The M&T Bank Clothesline Art Festival returns to the Memorial Art Gallery of the University of Rochester (MAG) on Saturday and Sunday, September 6 and 7, 2025. Now in its 68th year, Clothesline stands as one of the longest continuously running juried art festivals in the country and remains MAG’s largest annual celebration of the arts.
What began in 1957 with paintings strung along literal clotheslines has grown into a vibrant, two-day festival, featuring 300+ juried artists from across the country offering work in painting, sculpture, ceramics, photography, jewelry, and more. Visitors can enjoy all-day live music—from local bands and DJs to busking performances—food from more than 15 of Rochester’s favorite trucks, and free family activities at the MVP Family Fun Zone. The festival also offers free access to MAG’s galleries, including the 69th Rochester-Finger Lakes Exhibition and William Gropper: Truth, Beauty, Justice, Humor, as well as the opportunity to shop new indoor artist booths in the Vanden Brul Pavilion and M&T Bank Ballroom.
Festival hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day, with special MAG Member shopping beginning at 9:30 a.m. Tickets are $5 for adults, free for children 12 and under, and free for MAG Members. Tickets are valid for either day. A free shuttle service runs from Gleason Works’ south parking lot on University Avenue from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. both days, with additional parking and shuttle service available at East End Garage for a small fee. Visitors who want to make the most of their weekend can also take advantage of a special $15 discount on MAG Memberships, available online September 1 through 7 and at the festival gates…