[ EVENTS ] COMPILED BY LEAH KRAUS
For a city its size Rochester
is jam-packed with events. Once the weather warms up we tend to go a little
crazy, and nary a weekend goes by between April and October when there isn’t
some fabulous festival bringing thousands of people to the streets.
           Below
is a list of many of the major events of 2009. For a complete events calendar,
check out City Newspaper every Wednesday, or visit
rochestercitynewspaper.com/events and use our searchable online calendar.
St. Patrick’s Day Parade
March 14
East Ave/E Main St,
Downtown
Parade, family festival
234-5167, rochesterparade.com
Deaf Rochester
Film Festival
March 26-29
Dryden Theatre, Little Theater,
etc.
Works by deaf filmmakers, featuring deaf issues
Deafrochesterfilmfestival.org
Rochester
International Film Festival
April 23-25
Dryden Theatre, George Eastman House
Short-film festival
rochesterfilmfest.org, 234-1313
Rochester
Erotic Arts Festival
April 24-26
Clarion Riverside Hotel
Artistic expressions celebrating sensuality/sexuality
rochestereroticartfest.com, 529-5885
Sheep Sheering Festival
April 25
Springdale
Farm, Spencerport
Demos, wool cleaning, music
Springdalefarms.org, 349-2090
Lilac Festival
May 8-17
Highland Park
500 varieties of lilacs, live music, activities, food
lilacfestival.com
RochesterHighFalls International Film Festival
May 13-18
Little Theatre, Dryden Theatre,
etc.
Screenings of more than 80 films (full-length,
shorts, documentaries)
rochestersmoviefest.com
Memorial Day Parade
May 25
Downtown Rochester
Parade
ci.rochester.ny.us,
544-2839
Greek Festival
May 28-31
Greek Orthodox Church, East
Avenue
Food, dancing, cultural presentations
rochestergreekfestival.org, 244-3377
East End Nightlife Festival
June 5, July 10, August 14
East End District
Bars, clubs, restaurants open onto the street; music
and beer
rochesterseastend.com, 234-0630
FairportCanal
Days
June 5-7
Main Street,
Fairport
Arts & crafts, food, music, family activities
fairportcanaldays.com
Square Fair/Aberdeen Street
Festival
June 6
Aberdeen Street
Drumming, storytelling, singing and music
328-6571
Spencerport Firemen’s Carnival
June 10-14
Spencerport
Kiddie parade, grand
parade, amusement rides
vil.spencerport.ny.us,
352-4771
Rochester
International Jazz Festival
June 12-20
Many venues in Rochester’s
east end
More than 250 shows, featuring local, national, and
international acts
rochesterjazz.com, 454-2060
Juneteenth Celebration
June 13
Susan B. Anthony Square
Celebration of the ending of slavery
454-2680, 200-9119
Maplewood
Rose Festival
June 19-21
Maplewood Rose Garden, Lake
Ave.
Roses, Genesee Gorge tours, live music
maplewood.org, 428-6767
RochesterHarbor
and Carousel Festival
June 26-28
OntarioBeachPark
Arts and crafts, food, activities, music
cityofrochester.gov, 428-6770, 865-3320
Taste of Rochester
June 26-28
Main Street,
Downtown Rochester
Live music, wine tasting, food sampling
tasteofrochester.net, 730-6104
July 4 Fireworks
July 4
Downtown Rochester
Fireworks display
cityofrochester.gov, 428-6697
Sterling Renaissance Festival
Weekends, July 4-August 16
Sterling, NY
“Olde school” food, drink, performances,
crafts
sterlingfestival.com
Brockport Merchants Sidewalk Sale
& Street Fair
July 9-11
Main Street/Market Street,
Brockport
Shopping, entertainment, food
637-3340
Hill Cumorah Pageant
July 10-11 & 14-18
Hill Cumorah, near Palmyra
Theatrical retelling of the Book of Mormon
hillcumorah.org/Pageant, 315-597-5851
Corn Hill Arts Festival
July 11-12
Corn Hill neighborhood
Hundreds of craftspeople, live music, family events,
food
cornhill.org, 262-3142
Rochester
Jewish Film Festival
July 12-20
Little Theatre, Dryden Theatre, JCC
Movies by Jewish filmmakers/of Jewish interest
rjff.org, 461-2000 x235
Monroe
County Fair
July 15-19
MonroeCountyFairgrounds, E. Henrietta
Rd.
Agricultural exhibits, animals, rides, food
mcfair.com, 334-4000
Gay Pride Celebration
July 17-19
Various, including GeneseeValleyPark
Upstate New York’s
largest, with a picnic and Pride Parade
gayalliance.org
Boulderfest
July 24-26
Boulder Coffee, Alexander
St
Outdoor music and vending
boulderfestival.com, 454-7140
Puerto Rican Festival
July 24-26
Frontier Field
Latino music, food, parade
prfestival.com, 234-7660
10 Ugly Men Festival
July 25
GeneseeValleyPark
Music, food, drinks, charity sporting events, kids
activities
tenuglymen.com, 943-1543
Main Game
July 25
Main Street
Youth-oriented games and activities
428-6767, cityofrochester.gov
SpencerportCanal Days
July 25-26
Along the Erie Canal,
Spencerport
Arts & crafts, entertainment, food, canoe race
vil.spencerport.ny.us, 349-1331
Waterfront Art Festival
July 25-26
KershawPark,
Canandaigua
Arts & crafts, kids’ activities
waterfrontartfestival.com, 671-9102
Polish Festival
August 7-8
St. Stanislaus Church, Hudson Ave.
Polish food, Polish music, dancing, crafts, cultural festivities
polishartsfest.org, 467-3068
African/African-American Festival
August 1
GeneseeValleyPark
Food, entertainment, African drum & dance, arts
& crafts
rochesterabove.org, 576-2471
Park Ave
Summer Arts Fest
August 1-2
Park Avenue
Arts & crafts, live entertainment, food, family
activities
rochesterevents.com
Northeast Naturist Festival
August 4-9
EmpireHavenNudistPark
Workshops, sports dances, spiritual activities
244-1219, naturistrochester.org
German Fest
August 7-9
GatesMemorial
Park
German food, drink, dancing, entertainment
rochestergerman.com
RBBC Love ‘N’ Gospel Fest
August 8
GrandAvenuePark
Live gospel music, food
262-8172
Carifest & Parade
August 8
Main St.,
downtown Rochester
Caribbean-themed festival, parade
rwifo.com, 234-0909
Brockport Summer Arts Fest
August 8-9
Main Street,
Brockport
Food, music, rubber duck derby, dragon boat races
rochesterevents.com, 473-4482
Tour de New York
August 8-13
Downtown Rochester, and region
Various bike racing events
tourdenewyork.com
Clarissa St. Reunion
August 15
Clarissa and surrounding streets
Neighborhood reunion, parade, jazz/gospel/r&b music
234-4177
Sankofa Music, Dance &
Arts Festival
August 21-22
Village Gate
Poetry, Drumming, Music, Dance, Kids’ activities
442-9892, 271-7010
New YorkState
Festival of Balloons
September 3-7
Dansville
Hot air balloon rides, food, entertainment, music,
kids’ rides
nysfob.com
Labor Day Parade
September 7
Downtown
Parade
263-2650, ci.rochester.ny.us
Hang Around Victor Day
September 5
Main Street,
Victor
Arts & crafts, food
742-1476
Victor Fest
September 5
Fireman’s Field, Victor
Live Music, food, fireworks
742-0140
Clothesline Arts Festival
September 12-13
MemorialArtGallery
Renowned arts & crafts, live entertainment
276-8900, mag.rochester.edu
RochesterMarathon
September 13
Downtown Rochester
26.2-mile course through the city
rochestermarathon.com
Oktoberfest
September 18-20, 25-27
CampEastman,
DurandEastmanPark
Echt Deutsch music,
dancing, food, beer
irondequoit.org
Purple Foot Festival
September 20
Casa Larga Vineyards,
Fairport
Grape stomping, live music, wine tasting, kids’
activities
casalarga.com, 223-4210
Festival of Food
September 21
Public Market
Samples from area restaurants, wineries, farmers,
specialty food sellers
festivaloffood.org
Harvest Festival
September 26
Springdale
Farm, Spencerport
Oepn-hearth cooking,
fishing, petting zoo
Springdalefarms.org, 349-2090
Naples
Grape Festival
September 26-27
Naples, NY
Grape pie contest, arts & crafts, family
entertainment, live music
naplesvalleyny.com
Harvest Jamboree & Country Fair
September 27
Rochester
Public Market
Seasonal produce, hayrides, entertainment
428-6755, cityofrochester.gov
Hilton Apple Fest
October 3-4
Hilton
Arts & crafts, car show, apple wares, pie contest
hiltonapplefest.org, 392-7773
RochesterRiver
Romance/Head of the Genesee Regatta
October 9-11
GeneseeRiver
from the Erie Canal to LakeOntario
Entertainment, lighthouse and boat tours, hikes,
largest regatta in the Northeast
cityofrochester.gov, 428-6767
ImageOut Film Festival
October 9-18
Dryden Theatre, Little Theatre
Gay & lesbian film festival
imageout.org
Jewish Book Festival
October 25-November 1
Jewish Community Center
Books by Jewish authors, books of
Jewish interests.
JCCRochester.org, 461-2000
Liberty
Pole Lighting Holiday Event
December 5
Liberty
Pole
Holiday events for families
cityofrochester.gov, 428-6697
Rochester New Year’s Eve Celebration
December 31
Main Street
Family-friendly events to count down to 20010;
fireworks at midnight
cityofrochester.gov, 428-6697
This article appears in Mar 18-24, 2009.
