The Flotsam River Circus is coming to town this week. Flotsam is a troupe of musicians, circus performers, and puppeteers who travel on a ramshackle raft giving free performances in waterfront towns. Their goal is to “bring some magic and whimsy to the world while helping communities engage with their waterways.” The show is family-friendly but intended for audiences of all ages.
Flotsam is in New York this year for the celebration of the 200th anniversary of the completion of the Erie Canal. The troupe is starting in Buffalo August 1-3 and travelling to Tonawanda, Lockport, and Medina before arriving on Thursday, August 7, for a 6:30 p.m. performance at Brockport’s Welcome Center, 11 Water Street. They will then move on along the canal, making 24 more waterfront park stops before arriving in New York City for five performances in mid-September. See their full schedule at https://www.rivercircus.com.
The Circus is part of the regular Thursday evening Summer Serenades schedule and is expected to draw a large audience. All performances are free; donations directly to the Circus are welcome. Flotsam River Circus is a 501(c)(3) non-profit, and is kept afloat through donations which are tax deductible.
The Circus performance precedes the greatly anticipated larger-than-ever Brockport Arts Festival on Saturday and Sunday, August 9 and 10. Learn more about the festival in a special section inside this week’s Westside News.
The 2025 Summer Serenades series includes two more favorite music groups – Big Mike and the Motivators on August 14 and the Rochester Metropolitan Jazz Orchestra on August 21. All August performances, when the sun sets earlier, start at 6:30 p.m.
The Flotsam Circus will be a rain or shine event, held on the canal unless there’s a serious thunderstorm with safety concerns. St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, on the corner of Main and State Streets, is the alternate location for the other Summer Serenades events.
Look online for additional information about the Flotsam River Circus or contact the Serenades chair, Jacqueline Davis at 585-703-2227.
Provided information
