RocHaha Clown Festival To Return in September
The festival will run September 23-28.
By: Chloe Rabinowitz Aug. 07, 2025
RocHaha Clown Festival is back for 2025 and is taking place this coming September 23-28 at Rochester's Multi-use Community Cultural Center and The Auguste Roost, featuring some of the finest and funniest clowns in North America.
Co-produced and founded by Rochester's own Katherine Marino and PUSH Physical Theatre Creative Director Ashley Jones, the six-day festival offers a unique blend of performances at MuCCC and workshops at The Auguste Roost.
Tickets range from $10-$30 for the shows and $60-$80 for the workshops. All tickets are available at rochaha.com for the following events:
Tuesday 23rd September
7pm Itchy Clowns Night (A Rochester Community Cabaret) by RocHaha Clown Fest (ASL Interpreted)
Wednesday 24th September
6pm A Fool for Life - Clown 101 with Candice Roberts (Workshop)
Thursday 25th September
7pm WINNING:Winning by Gordon Neill
8.30pm LARRY by Candy Roberts (ASL Interpreted)
Friday 26th September
7pm Knight Knight by Madeleine Rowe
8.30pm LARRY Candy Roberts
Saturday 27th September
10am Clown to go with Madeleine Rowe (Workshop)
12.30pm OOPSIE by Candy Roberts (Family show)
2pm Creative Play with Gordon Neill (Workshop)
7pm Knight Knight by Madeleine Rowe
8.30pm WINNING:Winning by Gordon Neill
Sunday 28th September
12.30pm OOPSIE by Candy Roberts (Family show) (ASL Interpreted)
Performers include multi-award and Oscar winner Gordon Neill; Vancouver based artist Candy Roberts, and Madeleine Rowe,who brings what has been reviewed as "one of the best clown shows ever" fresh from the Edinburgh Fringe.
Marino and other local performers will also participate in the opening-night cabaret, Itchy Clowns Night (A Rochester Community Cabaret), which was a total sell-out last year. New for RocHaha 2025, is a show for all ages (OOPSIE) so you can bring the whole family and enjoy an afternoon of seriously stupid comedy.
Don't let that clown word fool you though. Candy Roberts; one of this year's clowns, claims to never have worn a red nose and does not even know how to juggle. For her, being a clown involves a deep exploration of what it means to be human.
"We started the festival to expose Rochester to a combination of the talents of our growing clown community paired with some incredible artists that we wouldn't ordinarily get a chance to see," explains Marino, a frequent PUSH performer who also produces her own shows and workshops.
"Clowning has informed so much of my work, and keeps me energized and excited," adds Jones, co-creator/co-performer of PUSH's Off-Broadway and recent Geva hit, Generic Male. "Clowns do more than just make us laugh - they actually show us how to laugh and what to laugh at."
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