What: The quirkiest of annual theater events is the Boulder International Fringe Festival, an almost-two-week-long series of theater performances meant to encourage actor and audience spontaneity.

Why: Seventy artists from around the world perform 350 shows, such as contemporary dancers Nicoll + Oreck’s They Might Be Napping and Boulder-based Laurie Lynch’s burlesque extravaganza.

Bonus: If Boulder is too much of a hike for theater, catch the last weekend of Theatre On Broadway’s hilarious Howard Crabtree’s When Pigs Fly, a drag-queen musical about the making of a musical.

Details: Aug 14-Aug 25. Times and locations vary. Ticket prices vary. For more information, call 720-563-9950 or visit www.boulderfringe.com.