We have all heard the cliche “there is nothing to do in Fresno.” When I hear this I pull out my handy dandy list of cool shit to do in Fresno, and at the top is the annual Rogue Fest.

Rogue Festival is a Fresno tradition in its 24th year. At first glance you may think it is two weekends of unfiltered eccentricities. When you attend, you learn it is exactly that and so much more. Rogue is a heart shaped gem at the center of a string of jewels that make up Fresno’s vibrant cultural arts center of town, the Tower District.

What is fringe theater?

Rogue is a fringe festival, a specific category of performing arts. A simple definition of the word fringe is “the outer part of an area.” According to one user, Lexsteph1, on Urban Dictionary, in current popular vernacular it is used to mean “Someone who is an outsider, unimportant, on the periphery of a group, a nobody.” While the latter definition is harsh it is quite fitting considering the origin of fringe festivals.

The first fringe festival was born in Edinburgh, Scotland in 1947 as a response to the selective Edinburgh International Festival’s juried program that started the same year. The international festival committee admits only “notable” performers in traditional music and performing arts such as classical, opera, and ballet. 

When eight alternative performing arts theaters were not invited to the first Edinburgh International Festival, they showed up anyway, set up shop, and began a tradition that in 2025, is in its 78th year. Since then, the Edinburgh Festival Fringe has gained recognition as the largest arts festival (no shade to the International Festival *insert side eye emoji*) in the world and has inspired hundreds like it across the globe.

So while some may use the word fringe in a derogatory way, many use it as a point of pride, a reclamation of existing outside the conventional, and free of the repressive expectations of the establishment.

Fresno’s Rogue Festival

Fresno’s Rogue Festival is the only fringe festival in the Central Valley and one of a handful of only a few in California. Rogue began in local artist Marcel Nunis’s backyard 24 years ago- very on brand for fringe. Laid back with an air of artistry and special charm, Marcel is the embodiment of Rogue. Still highly involved and part of the community, he can be found in the audience throughout the Festival.

The Rogue Festival is 6 days spread across 2 weekends (Friday, February 28-Sunday, March 2 & Thursday March 6- Saturday March 8). In total there are 185 shows made up of 40 acts. Performers vary each year and range from Fresno locals with many coming from major U.S. cities such as San Francisco, Portland, Oregon, and New York. The Rogue vault includes performing artists from around the world such as South Africa and France.

Accessibility, Inclusivity, Community

Performers are selected by an unjuried lottery system making it more inclusive and accessible for artists who do not fit into the box that the traditional establishment created. Because of this, each year’s lineup is guaranteed to be what this year’s volunteer executive producer and coordinator Yolanda Serrato calls a “smorgasbord of the different performing arts.”

"This year we have magicians, we have belly dancers, we have one woman shows, we have fans, we have improv comedy. I mean, we just have this plethora of genres that people don't know about,” Serrato says.

Rogue is a non-profit completely run by community volunteers, bringing down cost for operation and the price for attendees. It is funded by wristband sales, merchandise sales, donations, and sponsors. Performers set their own price for admission and get 100% of ticket sales. 

The venues for the shows are small local businesses, strengthening the bond between community members even more as well as driving patrons to the businesses.

“I don't think the (newer) businesses here realize how much business we bring in…we try to get ones to sponsor us so that way we can also send them business,” said Serrato.

This year there are nine venues and include small performing arts theaters, an art gallery, a yoga studio, a bookstore, among others. You can see the full list of venues on their Instagram and find shows based on the venue here.

How to go Rogue

In a nutshell, to go Rogue, you need to purchase a $6 bracelet (mandatory for all attendees), pay for the cost of admission for each show, and an open-mind and taste for the unconventional. If you’d like more details, you could show up and ask the friendly box office staff lots of questions (like I did the first time I went and basically how I live my life) or you can read about it beforehand on their website page “How to Rogue”, where they explain it best. 

The Future of Rogue

In its 24 years, Rogue attendance has fluctuated from its height at around 2,500. Recently it has been back on the rise, with over a hundred in attendance at the teaser show at Gazebo Gardens on Thursday, February 27. 

As the Rogue Festival continues to attract a larger audience, organizers hope to expand to different areas of Fresno, the valley, and more diverse demographics including younger folx. 

"We really are trying to get the newer generation to start coming…That's one of the things that I'm always afraid of, because we want to see new blood, we want to see new ones to keep this going,” said Serrato.

The festival's focus on accessibility and inclusivity also creates an inherently safe space for new artists, artists of color, and LGBTQIA2+ artists. Imagine- you could be on a Rogue stage next year. In the meantime- enjoy the shows starting February 28th at 5:30pm. The last day to attend is Saturday the 8th.

To learn more about Rogue Festival including everything you need to know about this year's performance and how to perform in the future check out their website, https://fresnoroguefestival.org/ and Instagram.

Check out our album from the Rogue Festival Teaser show on February 28, 2025.