It’s Kind of a Big Deal: How to Make the Most of Kirkland’s Umbrella Fringe Festival

If you’re planning to go, here are some tips to help you make the most of the experience.

Come with curiosity. Unlike traditional arts events, fringe festivals are built on experimentation and discovery. You might enjoy a Kathak dance in the morning and an improvised electronic soundscape later that afternoon. Some performances will delight you; others may puzzle you, but that unpredictability is the very spirit of fringe. Keep your mind open and let yourself be surprised.

Balance planning with spontaneity. The festival schedule is jampacked, spanning multiple venues including Kirkland Arts Center, Moss Bay Hall, the Kirkland Library, Kirkland Urban, and the Kirkland Teen Union Building. It’s wise to pick out a few shows that you don’t want to miss, buy tickets if they’re required, and give yourself plenty of time to find a seat. But, also leave yourself some time to wander. Some of your favorite festival moments may come from meeting an artist at Kirkland Urban or catching a band you’d never heard of at Moss Bay Hall.

On an important note, Visitors who wish to see Good Day Sunshine perform Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band should purchase their tickets through the KPC’s website in advance. Tickets are limited.

Mix it up. With so much variety, don’t stick to just one style. If you’re a music lover, try a spoken word performance. If you lean toward theater, catch some improv or dance. Part of the festival’s charm is seeing artists who mash up traditions—like a blend of storytelling and electronic music, or a mix of spoken word and choreography. The more you sample, the richer your weekend will be.

Explore the venues. One joy of the Umbrella Fringe Festival is how it activates different spaces around Kirkland. Kirkland Arts Center offers intimate shows surrounded by visual art. Moss Bay Hall puts performers right next to the audience. The Library brings family-friendly performances into a familiar community space. Kirkland Urban adds installations and outdoor art into the mix, encouraging you to stroll, shop, and linger between shows. Think of the city itself as part of the festival.

Engage with artists. Fringe makes art approachable. Many performers may chat after shows or even invite audience participation during performances. If you loved something, say so with your applause. If you have a chance, volunteer from the audience! If a piece made you think, let an artist know after the show. Fringe thrives on dialogue, feedback, and discussion.

What Fringe doesn’t do, though, is heckle. Please don’t interrupt a show, give feedback during a performance, or join in without the artist’s invitation. Not every show will be perfect, and that’s okay. Fringe is about risk-taking, and risks sometimes miss. But even those experiences are part of the adventure.

Support the community. Buying tickets keeps the festival alive, but so does word of mouth. Post a quick photo or review online, tell friends what you enjoyed, or bring a neighbor along the next day. The Umbrella Fringe Festival is as much about building community as it is about performance.

Above all, have fun. The Umbrella Fringe Festival is Kirkland’s celebration of creativity—three magical days where there’s no lack of joy, surprise, or connection. If you take the first step with curiosity, you’ll find yourself on an astonishing trail.