DOWNTOWN ROCHESTER TRANSFORMS INTO 'MINI-MONTREAL' CIRCUS HUB FOR THE 15th ANNUAL FRINGE

ROCHESTER, N.Y., Sept. 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Organizers of the 2026 ESL Rochester Fringe Festival will rollout CIRCUS IN THE CITY tonight as the first-ever large-scale collection of outdoor circus performances in the Western New York, transforming downtown Rochester into a 'mini-Montreal' with eight circus companies. The event is FREE and takes place at Parcel 5 (5 – 10 p.m.) and Gibbs Street (5 – 9 p.m.) on Friday, September 18 and Saturday, September 19. The festival runs through September 26.

Montreal is widely recognized as the world's circus capital, a title earned through its world-class troupes, year-round circus culture, and global influence on contemporary circus arts. Rochester Fringe will feature some of the best circus artists from across North America, including the acclaimed modern circus artists Flip Fabrique from Quebec, Canada and Aloft based in Chicago, IL, as well as Circus EVO, Big Teeth Collective, 3AM Theatre, Roc City Circus, The Rochester Juggling Club and FreezeFrame!, with special performances by LA-based Versa Style street dance artists. 

"People will be amazed at what these contemporary circus artists are creating and performing at Fringe," said Erica Fee, CEO & Festival Producer of the non-for-profit Fringe organization. "It's daring and thrilling and incredibly skilled, and would not be possible without the support of Empire State Development and I LOVE NY."

Empire State Development is the New York State agency responsible for promoting tourism, attracting investment, and supporting economic growth. One of its flagship programs is I LOVE NY, which markets the state's attractions, events, and travel opportunities to domestic and international audiences.

Rochester Fringe has become one of the largest, most successful, and most prominent fringe festivals in the nation, the largest multidisciplinary performing arts festivals in New York State, and one of the region's most anticipated festivals each year. In addition to CIRCUS IN THE CITY events this weekend, the 2026 Fringe will feature 715 performances of 297 productions at 45 venue locations in just 12 days, including returning favorites, festival debuts and major U.S. premieres of Children's, Comedy, Dance, Multidisciplinary & Circus, Music, Spoken Word, Theatre, and Visual Arts & Film.

CIRCUS IN THE CITY at Fringe includes an all-star lineup of performances, including: the world-renowned artists from FLIP Fabrique direct from Quebec City, performing their contemporary circus show SUMMER BREAK. Audiences will enjoy an acrobatic feat where six artists explore eight ordinary ladders to build towers, cranes and bridges with THE PIECES by Aloft. Big Teeth Collective presents the physical theater piece, FLOTSAM & JETSAM, which includes a duo trapeze act with partner acrobatics on an outdoor swinging trapeze rig. Circus EVO will offer LOST TO ME with a Chinese pole performance and live musicians, and festival-goers can enjoy 3AM Theatre as they bring unforgettable performances of hand balancing, contortion archery, acro juggling, tightwire, and original music. Highly skilled pop-up performances by Versa Style will include high energy Whacking, Popping and House.

The main events will be supported by local circus performers from Roc City Circus, Rochester Juggling Club and FreezeFrame! CIRCUS IN THE CITY will include free outdoor events, circus arts, street theater, and food and beverages from onsite food trucks and Fringe bars.

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS | CIRCUS IN THE CITY
Friday, September 18 & Saturday, September 19

Parcel 5 | 285 E. Main Street | 5 – 10 p.m. | All ages | FREE 

5:15 – 5:45 p.m.—FLOTSAM & JETSAM by BIG TEETH COLLECTIVE
5:45 - 6:00 p.m.—VERSA STYLE STREET DANCE COMPANY (pop-up performances)
6:00 – 6:45 p.m.—THE PIECES by ALOFT
6:45 – 7:00 p.m.—LOST TO ME by CIRCUS EVO
7:00 – 7:30 p.m.—SUMMER BREAK by FLIP FABRIQUE
7:30 – 8:00 p.m.—FLOTSAM & JETSAM by BIG TEETH COLLECTIVE
8:00 – 8:45 p.m.—THE PIECES by ALOFT
8:45 – 9:00 p.m.—LOST TO ME by CIRCUS EVO
9:00 – 9:30 p.m.—SUMMER BREAK by FLIP FABRIQUE

Gibbs Street | between Main and East Streets | 5 – 9 p.m. | All ages | FREE 

5:00 – 7:00 p.m.—JUGGLE JAM by ROCHESTER JUGGLING CLUB
5:15 – 5:35 p.m.—3AM THEATRE
6:00 – 6:30 p.m.—FREEZE FRAME: A JUGGLING EXPERIENCE!
6:30 – 8:30 p.m.—ROC CITY CIRCUS ON GIBBS STREET
7:00 – 7:20 p.m.—3AM THEATRE

The ESL Rochester Fringe is the only Fringe Festival in the world that offers such spectacular, large-scale, free public programming. The allure of the public spectacle draws thousands of people to downtown Rochester each Fringe season. Outdoor arts have been found to consistently attract an audience that is representative of the population as a whole, as they are attracted by the social experience as well as the lack of barriers to experiencing the arts. Fringe also drives economic impact and economic activity in the city through patronship of local businesses, such as restaurants, parking garages, coffee shops, hotels and theaters.

The Fringe takes place September 15 – 26. CIRCUS IN THE CITY EVENTS on September 18 & 19 are FREE. For tickets to all other ticketed shows, they are available online at rochesterfringe.com, via phone at (585) 957-9837 (additional phone fees apply), via the Rochester Fringe Festival App, which is available for download from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store, in person at the Justin L. Vigdor Fringe Box Office at One Fringe Place (corner of Main & Gibbs Streets), and at the doors of all venues one hour before curtain. For more information, visit rochesterfringe.com.

Circus in the City is supported through a Market New York grant awarded by Empire State Development and I LOVE NY, New York State's Division of Tourism.

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ABOUT THE ESL ROCHESTER FRINGE FESTIVAL:
The 12-day ESL Rochester Fringe Festival is one of the nation's largest fringe festivals and has been recognized by the New York Times as "one of the country's more prominent multidisciplinary events." It is also New York State's largest performing arts festival and the current winner, three years running, of CITY Magazine's Best of Rochester Award for Best Arts Event. This year, the Fringe celebrates its 15^th season. Nearly a million people have attended more than 7,000 performances and events at the Fringe since its inception in 2012. The non-profit organization's mission is to offer platforms for artists, new audiences for venues, and unparalleled public access to incredible art. It strives to be diverse and inclusive, as well as to stimulate downtown Rochester culturally and economically. The Fringe showcases the work of regional, national, and international artists from emerging to superstar. Audiences at Fringe also have the rare opportunity to attend a performance at the Spiegeltent, which is one of the most unique performing arts venues in the world.

ABOUT ESL:
With more than 100 years of locally owned history, ESL Federal Credit Union serves as a full-service financial institution to more than 465,000 members and 18,800 businesses. Founded in 1920, the company provides personal banking, business banking, mortgage services and wealth management services through its locally based 33-branch network; telephone, mobile and online banking; and live chat center. The Rochester-based financial institution employs more than 1,000 people in the Greater Rochester and Finger Lakes region and holds more than $10.8 billion in assets. Since 1996, ESL has paid out 30 consecutive years of Owners' Dividends to its members totaling more than $350 million. Since the creation of its Community Impact initiative in 2018, ESL has reinvested more than $182 million in grants throughout the community. The company has appeared on Great Place to Work® lists since 2010. ESL Federal Credit Union is headquartered at 225 Chestnut Street, in Rochester, and can be found online at www.esl.org.

ESL ROCHESTER FRINGE SPONSORS:
ESL, I LOVE NY; Ames Amzalak Memorial Trust; Daisy Marquis Jones Foundation; Rochester Area Community Foundation; 7Crest Financial Partners; Dr. Dawn F. Lipson; Max and Marian Farash Charitable Foundation; New York State Council on the Arts; National Endowment for the Arts, City of Rochester; Monroe County; University of Rochester; RIT; Mary Mulligan Trust; Elaine P. and Richard U. Wilson Foundation; Louis S. and Molly B. Wolk Foundation; Konar Enterprises; Golisano Foundation; The Rubens Family Foundation; Constellation Brands; Mi Campo Tequila; Lake Beverage; The Inn on Broadway; Hyatt Regency Rochester; Nazareth University; St. John Fisher University; Monroe Community College; The Pike Company; Hamilton A/V; Wilkins RV; McCarthy Tents & Events; Broccolo Tree & Lawn Care; Aspire Transformation Services; CSL Plasma; Liccardi Radio Services; Finger Lakes Distilling; Visit Rochester; University of Rochester Medicine Orthopedics & Physical Performance; The Spindler Family Foundation; The Harley School; Wegmans; City Blue Imaging; Canandaigua National Bank; Yelp!; AdHouse Productions, Walk Up Advertising, Bond, Schoeneck & King PLLC and House of Guitars.

2026 FRINGE VENUES:
Aerial Arts of Rochester, Austin Steward Plaza, Biltmore Bar & Lounge, Blackfriars Theatre, Bop Shop Records, Centerstage Theatre at the JCC, Central Library of Rochester, Century Club at the Strathallan, Downtown United Presbyterian Church, Delmonico and Dugdale, Eastman School of Music, The Focus Theater, Garth Fagan Dance Studio, Genesee Valley Park, George Eastman Museum, Gibbs Street, The Harley School, The Hochstein School, Java's, Joseph Ave Arts and Culture Alliance at the Lincoln Library, Kodak Hall at the Eastman Theatre, La Marketa at the International Plaza, Martin Luther King, Jr. Park, Memorial Art Gallery, Mt. Hope Cemetery, MuCCC, Parcel 5, Photo City Music Hall, The Little, RIT City Art Space, RMSC Strasenburgh Planetarium, RMSC: Garden of Fragrance, ROC Cinema, Roc City Circus, Rochester Contemporary Art Center, The Rose Room, Salena's, School of the Arts, Dawn's Spiegelgarden, Spiegeltent, St. Paul's Episcopal Church, University of Rochester – Sloan Performing Arts Center, Vanni's Jazz Lounge at the Inn on Broadway and Washington Grove.

ABOUT FRINGE FESTIVALS:
In 1947, eight theatre groups showed up - uninvited - to perform at the newly established Edinburgh International Festival in Scotland. Although not listed in the official program, the groups performed anyway, at venues they found for themselves. The following year, a Scottish journalist coined the term "festival fringe" to describe these non-curated shows that began turning up annually. The Edinburgh Fringe is now the world's largest arts festival and the third largest event after the Olympics and the World Cup. Today, there are more than 250 Fringe Festivals worldwide, with nearly 50 in the United States. The ESL Rochester Fringe Festival was the first in Upstate New York.

SOURCE Rochester Fringe Festival, Inc.