Flotsam! River Circus is Rollin’ on the Erie Canal From Buffalo to NYC
Flotsam! River Circus performing on the Genesee River at Cornhill Landing in Rochester, New York on Friday, August 8, 2025.
In celebration of the 2025 Erie Canal Bicentennial, Flotsam! River Circus, a troupe featuring acrobats, musicians, choreographers, trapeze artists, and puppeteers from around the world, is rolling on the Erie Canal from Buffalo to New York City.
The Flotsam! River Circus began its journey in Buffalo, New York, on August 1st at Wilkeson Point Beach, stopping in a few towns along the way before making it to Cornhill Landing in Rochester on the Genesee River. Since setting sail, crowds have journeyed from local cities and towns to gather along the waterways that connect hundreds of miles of rivers to the famed Erie Canal.
Flotsam! performer Danila Bim spins observed in an acrobatic hair suspension scene during the show.
There is a great show to unpack, but I will not offer any spoilers here today. The River Circus should not be missed if a performance is nearby, and your schedule allows. It is a spectacle like no other, and while acrobatic circus performances can be found touring during annual events like Fringe Festivals, what truly makes this show unique is that the entire troupe coordinates their performance on a well-structured raft designed as a floating stage with secret doors, ropes and pulleys, a trapeze, and a dock that connects the vessel to land.
A comedic fishing scene featuring performer Ambalancer (Amber Gibson) unfolds during the show.
Throughout the show, there are dances, mysterious creatures, puppets, comedic stories, musical performances, lots of singing, and the pièce de résistance, a group of uniquely talented entertainers who have mastered everything from body contortion to aerial suspensions.
Flotsam! River Circus will stick around Rochester another night before they begin rolling on the Erie Canal through areas like Fairport, Syracuse, the Capital District, all the way down to NYC.
Catch them if you can!