years ago."

Born in Belfast Ireland in 1946 Brian Paisley passed away in Mexico from pneumonia.

Facebook:  Edmonton Fringe Theatre | Edmonton AB | Facebook

"Edmonton Fringe Theatre

1d ·

Forty-five years ago, Brian "Father Fringe" Paisley hatched what he called "an undeniably absurd idea."

That anyone could be an Artist. That audiences would take a chance on something unexpected. That a city could gather around creativity, curiosity, and community and be transformed because of it.

That idea became the Edmonton International Fringe Theatre Festival.

It also became a movement that has inspired Fringe Festivals across North America, launched countless artistic careers, brought millions of people together in community, and forever changed our city and the artistic landscape across Canada.

Brian passed away on July 2, 2026, leaving behind a legacy that lives on every August wherever Artists gather, audiences take a chance on something unexpected, and communities choose creativity.

When he received an honorary doctorate from the University of Alberta in 2023, he gave us this piece of advice:

Be Curious.

Be Tenacious.

Be Ready.

Be Kind.

Be as human as you can be.

We can't imagine a more fitting way to honour the man we lovingly called Father Fringe.

Please join us for A Toast to Paisley in the Sea Change North Beer Tent on Thursday, August 20 from 5pm – 7pm as we raise a glass, share stories, and celebrate the remarkable life of the visionary who started it all.

Thank you, Brian, for reminding us that imagination can change a city – and that the most extraordinary stories often begin with one beautifully impossible idea.

We'll carry it forward.

Fringe forever.

Our thoughts are with Brian’s family and loved ones. Our community is infinitely richer because of his vision and leadership."

In Loving Memory of Brian Paisley

Brian "Father Fringe" Paisley  - Fringe Theatre

Brian Paisley: we’ve lost the breezy visionary who thought up the Fringe, and changed a city forever | 12thNight.ca

Fundraiser for Teresa Hallas by Stuart Paisley : Help Brian's Family Clear His Medical Debts

Carrie Kohan's ex-Husband Miles Kohan - Edmonton Alberta "Milestone Builder Group" - "Live Like Royalty" ?

 "Net Zero" Miles Kohan is a player .. CHBA President in Alberta...What is CHBA.. Canadian Home Builders' Association...

Website: Canadian Home Builders' Association (CHBA) | Home

"CHBA

Since 1943, the Canadian Home Builders' Association (CHBA) has been "the voice of Canada's residential construction industry." Representing one of the largest industry sectors in Canada, our membership is made up of over 8,500 companies – including home builders, renovators, land developers, trade contractors, product and material manufacturers, building product suppliers, lending institutions, insurance providers, and service professionals."

An Award Winner.... Local, Provincial, National..

"Triple Crown Builder" Milestone Builder Group..

Posing with Federal politicians.. 

Liberal Hussen and NDP leader Jagmeet Singh? Part of the "net zero" team in Canada.

What does "net zero" look like for Canadian homes? You get the idea.