Rochester Fringe Festival 2026

For twelve days every September, Rochester becomes a city of stages. The Rochester Fringe Festival — September 15-26, 2026 — takes over dozens of venues across town, from the Eastman School of Music to neighborhood galleries and black box theaters you've probably walked past a hundred times. Comedy, dance, theatre, spoken word, live music, visual art, film: the Fringe doesn't ask you to pick a lane. The New York Times has called it one of the country's more prominent multidisciplinary events, which is the kind of thing Rochesterians mention casually and then immediately downplay.

Date: September 15-26, 2026 (12 days) Time: Varies by show Location: Multiple venues throughout Rochester NY Cost: Varies by show; many free or low-cost options

Full show listings and tickets at rochesterfringe.com. Applications are open for performers through the Backstage portal.