Rochester Fringe Festival Unveils 15th Anniversary Lineup

The festival, running from September 15 to 26, marks its milestone anniversary with an expansive program featuring 297 unique productions. This year introduces 'Circus in the City,' a festival-within-a-festival supported by a Market New York grant. The initiative brings large-scale outdoor circus performances to public spaces, featuring international troupes such as Quebec’s Flip Fabrique and Chicago-based Aloft. These public spectacles aim to reclaim city streets, with a dedicated peak weekend on September 18 and 19 offering free, open-air shows ranging from acrobatic ladder installations to trapeze acts.

Beyond the circus, the festival maintains its reputation for experimental programming. The iconic Spiegeltent will host the world premiere of 'Cirque du Fringe: Anchors Away' and a rare performance of the cult hit featuring a man rocking in a chair for 56 minutes. Comedy fans will see Pete Davidson take the stage at the Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre on September 25. Meanwhile, the festival is finalizing a $1.575 million comprehensive campaign to secure the future of the event and facilitate the capital acquisition of the Spiegeltent. Tickets for all performances are available starting today via the official festival website and mobile app.