Rochester Turns Into 'Mini-Montreal' With Free Outdoor Circus Festival
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.