The Rochester Fringe Festival, held annually in Rochester, NY since 2012., is one of the three most-attended fringe festivals in the United States. In 2019, the festival attracted more than 100,000 attendees. Held for 12 days in September, the festival features more than 500 performances -- more than a quarter of which are free of charge -- in established venues such as theatres, art galleries and cafes, as well as pop-up, site-specific shows in streets, parking lots, and tents throughout Rochester's East End and Neighborhood of the Arts districts near Downtown Rochester. Rochester Fringe is a member of the United States Association of Fringe Festivals. The festival's title sponsor is currently KeyBank. History 2012 In its first year -- held September 19–23 -- the First Niagara Rochester Fringe Festival featured more than 180 performances, and attracted more than 33,000 attendees during the course of its five-day run. Headliners included comedian Patton Oswalt, the Harlem Gospel Choir, and aerial dance troupe Bandaloop, which danced on the side of One HSBC Plaza at Manhattan Square Park. Bandaloop's performance was viewed by more than 10,000 people. 2013 The First Niagara Rochester Fringe Festival expanded to 10 days in 2013 -- held September 19–28 -- and drew more than 50,000 attendees to 360 performances at more than 20 venues. Headliners included comedians Marc Maron, Dave Barry, and "Cirque du Fringe," a Cirque du Soleil-type show created for the festival. "Friday on the Fringe" -- a free, outdoor, public event -- again featured a free performance by Bandaloop and was seen by more than 13,000 people. The festival also added a new pop-up venue -- a Spiegeltent -- and curated shows within it, including "Cirque du Fringe" and a headphone-based nightly dance party called "Silent Disco." 2014 The 2014 Fringe -- held September 18–27 -- grew to 60,000 attendees and more than 380 performances. Spiegeltent performances included comedian Jay Pharoah, comedy clowns 20 Penny Circus, a newly created circus show ("Mardi Gras! Cirque du Fringe"), and the return of the popular "Silent Disco." The annual outdoor "Friday on the Fringe" event was held at the newly-renamed Martin Luther King, Jr. Park, and featured a performance by Canada's Circus Orange entitled "Tricycle," specifically designed for the Rochester park's layout and architecture. The festival also included a free outdoor performance of "Spoon River Rochester," based on Edgar Lee Masters' Spoon River Anthology poems, which featured nearly 250