The 15th annual ESL Rochester Fringe Festival kicks off Tuesday, Sept. 15. One of the largest Fringes in the country happens right here for 12 days each year. But with more than 700 shows, it can be tough for attendees to choose what to experience. Pro tip: there’s a handy show finder right on the […]
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Posted inRochester Fringe Festival
Five drag nuns walk into a gay bar in standout Fringe premiere ‘Mass Drag’
The photo of James Lopata’s parents meeting Pope John Paul II hangs near his front door but somehow doesn’t command attention. Lopata’s paternal grandmother grew up with John Paul in Wadowice, Poland, so he had a family connection. When he mentions the pin his mother wore to greet the pontiff, the scene becomes downright revolutionary. […]
Posted inPhoto essays
The 19th-century sandlot in Mumford
By the time you’ve traversed through the 68 buildings that make up the circa 19th-century Genesee Country Village & Museum (GCVM) and made your way to the furthest point of the 600-acre grounds, your brain may be convinced you’ve traveled back in time. Especially once you step through a wooded tree line and beneath an […]
Posted inMusic
Know Before You Go: Rochester International Jazz Festival
How do you make the most of your visit? What are the best food and drink options? Is it possible to do this on the cheap? Can you attend at the last minute? Is there any parking downtown? What’s the bathroom situation? Here’s the 411 on the 23rd annual fest, which returns June 19-27.
Posted inMusic
The multifaceted Cécile McLorin Salvant returns to Jazz Fest on June 24
Growing up in Miami in a Haitian-French household, Cécile McLorin Salvant’s musical exposure spanned continents and cultures: Haitian and Caribbean music, folk music from South and North America, R&B and hip-hop, jazz and the blues. She breathed it all in and then, together with formal training in opera and classical singing, translated it into a […]
Posted inRochester Fringe Festival
Pete Davidson announced as ESL Rochester Fringe Festival comedy headliner
Ahead of the full lineup reveal on July 14, Rochester Fringe Festival announced today that popular comedian Pete Davidson would headline the 12-day festival with a stand-up show at Kodak Hall on Friday, September 25 at 8 p.m. Tickets begin at $52.50 for the 18+ show and are on sale now at rochesterfringe.com. Taking a cue from […]
Posted inMusic
The legendary Bill Frisell plays familiar tunes his way
The song opens simply enough, with mildly sonic-looping, electronic pings reminiscent of raindrops on a metallic roof. The music presents as a mystery, a harbinger of something to come but no indication of what. Then the transition begins, a gentle segue into the recognizable notes of the folk standard “Shenandoah.” This is a song performed […]
Posted inLilac Festival
Rochester Lilac Festival has a musical act for every ear
For Mikaela Davis, the 2026 Rochester Lilac Festival is a homecoming. Though the harp-playing, twangy, jam-adjacent singer-songwriter is now based in Catskill, New York, she still considers Rochester home enough to make her May 13 headlining set in Highland Park the release party for her new album, “Graceland Way.” Fellow local cornerstone group Giant Panda […]
Posted inFestivals Preview
2026 Festival Guide
Every regional fest under the sun, from May through October.
Posted inFestivals Preview
Submit your festival listings
The deadline for inclusion in CITY’s annual guide is April 16.
Posted inMusic
Gladys Knight and Mikaela Davis among summer festival performer announcements
Despite a fresh snowfall, festival season is just a few months away. This week, two of the city’s cornerstone summer celebrations have revealed some 2026 headliners. The Rochester Lilac Festival will fill Highland Park with homegrown and touring acts beginning May 8 and running through May 17. Each night has free live music, with local acts […]
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Applications open February 17 for the 15th annual ESL Rochester Fringe Festival
Performers are invited to submit their shows through March 11 for the multidisciplinary fest, which takes place September 15-26.
