With Fringe World’s closure for 2026 just around the corner, you’d be missing out if you didn’t visit ArtConnect Initiative Inc.‘s FringeConnect Stirling in Scarborough for its inaugural season. From Thursday, February 5, to Sunday, February 15, the Scarborough Sports and Community Club will host over fifty performances, with tickets on sale now. Spanning daytime family shows, late-night comedy, and live music performances with international and local talent, FringeConnect Stirling is set to have something for everyone to enjoy. Natasha Paul spoke to local resident and Arts Producer Kathryn Preston to find out how FringeConnect Stirling will bring creativity, community and Fringe fun to Scarborough next year.
FringeConnect Stirling is set to feature comedy, cabaret, music, theatre, and family entertainment performances, all just minutes from Scarborough’s coastline. Where did the idea to bring Fringe World to Scarborough come from?
Working in the arts, I’ve produced shows in Scarborough for many years—at Summerset Festival, Sunset Verandah and other local events. The community here has always been incredibly supportive of the arts, and when Fringe no longer had a presence in Scarborough, it really left a gap. Every year people would ask me if Fringe World was coming back to the area. With the support of the City of Stirling, we’re thrilled to bring that energy back through FringeConnect.
FringeConnect Stirling is set to convert the Scarborough Sports and Community Club into a vibrant hub for creativity and connection. What was the process of transforming this space like?
After a lot of research, we knew Scarborough Sporties was the ideal venue. There’s ample parking, an on-site bar and restaurant, and several fantastic spaces that lend themselves perfectly to a Fringe-style transformation. We’ll be featuring artwork from local artist Marite Norris, whose work also inspired our FringeConnect branding. Her vibrant, colourful style really helps us create the playful, welcoming atmosphere we want audiences to experience.
There is a diverse range of local, national and international acts set to perform across the eight days, with thirty acts and sixty performances! What particular things did you look for when curating the 2026 program?
When programming the season, we wanted a lineup that was diverse, imaginative and engaging for the whole community. We’ve built a strong children’s program with shows like A Musical Adventure, A Circus Game Show, Bubble Show in Space, 123 Rap!, Abra-Da Cameron, and Are You Afraid of The Bach?
For general audiences, we have shows such as Hypnotist Matt Hale: Funbelievable! 90s Rewind, Smile: The Charlie Chaplin Story, Holographic Charizard, and art workshops including Fringe Beast Fun and Draw Your Own Gothic Dragon.
Our comedy program includes 007 From Mumbai With Love, Amy Hetherington and Kal Balnaves, and many others.
Music lovers can enjoy performances like Flamencodanza, Sounds of Simon & Garfunkel, The James Taylor and Carole King Story, and California Dreams: Sounds of LA.
And of course, we also have late-night and adults-only shows such as Teardrops on My Dildo, Classical AF, 2 White Guys Rapping: Whose Rhyme, 33 Years Single, Rap GPT, Comedy vs Magic, The Big Hoo-Haa!, Hoey and Sahib: Escape from Brisbane, Joe White: Emotional Blackmale, Accordion Ryan’s Pop Bangers, Suns of Fred Hoedown and Psycho or Psychic.
Our goal was to curate a program that feels exciting, eclectic, and inclusive—something that truly reflects the spirit of Fringe.
What can attendees look forward to the most with FringeConnect Stirling? Are there any particular acts or performances to look forward to?
It’s honestly hard to pick favourites—we have such an incredible lineup! We’re hosting award-winning acts, performers fresh from sold-out Edinburgh seasons, nationally touring artists, and some truly talented local favourites.
After spending time in Spain recently, I’m personally very excited about Flamencodanza. Smile: The Charlie Chaplin Story has been collecting five-star reviews around the world, and we’re lucky to have them for one special performance at FringeConnect. I actually tried to see the show in Edinburgh, but it was sold out every time!
Accordion Ryan’s Pop Bangers is one of the most fun shows I’ve seen in a long time, so we’re thrilled to have him with us. 2 White Guys Rapping and RapGPT will absolutely blow audiences away with their freestyle skills.
Hypnotist Matt Hale: Funbelievable – 90s Rewind is coming straight from a sell-out Edinburgh run, and the team behind California Dreams, The Carole King and James Taylor Story, and Sounds of Simon & Garfunkel have been touring the US and selling out internationally.
And of course, local legends like The Big Hoo Haa!, A Circus Game Show, Suns of Fred, and comedian Joe White are always crowd favourites.
FringeConnect Stirling’s inaugural season hits Scarborough Sports and Community Club from Thursday, February 5, to Sunday, February 15, 2026. For tickets and the full program, visit fringeworld.com.au
