There isn’t much to do in the arts world during the first two weeks of August, which is why the timing of the Fringe Festival is so good. An 11-day smorgasbord of theater and dance that features more than 165 productions on 15 different stages, the Minnesota Fringe is one of the largest festivals of its kind in the country, and attracts performers from around the world. All shows are one hour or less, and most—though not all—of the venues are air-conditioned.

Aug. 2-12,
Various locations,
fringefestival.org