A "gala event" was held last night, previewing some of the two-week festival’s 91 events.
The events will be held at a variety of venues, including online.
Development manager Hannah Molloy said there should be something for everyone.
"There’s lots of emerging Dunedin artists, so we’ve got quite a few young actors and theatre makers who have produced shows in the Fringe this year.
"We’ve got the beautiful Beat of the Pacific, who are presenting a four-hour workshop for a tiny contribution of $10, and that will be teaching Cook Island drumming and dance, which I think will be an incredible experience."
Ms Molloy said the four "late-night" lineups provided audiences the opportunity to see several acts for cheap, while dog lovers should enjoy the Magic Tricks for Dogs show.
The festival also provided the opportunity for many new artists to "give it a go", she said.
"It’s a really incredible platform for emerging artists and theatre and performing arts practitioners, as well as established ones, to present work in a really affordable way.
"It means that people can test their work. So a lot of comedians come down, and they’ll be testing their show before they go off to Edinburgh Fringe or the Australian festival circuit. It’s really accessible for the audience, too, because ticket prices are mostly around $20."
The festival runs until March 22.
