CIRCUS IN THE CITY to Bring Free Outdoor Shows to Rochester Fringe
FLIP Fabrique, Aloft, Big Teeth Collective and Circus EVO headline the free outdoor lineup at Parcel 5 and Gibbs Street.
The circus is coming to town in a major way this September, as internationally renowned, contemporary circus artists take over downtown as part of the annual 2026 ESL Rochester Fringe Festival. Today, festival organizers are revealing the schedule for CIRCUS IN THE CITY, the first-ever large-scale collection of outdoor circus performances in the region, which will take place during the first weekend of Fringe at two locations, including Parcel 5 (5 – 10 p.m.) and Gibbs Street (5 – 9 p.m.) on Friday, September 18 & Saturday, September 19.
“We're turning Rochester into a 'mini-Montreal,'” said Erica Fee, CEO & Festival Producer, referencing one of the world's most innovative circus hubs and training centers on the international circus scene. “People will be amazed at what these modern circus artists are creating and performing at Fringe. It's daring, vibrant, fun, thrilling, incredibly skilled and so innovative—just pure imagination!”
The CIRCUS IN THE CITY events scheduled on the first weekend of Fringe (known as “Friday & Saturday on the Fringe” with large, outdoor, spectacle shows) are FREE and include 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.
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
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. For more information, visit here.
Love Theater in Central New York? Join The Community!
Whether you've got past experience writing about theater or just starting, the BroadwayWorld Community offers a unique opportunity to become a champion for your local arts community, helping raise awareness of local offerings and adding another local voice to the conversation at a time arts coverage is shrinking in the press across the continent. Join us and become a pivotal part of the movement that celebrates and promotes the arts in the digital age.
Learn More
|
OFC Creations Theatre Presents: Hairspray! OFC Creations Theatre Center (9/24-10/11) |
|
Dogfight Theatre444 (8/21-8/29) |
|
Capital Fools Nazareth University (12/31-12/31) |
|
B-Sides of Broadway: A Cabaret of Cut Songs Rochester Fringe Festival (9/19-9/19) |
|
Beetlejuice The Stanley (3/30-3/31) |
|
Happy Days Bridge Street Theatre (9/03-9/13) |
|
Our Town Nazareth University (10/08-10/10) |
|
Topdog/Underdog Geva Theatre (10/13-11/22) |
|
Young Frankenstein Capital Repertory Theatre (7/09-8/08) |
|
The Magi Capital Repertory Theatre (11/27-12/24) |