Winnipeg Fringe Festival breaks attendance records

The 28th Winnipeg Fringe TheatreFestival is celebrating its biggest attendance numbers yet.

Organizers say indoor attendance for this year's independent theatre eventtotalled 108,706 this year compared to 104,859 last year.

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As well, daily attendance records were broken seven out of 12 days.

Fringe spokesperson Hayley Brigg attributed the attendance spike to more indoor shows and the quality of this year's performances.

The festival, which ran July 15-26, featured a record 181 companies performing in 32 venues across downtown Winnipeg.

An estimated 80,000 people took in free live music and entertainment outside at Old Market Square. The number is lower compared to last year's estimate of95,000due to rainy days and high humidity that made it less than ideal to sit outside, Brigg said.

However, the children's venue set a new attendance record with 4,640 people a 22 per cent increase from the number of children and families who checked out the venue last year.