The 2023 Vancouver Fringe Festival has come and gone, closing out 11 days and over 85 shows.

And while each and every one of those shows was splendid in its own way, there are a few that particularly resonated with Vancouver audiences—and the folks who decided on this year’s award winners.

A total of 10 productions are taking home awards following this year’s Fringe Festival, taking top spot in categories ranging from Audience Choice to Best of Fest to Artistic Risk.

Here’s the list of the winners.

Stlr Social Impact Award: CVM & Reid Jamieson with The Pigeon & The Dove: A History of Hatred & Love

Volunteer Choice Award: PointeTango with Tango in the Dark

Audience Choice Award: Gravity Theatre with Private Parts: The Secrets We Keep

Artistic Risk Award: BadPuss Productions with ParaNorma PI

Spirit of the Fringe Award: Theatre Group GUMBO

Best of the Fest Award: Batrabbit Productions with Rat Academy

Best of the Fest Runner-up: Cameryn Moore / Little Black book Productions with muse: an experiment in storytelling & life drawing

Best of the Fest Runner-up: Ragmop Theatre with UNDERBELLY

Best of the Fest Runner-up: “Maarika is Funny” Productions with Peaches: The Play!

Best of the Fest Runner-up (Vancouver Special): Brunch Comedy with Brunch: A Comedy Show

“This year we had an incredible diversity of artists and shows. It was a showcase of the art in the Fringe movement, and so many newcomers who absolutely blew us away. The Batrabbit team and their hysterical Rat Academy represents so much of what Fringe is for, giving emerging artists the chance to take risks and try new things,” says Fringe executive director Duncan Watts-Grant, in a release. “Brunch Comedy deserves a special shout out as Vancouver locals in our ‘Vancouver Special’ selection, recognizing excellence from Vancouver. Ragmop Theatre with UNDERBELLY had us laughing so hard we could barely breathe, and both Cameryn Moore and Maarika Freud brought moving, thoughtful and, at times, challenging shows that asked audiences to leave preconceptions at the door.” 

The next iteration of the Vancouver Fringe Festival, and the one that marks its 40th anniversary, will be back in September 2024.