This year’s Keybank Rochester Fringe Festival was a record-breaker again. That’s according to organizers who say that the festival held in September saw upwards of 100,000 visitors – more than 25% over last year’s estimated 78,000. They say that ticket sales were also the highest ever.
“We’re thrilled that our eighth annual Fringe was the best yet in terms of attendance as well as acclaim,” says Founding Festival Producer Erica Fee. “Over and over, though, I heard how much joy it brought to people. It’s very gratifying to hear that – we all need joy in our lives.”
The 12-day event featured 667 performances and events, of which 219 were free of charge – in more than 25 downtown venues.
That included the French street theater company, Plasticiens Volants, with giant, inflatable sea creatures on Main St. in Rochester.
“Free, spectacular, outdoor experiences like Pearl are absolutely unique to this festival – none of the world’s other (200-plus) fringe festivals have anything like it,” said Rochester Fringe Festival Board Chairperson Justin Vigdor. “These performances draw a much more accurate cross-section of the population than ticketed, indoor events do, and provide unparalleled public access to the arts – one of our non-profit Fringe’s important missions.”
The 2020 KeyBank Rochester Fringe Festival will again run for 12 days: Tuesday, September 15 through Saturday, September 26, and show submissions will open in February.
