Lakeside Winter Celebration
Date:
February
Place:
OntarioBeachPark
Description:
snow and ice sculpture contests, Chili Challenge, Polar Plunge
Info:
865-3320
St. Patrick’s Day Parade
Date:
March
Place:
downtown
Description:
parade, family festival
Info:
www.rochesterparade.com
Lilac Festival
Dates:
May 12-21
Place:
Highland Park
Description:
500 varieties of lilacs, live music, activities, food
Info:
456-3070, www.lilacfestival.com
Memorial Day Parade
Date:
May 29
Place:
downtown
Description:
parade
Info:
473-0710
Greek Festival
Dates:
June 1-4
Place:
Greek Orthodox Church, East Avenue
Description:
food, dancing, shopping, history, cultural presentations
Info:
244-3377, www.rochestergreekfestival.com
FairportCanal Days
Dates:
June 2-4
Place:
Main Street, Fairport
Description:
arts and crafts, food, music, family activities
Info:
www.fairportcanaldays.com
East End Night Life Festivals
Dates:
June 2, July 14, August 11
Place:
East
End
entertainment district
Description:
bars, clubs and restaurants open onto the street, lots of music and beer
Info:
234-0630
Rochester International Jazz Festival
Dates:
June 9-17
Place:
15 venues throughout city
Description:
Over 70 concerts, thousands of fans, international acts
Info:
234-2002, www.rochesterjazz.com
Maplewood Rose Festival
Dates:
June 17-18
Place:
MaplewoodPark
Description:
roses, Genesee Gorge tours, live music, arts and crafts
Info:
428-6770, www.ggw.org/~mna/rose.htm
Spencerport Firemen’s
Carnival
Dates:
June 18
Place:
Spencerport
Description:
kiddie parade, grand parade, amusement rides
Info:
352-4771, vil.spencerport.ny.us
RochesterHarbor and Carousel Festival
Dates:
June 23-25
Place:
OntarioBeachPark
Description:
arts and crafts, food, activities, music
Info:
865-3320, www.cityofrochester.gov
Sterling Renaissance
Festival
Dates:
weekends, July 1-August 13
Place:
Sterling, NY
Description:
food, drink, street performances, crafts, games — all olde school
Info:
800-879-4446, sterlingfestival.com
Brockport
Merchants Sidewalk Sale and Street Fair
Dates: July 6-8
Place: Main Street, Brockport
Description: shopping, entertainment, food
Info: 637-3340
Gay Pride Celebration
Dates:
July 8-9
Place:
various, including GeneseeValleyPark
Description:
Upstate New York’s largest, with a big picnic and Pride Parade
Info:
www.gayalliance.org
Corn Hill Arts Festival
Dates:
July 8-9
Place:
Corn Hill neighborhood
Description:
hundreds of craftspeople, live music, family events, food
Info:
262-3142, www.cornhill.org
Monroe County Fair
Dates:
July 12-16
Place:
MonroeCountyFairgrounds, East Henrietta Road
Description:
agricultural exhibits, animals, rides, food
Info:
334-4000, www.mcfair.com
Hill Cumorah Pageant
Dates:
July 14-22
Place:
Hill Cumorah, near Palmyra
Description:
theatrical retelling of the Book of Mormon, cast of 600, pyrotechnics
Info:
315-597-5851, www.hillcumorah.org/Pageant
MusicFest
Dates:
July 15-16
Place:
TBA, historically GeneseeValleyPark
Description:
outdoor r&b concerts, local and national acts
Info:
486-1286, www.rochestermusicfest.com
SpencerportCanal Days
Dates:
July 29-30
Place:
arts and crafts, entertainment, food, canoe race
Description:
along the Erie Canal, Spencerport
Info:
349-1331, www.ogdenny.com/canaldays
Penfield Country Fair Days
Dates:
August
Place:
Penfield’s Four Corners
Description:
arts and crafts, entertainment, food
Info:
340-8651, www.penfield.org
Park Avenue Festival
Dates:
August 5-6
Place:
Park
Avenue
Description:
arts & crafts, live entertainment, food, family activities
Info:
www.rochesterevents.com
Puerto Rican Festival
Dates:
August 11-13
Place:
downtown Rochester
Description:
Latino music, food, and culture celebration
Info:
www.prfestival.com
Carifest
Dates:
August 12
Place:
HighFalls festival site
Description:
Caribbean-themed festival, parade
Info:
254-7569
Brockport Summer Art
Festival
Dates:
August 12-13
Place:
Main Street, Brockport
Description:
arts and crafts, food, live music, rubber duck derby, dragon boat races
Info:
www.rochesterevents.com
Northeast Naturist Festival
Dates:
August 8-13
Place:
EmpireHavenNudistPark
Description:
workshops, sports, dances, spiritual activities
Info:
877-522-9188, www.naturistrochester.org
Clarissa
StreetReunion
Dates:
August 19
Place:
Clarissa and surrounding streets
Description:
neighborhood reunion, parade, jazz, gospel, and r&b performances
Info:
234-4177
New YorkState Festival of Balloons
Dates:
September 1-3
Place:
Dansville
Description:
hot air balloon rides, food, entertainment, music, kids’ rides
Info:
www.nysfob.com
Spanish International
Festival
Date:
September 3
Place:
Public Market
Description:
presentations on Spanish-speaking countries, food, culture, music
Info:
303-1290, www.empanadastop.com
Labor Day Parade
Date:
September 4
Place:
downtown Rochester
Description:
parade
Info:
263-2650
Rochester Irish Festival
Dates:
September 8-10
Place:
CampEastman, DurandEastmanPark
Description:
Irish music, dance, cultural workshops, kids’ activities
Info:
www.rochesteririshfestival.org
Clothesline Festival
Dates:
September 9-10
Place:
MemorialArtGallery
Description:
renowned arts and crafts; MAG’s biggest fundraiser
Info:
473-7720, mag.rochester.edu
Oktoberfest
Dates:
September 15-17, 22-24
Place:
CampEastman, DurandEastmanPark
Description:
echt Deutsch music, dancing, food,
beer
Info:
336-6070, www.irondequoit.org/events/oktober.htm
RochesterMarathon
Date:
September 17
Place:
downtown
Description:
2nd year of the race’s comeback
Info:
264-1480
Festival of Food
Dates:
September 18
Place:
Public Market
Description:
samples from area restaurants, wineries, farmers, specialty food sellers
Info:
www.festivaloffood.org
Naples Grape Festival
Dates:
September 23-24
Place:
Naples, NY
Description:
grape pie contest, arts and crafts, family entertainment, live music
Info:
374-2240, www.naplesvalleyny.com
Harvest Jamboree and Country
Fair
Date:
September 25
Place:
Public Market
Description:
seasonal produce, hayrides, entertainment
Info:
428-6755, www.cityofrochester.gov
Hilton Apple Festival
Dates:
September 30-October 1
Place:
Hilton
Description:
arts and crafts, car show, apple wares, pie contest
Info:
234-3378, www.hiltonapplefest.org
RochesterRiver Romance
Dates:
October 6-8
Place:
various, including OntarioBeachPark
Description:
entertainment, lighthouse and boat tours, hikes, rowing regatta
Info:
428-6770, www.cityofrochester.gov
This article appears in Mar 22-28, 2006.
