An experience of boundless artistic expression and performing arts, the Rogue Performance Festival, will return to Fresno from March 1-9.

The annual festival features 190 performances by a variety of 45 performing groups. The performances will be showcased in nine different venues, all located in the Tower District. The local talents range from theater, music, dance, magic and much more. There will be a teaser show for the Rogue Festival on Feb. 29 at 7 p.m. hosted at Howlin’ Wolf on 920 E Olive Ave.

Originally founded in 2002 by Marcel Nunis, a Fresno playwright, Rogue Festival is the oldest Fringe theater festival in North America. Fringe festivals are an inclusive array of performing arts that capitalize on having its own identity as a type of expression to feature art that generally is more alternative than mainstream art.

Performers who wish to showcase their art are able to apply through the website and are picked through a lottery system based on the division they sign up for, those being the Indoor Mainstage division, Gallery division, or Outdoor Cabaret division. All performances are presented by independent artists, some of whom have never released their work to the public.

With all ticket sales going directly to the artists themselves, Rogue is meant to encourage artistic freedom by creating a space for unrestricted expression. The reviews located on the Rogue website are all word-of-mouth reviews about the performances

To attend these performances, wristbands must be purchased for each show. Although you can purchase tickets at the door, you can also purchase tickets online. There is also a 10-show ticket that costs $120 and saves you $30 from purchasing tickets individually.

March 1-3 is the first weekend of Rogue, followed by a “Beatdown Slam” at The Lotus Room on March 4 at 7 p.m. March 7-9 will be the second weekend of Rogue performances. Rogue managed venues include Diana’s Studio of Dance, The Lotus Room, Spectrum Art Gallery, Veni Vidi Vici, ViSTA Theater, Hart’s Haven and LAByrinth Art Collective. In addition, two underground artist venues are also being hosted at 2nd Space Theatre and Stargazer Cottage.