The 13th annual San Diego International Fringe Festival in 2025 was a masterclass in artistic expansion and community integration. This season marked a transformative moment for the organization, as it successfully integrated a new cinema category through the inaugural SDSU Emerging Filmmakers Showcase. Beyond the silver screen, the festival broadened its physical footprint to activate 8+ venues across underserved communities, including Lincoln Park, Barrio Logan, and City Heights. Over 11 days of boundary-pushing performance, the festival hosted over 48 artists and performance groups from Australia, the UK, Mexico, and across the United States. This record-breaking year for solo female performers and trans-themed narratives further solidified the Fringe as the region’s premier uncensored platform where diverse voices are not just heard but celebrated.

San Diego Fringe 2025 Awards

Outstanding Solo Performance
Heather Tyson, “Title Pending”

Outstanding Ensemble Performance
Riot Productions’ “Death & Murder & Poison & Scene”

Outstanding Musical Performance
“All The Boys I Blocked”

Outstanding Dance Performance
“Rince Panic”

Outstanding Drama
Kristin Joy Moran’s “Futakuchi Onna”

Outstanding Comedy
“Just to Be Close to You”

Outstanding Storytelling
Michael-David Ker’s “Birthday”

Outstanding Production
“Smile: The Story of Charlie Chaplin”

Outstanding Actor
Connie Harris, “Baby Baby Baby”

Outstanding World Premiere
“Just to Be Close to You”

Outstanding U.S. Premiere:
“Asi Suena,” Mexico

Spirit of the Fringe
Amy Fan

Fringe of the Fringe
“The Fetus Show”

Outside the Box
“Perchance to Dream”

Best of the Fest
“Just to Be Close to You”

Audience Favorite
“Smile: The Story of Charlie Chaplin”

Artists’ Pick
“Just to Be Close to You”

Critics’ Pick
“Nighttime Julianne”

Beth Accomando Fringe Geek Award of Appreciation
Kata Pierce-Morgan, for creating the 49th and Logan Cultural Complex and making it a warm, inviting space for art and artists to thrive.