Fringe Festival the biggest and best ever

ITS official: the Adelaide Fringe Festival smashes the 500 events barrier for the first time – making it the biggest fringe in the Southern Hemisphere – and it's happening now.

WITH a whopping 543 shows, 5470 performances and an estimated 3000 artists – the Adelaide Fringe festival is set to become the largest ever to take place in the Southern Hemisphere.

Featuring the best local and international emerging artists, the Fringe Festival will smash the 500 events barrier for the first time.

From Friday, 22 February until Sunday, 16 March, the Fringe Festival will wow audiences with comedy and theatre shows, as well as visual art exhibitions and live music.

"Adelaide Fringe is one of the best platforms in the world for emerging and professional artists who want to bring fresh work to a hungry audience," said Fringe Director, Christie Anthoney.

An estimated 40,000 people are expected to attend the Opening Night Party, which will feature risqué outdoor theatre, street entertainers until the main stage kicks in with live music from headline act The Presets.

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Countries with performers in the Fringe 2008 include Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Japan, Netherlands, New Zealand, Singapore, Slovenia, Sweden, United Kingdom, United States of America and of course and Australia.

The 2008 programme also boasts fresh talent, with art show upstART giving emerging South Australian artists the chance to work with mentors to develop their ideas into new work.

Another show highlight will be 10x10xFringe, a new initiative which will see 10 filmmakers and 10 bands working together with LA film maker Norwood Cheek, to make 10 music video clips.

Back for their third year in association with the Adelaide City Council, Adelaide International Buskers Festival brings the planet's best jugglers, magicians, acrobats, escapologists, aerialists, comedians and pavements artists to the streets of Adelaide.

This year the Fringe isn't just stopping in Adelaide. In collaboration with Country Arts SA, Adelaide Fringe will bundle up a selection of the finest Fringe acts from comedy, theatre and street performance to visual art and take it up north to Port Augusta, 14 to 16 March.

"We are delighted that the Fringe continues to grow at such a pace and that so many dedicated and brilliant artists choose our Fringe to showcase their work," said Fringe Chair, Judy Potter.

The first Adelaide Fringe was in 1960 and featured 27 events.

The Fringe was run on a biennial basis since from 1960 up until 2006. In 2007 the Fringe went annual.