AusLeisure

The Adelaide Fringe festival has bucked economic trends to post its best-ever result.

A record 367,000 tickets were sold at this year's event, up 10% on last year, with a total box office value of $9 million.

The figures for Fringe are in sharp contrast to a downturn in attendances at Adelaide's other events this year: the Clipsal 500, Womadelaide, Big Day Out and Laneway festivals.

Fringe Director Greg Clarke told Adelaide Now "we have totally bucked the trend ... which is quite extraordinary.

"There's a reason for that - I could say to anyone, 'what is the vibe and why are there thousands of people on the streets in the East End?' You don't have to look at the figures to know that the Fringe has taken over this city."

Clarke also cited low ticket prices, an increased number of shows and new venues throughout the city contributed to the success, adding "because it's open-access, there's something in it for everyone, in every suburb, from every demographic background."

The 923 events listed in this year's program also made it the largest Adelaide Fringe to date.

This year the Fringe offered a limited number of $5 tickets to shows on its opening night and promoted events in venues across the city. As a result, it sold 15,906 tickets on opening night - more than three times as many as last year.

Clarke explained "of the 177 ticketed events on opening night, 63 sold out their performances."

The Fringe also put tickets on sale online in December - a month earlier than in previous years and a month before the release of the printed program.

Clarke stated "going on sale so much earlier, before Christmas, gave us a second bite this year.

"People actually bought tickets then (in December), and once the Fringe was up and running, (they) went and bought more tickets."

For more information go to www.adelaidefringe.com.au/

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