Top 5 Things to See & Do at Rochester Fringe 2026!
Let’s Go! Top 5 Things to See & Do at Rochester Fringe.
The 2026 ESL Rochester Fringe Festival celebrates its 15th season with 715 performances of comedy, theatre, dance, music, kids’ shows and more. With returning favorites, festival debuts and major U.S. premiers, there is something for everyone!
The festival runs from September 15 - 26.
The Fringe has been one of the most anticipated annual festivals in the region. It has been recognized by the New York Times as “one of the country’s more prominent multidisciplinary events.” It is also the largest performing arts festival in the state and is the current winner of CITY Magazine’s Best of Rochester Award for Best Arts Event.
Forty-five venues across the heart of Rochester and beyond will host more than 1,600 performers from around the world on Rochester stages across the 12-day festival.
The Fringe is a “choose your own adventure” experience where you get the freedom to see the types of things you know you like, but also be curious, and try new things.
But to fully enjoy the experience of Fringe, you need to go! So, let’s go!
Top 5 Things to See & Do at Fringe
· See a show in the rare Spiegeltent performing arts space at home in the festival’s hub at One Fringe Place, an urban pop-up lounge located at the corner of Main & Gibbs Streets in downtown Rochester. There are only 39 Spiegeltents in the world and Rochester Fringe owns this one! See amazing shows, such as Marcel Lucont’s Whine List, Les Enfants Terribles—A Gameshow for Awful Children, Cirque du Fringe: Anchors Away! and more. The community is also invited for Gospel Sunday, a FREE and uplifting afternoon of music happening on Sunday, September 20 at 1:00 p.m.
· Experience CIRCUS IN THE CITY! This FREE event features acclaimed contemporary circus artists, including FLIP Fabrique from Québec, aerial innovators Aloft and so much more! The event takes place outdoors on Friday, September 18 and Saturday, September 19 at Parcel 5 (285 East Main Street) from 5 – 10 p.m. and at a second walkable location on Gibbs Street (between East and Main Streets) from 5 – 9pm. There will be food trucks and bar services available. It is made possible through a Market New York grant awarded by Empire State Development and I LOVE NY, New York State’s Division of Tourism.
· See award-winning shows direct from the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and the WOW Festival (San Diego, CA) in The Garden Studio—a new performing arts space that has been added to Dawn’s Spiegelgarden at One Fringe Place that offers a more intimate environment for audiences. Headliners include Just to Be Close to You by 10x award-winner and America’s Got Talent quarter finalist Cam Poter and Tea Party at the End of the World by creator Jessica Creane, who was inspired by her time in the Arctic Circle as an Artist-in-Residence.
· Famed comedian, writer and actor Pete Davidson is the 2026 Fringe Comedy Headliner. Known for his unforgettable characters on Saturday Night Live’s “Weekend Update” and his unfiltered video podcast The Pete Davidson Show on Netflix, Fringe presents a one-night-only show in Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre on Friday, September 25.
· Families and children won’t want to miss Kids Day on Saturday, September 26—this year on a National Day of Play with FREE events throughout Rochester. There will be chalk art, pumpkin painting and Disco Kids. Plus, Street Beat regional breakdancing and all-style dance competition at MLK Park rocks the city with crazy energy and unbelievable moves as some of the region’s most talented dancers battle it out in teams of 3-on-3. The vibes are positive and the fun is electric!
The Fringe is full of amazing programming across its 45 venue partners, including traditional and non-tradition theater settings, as well as site-specific shows in forests, cemeteries, storefront windows and parked cars! Read a digital version of the official 2026 FRINGE GUIDE or check here to see where you can pick up a physical copy.
Nearly a quarter of the Fringe’s more than 715 performances are completely free.
For those requiring tickets, tickets to all shows are available online at rochesterfringe.com, via phone at (585) 957-9837 (additional phone fees apply) or via the Rochester Fringe Festival App, which is available for download from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store. Tickets for all shows may be purchased in-person at the Justin L. Vigdor Fringe Box Office at One Fringe Place at the corner of Main & Gibbs Streets starting September 13 and at the doors of all venues one hour before curtain.
See you there!
