The next 10 days will see more than 50 acts and 200 performers spill out and take over the town.
The festival will be launched at noon today in the upper Octagon, with Melbourne music masters of mayhem the Barons of Tang counting the beat and directing proceedings.
Wellington tape artists Struan Ashby and Erica Duthie got out of the blocks early, starting work at 8.30am yesterday on four 4.8m by 2.4m billboards in the Octagon.
Although, there seemed to be equal parts method and madness in their designs.
"We still don't really know what we're doing with these ones. They're always ad-libbed and improvised. But, something always happens," Ashby said.
Fortunately, inspiration came along in the form of Fringe kiosk co-ordinator Peter Mason, who invents and plays unorthodox forestry tools he calls "sawtars".
Mason will give a "sawtar"performance at the launch.
"We loved his 'sawtars', because they're tools of deforestation used as instruments for music-making," Duthie said.
The couple started experimenting with tape art in 1992.
"Many people pick up tape but, because we were art students, we picked it up and wanted to draw with it," she said.
"It's figurative and life-sized, so people relate to it. In a world with increasingly complex technology, I love making work with something so simple," Ashby added.
Some great acts slap on the greasepaint today.
I'm particularly looking forward to Master's Curious Delirium at Sammy's at 8.30pm, while Love You Approximately premieres at 7pm in the Fortune Theatre Studio, followed by Scared Scriptless L. O. V. E. at 9pm.
Meanwhile, Wellington choreographers Kate McIntosh and Jo Randerson present Footnote Forte - Hullapolloi at 8pm in the Allen Hall Theatre.
A giggle of comedians will strut their stuff at the launch of the Fringe Comedy Club at XII Below tonight.
Raybon Kan explains the secrets of tactical laziness in "Awesome $ecrets of Winning Thru aziness" at 7pm, followed by Sarah Harpur's "Immortal Combat" at 8.30pm and Tarun Mohanbhai's "Punch Lines Not Included" at 10pm.
There's also plenty happening at The Church in Dundas St, with Dunedin's latest stand-up comedy exponents at 6pm, AntiSocial Tap's "Big Names" at 8pm and "Du Bist Ein Uber Show!" at 9.30pm.
Every night wraps up with the Festival Club, from 10pm till late at Bennu Restaurant, where you can meet the performers and comedians, give advice and offer them better material.
Tonight the line-up features the Barons of Tang, the Strange Girls and comedian Tarun Mohanbhai.
The Fringe is back.
Find your edge and enjoy the view.
