[ EVENTS ] COMPILED BY ERIC REZSNYAK
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 2011. For a complete events calendar, check out City Newspaper every Wednesday, or visit rochestercitynewspaper.com/events and use our searchable online calendar.
APRIL
Rochester International Film Festival
April 14-16
Dryden Theatre, George Eastman House
Short-film festival
rochesterfilmfest.org, 234-7411
City Newspaper Cultural Crawl
April 16
Various downtown and Neighborhood of the Arts venues
Free or low-cost performances and activities by some of the area's major arts groups
Rochestercitynewspaper.com, 244-3329
360 | 365 George Eastman House Film Festival
April 27-May 2
Dryden Theatre, other local cinemas
Screenings of more than 80 films (full-length, shorts, documentaries)
film360365.com, 279-8307
Sheep Sheering Festival
April 30
Springdale Farm, Ogden
Demos, wool cleaning, music
Heritagechristianservices.org/springdale, 349-2090
MAY
Imagine RIT: Innovation and Creativity Festival
May 7
RIT campus
Activities highlighting a fusion of art and technology, kids events
Rit.edu/imagine
City Newspaper Best Busker Contest
May 12
East End (East Ave from Alexander to Chestnut)
Free event; vote for your favorite live street musicians, food and drink deals
Rochestercitynewspaper.com, 244-3329
Lilac Festival
May 12-22
Highland Park
Celebration of flora, live music, activities, food
lilacfestival.com
Memorial Day Parade
May 31
Downtown Rochester
Cityofrochester.gov, 544-2839
JUNE
Greek Festival
June 2-5
Greek Church of the Annunciation, East Ave
Greek food, entertainment, culture
Rochestergreekfestival.org, 244-3377
East End Festivals
June 3, July 8, and August 12
East End District
Local bands, street festivities
eastendmusicfestival.com, 234-0630
FairportCanal Days
June 3-5
Main Street, Fairport
Arts & crafts, food, music, family activities
fairportcanaldays.com
19th Ward Square Fair
June 5
Aberdeen Square
Food and activities to celebrate the 19th Ward
19wca.org, 328-6571
Xerox Rochester International Jazz Festival
June 10-18
Many venues in Rochester's East End
More than 250 shows, featuring local, national, and international acts
rochesterjazz.com, 454-2060
Juneteenth
June 19
Susan B. Anthony Square
Performances, food, activities to celebrate the end of slavery.
454-2860
Maplewood Rose Celebration
June 19-20
MaplewoodPark, Driving Park and Lake Avenue
Hundreds of varieties of roses; horticultural tours, more
cityofrochester.gov, 428-6755
Wegmans Rochester LPGA Championship
June 20-26
Locust Hill Country Club, Pittsford
World-renowned women golfers compete.
Wegmanslpga.org, 427-7100
Harbor and Carousel Festival
June 25-27
OntarioBeachPark, Charlotte
Special events to celebrate the LakeOntario waterfront
cityofrochester.gov, 428-6767
JULY
Sterling Renaissance Festival
Weekends, July 9-August 21
Sterling, NY
"Olde school" food, drink, performances, crafts
sterlingfestival.com, 800-879-4446
Hill Cumorah Pageant
July 8-9 & 12-16
Hill Cumorah, near Palmyra
Theatrical retelling of the Book of Mormon
hillcumorah.org/Pageant, 315-597-5851
Corn Hill Arts Festival
July 9-10
Corn Hill neighborhood
Dozens of crafters, food, kids activities
Cornhillartsfestival.com, 262-3142
NazarethCollegeArtsCenter Dance Festival
July 8-16
NazarethCollegeArtsCenter, East Ave
Dance performances by renowned national and local troupes, dance films, parades
Artscenter.naz.edu, 389-2170
Rochester Pride 2011
July 8-17
Various locations in Rochester
Parade, festival, picnic to celebrate the local LGBT community
gayalliance.org, 244-8640
Monroe County Fair
July 13-17
MonroeCountyFairgrounds, East Henrietta Road
Agricultural exhibits, animals, rides, food
mcfair.com, 334-4000
Big Rib BBQ & Blues Fest
July 14-17
Highland Park Festival Site, Highland & South Ave
Barbecue food and competitions, live blues music.
Rochesterevents.com
ESL International Air Show
July 16-17
Greater RochesterInternationalAirport
Precision flying exhibitions
Eslairshow.com
Native American Dance & Music Festival
July 23-24
Ganondagan Historic Site, Route 444, Victor
Live music and dance performances and demonstrations.
Ganondagan.org, 742-1690
10 Ugly Men Festival
July 23
GeneseeValleyPark
Music, food, drinks, charity sporting events, kids activities
tenuglymen.com
SpencerportCanal Days
July 30-31
Along the Erie Canal, Spencerport
Arts & crafts, entertainment, food, canoe race
spencerportcanaldays.com, 349-1331
Waterfront Art Festival
July 30-31
KershawPark, Canandaigua
Arts & crafts, kids' activities
waterfrontartfestival.com, 671-9102
Rochester Jewish Film Festival
July 10-18
Little Theatre, Dryden Theatre, JCC
Movies by Jewish filmmakers/of Jewish interest
rjff.org, 461-2000 x237
Brockport Summer Arts Fest
August 13-14
SUNY Brockport, Holley Street
Food, music, rubber duck derby, dragon boat races
brockportartsfestival.com, 260-7764
AUGUST
Northeast Naturist Festival
August 3-8
Empire Haven, Moravia
Activities for naturists/nudists
naturistsociety.com
Puerto Rican Festival
August 5-7
Frontier Field VIP Parking Lot
Puerto Rican food, parade, cultural activities
prfestival.com, 234-7660
Polish Arts Festival
August 6-7
St. Stanislaus Church, corner of Norton and Hudson
Polish arts, food, crafts
polishartsfest.org, 266-6440
German Fest
August 12-14
Fireman's Field, Spencerport
German food, drink, dancing, entertainment
rochestergerman.com
African/African American Festival
August 6
Highland Bowl, South Avenue
African drums and dancing, arts and crafts, food
rochesterabove.org, 313-3685
Park Ave Summer Arts Fest
August 6-7
Park Avenue
Arts & crafts, live entertainment, food, family activities
rochesterevents.com, 473-4482
Palmyra Pirate Weekend
August 5-6
Village of Palmyra
Family-friendly activities with a pirate theme
eriecanalpirates.com, 315-597-4849
Carifest
August 14
Riverside Festival Site
Celebration of Caribbean heritage
227-2183
Arts at the Gardens
August 20-21
SonnenbergGardens and Mansion, Canandaigua
Works by 100 artists in a variety of media.
Artsatthegardens.org
Clarissa StreetReunion
August 21
Corn Hill neighborhood
Music and more to celebrate the historic hotspot
234-4177
Sankofa Arts, Dance, Music & Theater Festival
August 27-28
MuCCC, Village Gate
Arts and cultural activities to celebrate African-American history and heritage.
271-7010, 442-9892
SEPTEMBER
New YorkState Festival of Balloons
September 1-5
Dansville
Hot air balloon rides, food, entertainment, music, kids' rides
nysfob.com
DCA Drum and Bugle Corps Championships
September 1-5
Various locations, including MainStreetBridge and Sahlen's Stadium
Performances by dozens of drum and bugle corps.
Dcacorps.org
Labor Day Parade
September 5
Downtown Rochester
rochesterlabor.org, 263-2650
Clothesline Arts Festival
September 10-11
MemorialArtGallery
Renowned arts & crafts, live entertainment
mag.rochester.edu/clothesline, 276-8900
Mendon Station Festival
September 11-12
MendonStationPark, Mendon
Music, Irish dancers, horse exhibitions, arts and crafts
Mendonfoundation.com, 624-3182
RochesterMarathon
September 18
Downtown Rochester
26.2-mile course through the city
rochestermarathon.com
Irondequoit Oktoberfest
September 16-18, 23-24
CampEastman, DurandEastmanPark
Echt Deutsch music, dancing, food, beer
irondequoit.org
Greentopia Festival
September 17-18
High Falls District
Environment-focused festival with workshops, films, speakers, art, food, more.
Greentopiafest.com
Purple Foot Festival
September 18
Casa Larga Vineyards, Fairport
Grape stomping, live music, wine tasting, kids' activities
casalarga.com/purplefoot, 223-4210
Savor Rochester: Festival of Food
September 20
Public Market
Samples from area restaurants, wineries, farmers, specialty food sellers
festivaloffood.org, 328-3380
Rochester Sci-Fi Anime Con
September 24
Main Street Armory, 900 E Main St.
Science-fiction, comic-book, fantasy, anime, gaming convention.
Rochesterscifianimecon.com
Naples Grape Festival
September 24-25
Naples
Grape pie contest, arts & crafts, family entertainment, live music
Naplesgrapefest.org
Harvest Jamboree & Country Fair
September 26
Rochester Public Market
Celebration of agriculture with pumpkin patch, petting zoo, country dance, more
cityofrochester.gov, 311
OCTOBER
Hilton Apple Fest
October 1-2
Hilton
Arts & crafts, car show, apple wares, pie contest
hiltonapplefest.org, 392-7773
RochesterRiver Romance Weekend
October 7-9
GeneseeRiver corridor
Various activities celebrating the GeneseeRiver, including Head of The Genesee Regatta
cityofrochester.gov, 428-6755
ImageOut Film Festival
October 7-16
Dryden Theatre, Little Theatre, other venues
Gay & lesbian film festival
imageout.org
Rochester Fashion Week
October 13-16
Various locations
Fashion shuttle-bus tour, fashion shows, art and music celebrations.
Fashionweekofrochester.org
University of RochesterMeliora Weekend
October 20-23
University of RochesterRiver Campus
Lectures, performances, seminars, social events; keynote speech by President Bill Clinton.
Rochester.edu/melioraweekend
Jewish Book Festival
October 24-31
Jewish Community Center, Edgewood Ave
Book events featuring Jewish authors or books of Jewish interest
Rjbf.org
