Since its inaugural year in 2012, the Rochester Fringe Festival has become one of the fastest-growing and most-attended fringe festivals in the U.S. and the largest multi-arts festival in New York State. The Rochester Fringe Festival is a 12-day, all-out, no-holds-barred, multi-disciplinary visual and performing arts festival, featuring more than 500 shows in downtown Rochester. It showcases a vast variety of theater, comedy, visual arts, family entertainment, music, dance, opera, spoken word, film, and everything in between!
With 12 days filled with a range of events, we've pulled together a guide with what you need to know about the Rochester Fringe Festival this September 10-21, 2024.
Headliners & Major Shows
CIRQUE DU FRINGE: VARIETE– SEPTEMBER 10-15 & 17-21
Classic vaudeville meets retro variety show meets circus all live in technicolor! An eye-popping cast from four continents will leave you gasping in wonder and splitting with laughter in this entertaining spectacle including Argentinian gauchos, trapeze & hair hang aerialists, roller skates, unicycles, a world-renowned basketball juggler and….a giant chicken!?
THE ENIGMATIST: MAGIC AND PUZZLES WITH DAVID KWONG– SEPTEMBER 13-15
Rochester’s own David Kwong makes his Fringe debut! Following sold-out runs at the Kennedy Center and Chicago Shakes, the renowned magician and New York Times crossword constructor brings his immersive experience of puzzles and cryptology to the Spiegeltent. The Los Angeles Times raves that Kwong “creates a magical sense of togetherness,” and the New York Times declares, “It’s like a spin class for the frontal lobe.” Be ready for surprises!
DAEDALUM - ARCHITECTS OF AIR– SEPTEMBER 10-21
Enter inside the Luminarium to wander through an inflatable artwork, with tunnels and cavernous domes, experiencing a range of color, light, and sound. People have likened the experience to walking through a stained glass window or wandering through a gigantic, strange, breathing organic creature.
KIDS DAY—SEPTEMBER 21
An entire day of family-friendly events, shows, and activities that the entire family can enjoy including Disco Kids, Kids Chalk Art, Pumpkin Painting, and Fringe Street Beat.
THE SPIEGELTENT
Rochester has swooned over our jewel box of a venue from Belgium, which boasts stained glass windows, magical faceted mirrors, a velvet-draped ceiling, VIP booths and a vintage bar. Ticketed shows in The Spiegeltent will include Cirque du Fringe: Variete, Drag Me to Drinks, The Enigmatist: Magic and Puzzles with David Kwong, Gospel Sunday, Marcel Lucont: Les Enfants Terribles. A Gameshow for Awful Children, Marcel Lucont’s Whine List, Shotspeare, and Silent Disco.
THE SPIEGELGARDEN
Adjacent to the Spiegeltent, the Spiegelgarden is the #1 place to find rest, relaxation, food and drinks, and friends during the Fringe. A gorgeous, green haven in the middle of downtown Rochester, this pop-up garden features urban landscaping, eclectic lounge furniture, giant games, outdoor art, and supreme comfort.
It is the location of the Theatre Bar and site-specific shows and events, a trivia challenge, outdoor movies under the stars, and more.
PEDESTRIAN DRIVE-IN
Enjoy movies outdoors at One Fringe Place! Grab a drink, a snack from a food truck, and experience a one-of-a-kind movie event: classic cult movies on the big screen with personalized audio via our Silent Disco headphones. Seating is first-come, first-served.
Pitch Perfect - September 10
The Farewell - September 11
American Fiction - September 12
There Will Be Blood - September 13
Black Panther - September 14
Dangerous Liaisons - September 15
But I’m a Cheerleader - September 16
Precious - September 17
Trivia CITY: An Arts & Culture Quiz - September 18
Barbie - September 19
Oppenheimer - September 20
Jumanji - September 21
Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle - September 21
Tickets & Box Office
You can purchase tickets online, by phone, or in person at Fringe venues or the Fringe Box Office.
Visitor Information
ACCESSIBILITY
The Fringe and its partnering venues strive to make shows and events as accessible as possible. Details, including ASL-interpreted shows and progress updates, are available here.
ACCOMMODATIONS
Stay at the center of Fringe at the Hyatt Regency Rochester. View exclusive Fringe hotel partners here.
BOX OFFICE & INFO BOOTH
The Fringe Box Office & Info Booth is at One Fringe Place (across from Eastman Theatre, corner of Main Street and Gibbs Street). It will be open daily starting September 8.
CASH OR CREDIT?
All Fringe venues, bars, food trucks, and the Fringe Box Office and Fringe Store accept cash, credit, and debit cards.
FRINGE STORE
Limited edition merchandise and collectibles are available at the Fringe Store.
LOST & FOUND
Anything turned into the Fringe will be held at the Fringe office until the end of the festival. Contact the Fringe team at info@rochesterfringe.com or stop by the Box Office & Info Booth.
PARKING
Rochester Fringe takes place within the heart of downtown Rochester's art and culture district—the East End. Most venues are within walking distance of one another, which allows for one-time parking in one of the many parking lots and garages within the area.
BIKE PARKING
The Fringe Festival is an ideal venue for those traveling by bike. Rochester's East Avenue is filled with bike racks and loops near the heart of the festival.
VENUES
Click here to view a full list of event venues.
Food & Drinks
The Fringe Fest will have a rotating lineup of local food trucks and bars at Parcel 5, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Park, The Spiegelgarden, and The Spiegeltent. A full list of neighborhood venues that will be offering food and drink, as well as top local restaurants opening during Fringe can be found here.
For more information on the Rochester Fringe Festival, visit RochesterFringe.com. Don't forget to share your photos with us on social media using #VisitROC and #ROCFringe24.
