The 12-day Rochester Fringe Festival returns this week, running Sept. 15-26. Festivalgoers can enjoy more than 715 performances ranging from comedy and music to dance, circus arts, theater and family-friendly entertainment.
Pete Davidson will headline this year’s festival along with returning favorites, festival debuts and global premieres across dozens of venues downtown — offering something for all ages and abilities. There will also be kid-friendly activities and shows available each day during the 12-day festival. While some performances are ticketed (starting at $15), many shows are free.
Headliner: Pete Davidson
Stand-up comedian, writer and actor Pete Davidson began a cast member on Saturday Night Live from 2014 to 2022, becoming one of the youngest performers
in the show’s history. His “Weekend Update” segments and original music videos earned widespread attention and viral success.
Davidson will perform Sept. 25 at Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre. Tickets were available as of the evening of Sept. 15. See link on the Fringe website.
Free Fringe events: Week One
Sept. 15
- BELONG by Gianna Stewart
- Bennie Jaye "Polishing My Craft" Songs Set to Poems by Martha Kelch
- Fine Art and Fabulous Paper with Bill Finewood
Sept. 16
- Sister Midnight
- Spicy Tarot
Sept. 17
- Hamnet
- A Young Man Dressed as a Gorilla Dressed as an Old Man Sits Rocking in a Rocking Chair for Fifty-Six Minutes and Then Leaves
- Sock Puppet Secrets
- Contra Dancing
Sept. 18
- 15 Things You Didn't Know About Bigfoot
- 3AM Theatre
- Comedy Therapy
Festival location & tickets
Tickets and the official 2026 Fringe Guide are now on sale. Tickets for shows will vary in price; however, guests will also be able to enjoy free installations, activities, and performances.
The 2026 ESL Rochester Fringe Festival will be centered at One Fringe Place, at the corner of Main Street and Gibbs Street, near the Eastman Theatre.
Tickets are available:
- Online at rochesterfringe.com
- In person at the Fringe Box Office (Main & Gibbs, across from Eastman Theatre) and all venues
- By phone at (585) 957-9837
This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Rochester Fringe returns with 715 shows and Pete Davidson
