Rochester, N.Y. – September 19, 2026 -- Eight circus companies take over downtown Rochester this weekend as the ESL Rochester Fringe Festival launches CIRCUS IN THE CITY, the first large-scale outdoor circus event of its kind in Western New York. The free performances run Friday, September 18 and Saturday, September 19, with shows at Parcel 5 from 5 to 10 p.m. and Gibbs Street from 5 to 9 p.m.
The broader ESL Rochester Fringe Festival continues through September 26, marking its 15th season with 715 performances across 297 productions at 45 venues in 12 days.
Quebec's Flip Fabrique headlines a lineup drawing comparisons to Montreal's circus scene
Flip Fabrique, the acclaimed troupe from Quebec City, performs its contemporary show SUMMER BREAK at Parcel 5. Chicago-based Aloft presents THE PIECES, an acrobatic piece built around six artists and eight ladders. Big Teeth Collective stages FLOTSAM & JETSAM, featuring a duo trapeze act on an outdoor swinging rig, while Circus EVO offers LOST TO ME, combining Chinese pole work with live music.
At Gibbs Street, 3AM Theatre performs hand balancing, contortion archery, acro juggling and tightwire acts. Local groups Roc City Circus, Rochester Juggling Club and FreezeFrame! round out the schedule, alongside pop-up performances from LA-based Versa Style street dance company.
Empire State Development funding backs the free public programming
Erica Fee, CEO and Festival Producer of the nonprofit Fringe organization, said the event would not be possible without support from Empire State Development and I LOVE NY, New York State's tourism division. The Circus in the City programming is funded through a Market New York grant awarded by those two organizations.
Food trucks and Fringe bars will operate on-site during both days of outdoor performances, which are open to all ages at no cost.
Fringe has drawn nearly a million attendees since its 2012 launch
The festival has hosted more than 7,000 performances and events over its history and has been named Best Arts Event by CITY Magazine's Best of Rochester Award for three consecutive years. Tickets for other Fringe programming outside the free Circus in the City events are available online, by phone, through the festival app, or in person at the Justin L. Vigdor Fringe Box Office at One Fringe Place.