The Melbourne Fringe Festival is an annual independent arts festival held in Melbourne, Australia, typically over three weeks from late September to early October. Established in 1982, it is Victoria's longest-running multi-arts festival and presents over 450 events each year by Melbourne's emerging and independent arts community. The festival champions discovery and experimentation, supporting a wide range of art forms including theatre, comedy, music, performance art, design, cabaret, digital art, circus, and film.