Patron’s Picks are being predicted, already. And you’ve all seen the lines wrapped around the box office computers.

It’s getting tense. There will be more handing out of little flyers, more rushes for tickets for shows you haven’t seen, more final performances for certain shows, more beer tent melees, more of everything, for five more days.

So who better to come out of blogging hiding than BF’s Head Bitch in Charge (otherwise known as the HBIC)?

That’s right kids, I’m back. But I can say that I haven’t seen a show I haven’t liked thus far, so no worries. I’m more selective than I was last year, but I’ve also seen more.

And I probably think too highly of my own opinion. No, wait. I definitely think too highly of my own opinion. But that’s the power you have when you piss people off! There is no bigger ego-stroking to a critic than bad feedback. If you write something worth arguing with, then you’ve arrived as, well, something. Maybe.

Anyway. Thus far this year, I think the Fringe has been better overall. The ticketing system, while it may be strange to carry around a bunch of receipts, works super quickly and is nearly fool-proof. There have been some negative sentiments expressed thus far about the “celebrity announcements” before the shows, but a) I haven’t seen shows in all of the venues and b) I haven’t heard any “celebrity announcers” who had shows this year at the Fringe, so I have yet to be offended by them. The shows are great, as well, although maybe I’m silly but I could go for a little more drama. I love musicals as much as any show tunes singin’ queen, but maybe a few more really thought-provoking shows could help round it out better.

The most significant improvement, and that which beats out all others, has been the relocation of the beer tent. From a simple patio barbeque behind the Shakespeare Festival to the creation of the paper mushroom littered Green, where vendors are thriving and the community feel of the Fringe has swelled to an all-time high. I have met so many people this year and felt like such a part of the Fringe family so far, even just a simple blogger, audience member, and sometimes volunteer. It’s been wonderful so far, and here’s hoping that the Festival’s closing keeps it up.

Here’s to a Memorial Day weekend for the ages! Stay tuned for my recommendations based on what else I’ve loved so far.