Live performance is returning to Peterborough-Nogojiwanong this summer at the world’s first Indigenous Fringe Festival, taking place in June at Trent University, and tickets are now available online at tickets.showplace.org.
The inaugural Nogojiwanong Indigenous Fringe Festival (NIFF), originally scheduled for 2020, is going ahead this year despite the pandemic because organizers have ensured the festival is COVID-safe.
“We all miss performance,” says festival founder Joeann Argue in a media release. “We miss pow wows. We just miss being in the company of others; being in community. That’s why we decided to move ahead with NIFF this year as a fully outdoor festival.”
From Wednesday, June 23rd to Sunday, June 27th, six Indigenous performing artists will present 35 shows at four outdoor venues at Trent University, with a maximum of 10 tickets available for each show.
Tickets for all performances are $10 each, with all proceeds from ticket sales going directly to the performing artists.
The outdoor performance spaces at Trent University include the East Bank campus, around the Enwayaang building (home of the Chanie Wenjack School of Indigenous Studies), and outside of Gzowski College.
As is fringe festival tradition, the six performers were chosen by lottery and include D.B. McLeod (comedy), Jennifer Alicia Murrin (theatre), Stephanie Pangowish (comedy), “Tiger” Will Mason (music and stories), Vanguardia Dance Projects (dance), and Zaagi’idwin Collective (theatre). A schedule of all the performances is provided below.
“Think of it as practice for those golden days ahead when we can gather in larger groups and hugs our friends and family tight,” Argue says. “Think of it as a taste of NIFF to come, when Indigenous artists from all over Turtle Island can converge here is Nogojiwanong.”
“Most of all, think of just how excited this year’s NIFF artists are to be able to perform live, for you, with no screens in between. We’re so excited too and we can’t wait to welcome you.”
For more information about the festival, including the shows and the performers, visit www.indigenousfringefest.ca. To order tickets for individual performances, visit tickets.showplace.org.
Performance schedule
Wednesday, June 23
Bagnani Gardens
- Vanguardia Dance Projects: Hybrid Women at 8 p.m.
Fire Pit
- Jennifer Alicia: Restor(Y)ing Identity at 8 p.m.
Gzowski Stairs
- Zaagi’Idiwin Collective: Streetheart at 7 p.m.
Stone Circle
- Tiger Will Mason: The Music & Stories of a Modern Mohawk at 6 p.m.
- Stephanie Pangowish: Stand Up Comedy at 7:30 p.m.
- D.B. McLeod: Denis with an “E” at 8:30 p.m.
Thursday, June 24
Bagnani Gardens
- Vanguardia Dance Projects: Hybrid Women at 6 p.m.
Fire Pit
- Jennifer Alicia: Restor(Y)ing Identity at 7 p.m.
- Stephanie Pangowish: Stand Up Comedy at 9 p.m.
Gzowski Stairs
- Zaagi’Idiwin Collective: Streetheart at 6 p.m.
Stone Circle
- Tiger Will Mason: the Music & Stories of a Modern Mohawk at 8 p.m.
Friday, June 25
Bagnani Gardens
- Vanguardia Dance Projects: Hybrid Women at 8 p.m.
Fire Pit
- Jennifer Alicia: Restor(Y)ing Identity at 6:30 p.m.
- Tiger Will Mason: the Music & Stories of a Modern Mohawk at 9 p.m.
Gzowski Stairs
- Zaagi’Idiwin Collective: Streetheart at 7:30 p.m.
Stone Circle
- Stephanie Pangowish: Stand Up Comedy at 7 p.m.
- D.B. McLeod: Denis with an “E” at 8 p.m.
Saturday, June 26
Bagnani Gardens
- Vanguardia Dance Projects: Hybrid Women at 4 p.m.
Fire Pit
- Jennifer Alicia: Restor(Y)ing Identity at 3:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
- D.B. McLeod: Denis with an “E” at 9 p.m.
Gzowski Stairs
- Zaagi’Idiwin Collective: Streetheart at 2:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.
Stone Circle
- Tiger Will Mason: the Music & Stories of a Modern Mohawk at 12 p.m. and 8 p.m.
- D.B. McLeod: Denis with an “E” at 1:30 p.m.
- Stephanie Pangowish: Stand Up Comedy at 3 p.m. and 7 p.m.
- Tiger Will Mason: the Music & Stories of a Modern Mohawk at 8 p.m.
Sunday, June 27
Bagnani Gardens
- Vanguardia Dance Projects: Hybrid Women at 6 p.m.
Fire Pit
- Jennifer Alicia: Restor(Y)ing Identity at 3 p.m.
Gzowski Stairs
- Zaagi’Idiwin Collective: Streetheart at 4 p.m.
- Closing ceremony at 8 p.m.
Stone Circle
- Stephanie Pangowish: Stand Up Comedy at 4 p.m.
- D.B. McLeod: Denis with an “E at 5 p.m.
- Tiger Will Mason: the Music & Stories of a Modern Mohawk at 6:30 p.m.
NIFF supporters include the Government of Canada, Canada Council for the Arts, Ontario Arts Council, City of Peterborough, Fringe Festivals, Trent University, TD, Rotary Club of Peterborough Kawartha, New Stages Theatre, Mississaugas of Scucog Island First Nation, Nish Tees, The Peterborough Foundation, and Showplace Performance Centre.
