Centered on food, drink, music and culture, these festivals & events around Rochester bring our community together throughout the year.
Beautiful lilac, peony, rose and tulip festivals. Tasty maple syrup, wine, beer, and food truck events. Regional agricultural days featuring garlic, sauerkraut, strawberries, corn & apples. County and state fairs. Celebrations of Puerto Rican, Hodinöhsö:ni’, Greek, Italian and Ukrainian culture. And lots of music!
Skip to a specific month:
JAN | FEB | MAR
APR | MAY | JUN
JUL | AUG | SEP
OCT | NOV | DEC
Reoccurring events during the warmer months
- Food Truck Rodeo Last Wednesday night of the month, April through September
- Flower City Days at the Market Sundays mid-May and early-June
- Concerts by the Shore Wednesday nights, June through August
- Party in the Park Thursday nights running roughly early-June to early-August
- Bands on the Bricks Friday nights roughly mid-July to mid-August
- Zoo Brew Fridays nights, once a month May through September, with special events throughout the year
- Flavors of the Market Saturday mornings, May through September
- Garden Vibes at Eastman Museum
June events around Rochester
- Rochester Twilight Criterium
- Rochester Real Beer Expo
- Hamlin Fireman’s Carnival
- Shortsville Fireman’s Carnival
- Ellwanger Garden Peony Weekend Rochester
- Rochester International Films Festival
- Outdoor Expo (Mendon)
- Little Italy Festival (Rochester)
- Albion Strawberry Festival
- Hamlin Wheel Fest
- The Fast & The Furriest (Rochester)
- Finger Lakes Plein Aire Competition & Festival (Canandaigua)
- Maplewood Rose Festival (Rochester)
- Allentown Art Festival (Buffalo)
- Keuka Arts Festival
- Rochester International Jazz Fest
- Cherry Festival (Romulus)
- Rochester International Jewish Film Festival
- Jamesville Balloonfest
Reoccurring through the warmer months
Food Truck Rodeo (Rochester) Last Wednesday night of the month, April through September
Flower City Days at the Market Sundays mid-May and early-June
Concerts by the Shore (Rochester) Wednesday nights, June through August
Party in the Park (Rochester) Thursday nights running roughly early-June to early-August
Zoo Brew (Rochester) Friday nights, once a month May through September, with special events throughout the year
Flavors of the Market (Rochester) Saturday mornings, May through September
Garden Vibes at Eastman Museum
2019 Jazz Fest: 14 Things to Do Nearby
Most Rochester International Jazz Fest performances begin early-evening, so you’ll have plenty of time during the day to explore the Rochester area.
There are U-Pick farms all around the Greater Rochester Area. Often times, picking your own product is as much a family adventure as it is entertainment!
July events around Rochester
- National Warplane Museum – Geneseo Airshow
- Hilton Fireman’s Carnival
- Webster Fireman’s Carnival
- East Rochester Fireman’s Carnival
- Westside Music & Food Festival
- Rush Fireman’s Carnival
- Puerto Rican Festival (Rochester)
- GCV&M Independence Day & Naturalization Ceremony (Mumford)
- Yates County Fair (Penn Yan)
- Chil-E Fest (Chili)
- Genesee County Fair (Batavia)
- Seneca County Fair (Waterloo)
- Old Home Days (Williamsville)
- Corn Hill Arts Festival (Rochester)
- Canandaigua Lake Music Festival
- Canandaigua Lakefront Art Show
- Canandaigua Art & Music Festival
- Lyons Peppermint Days
- Finger Lakes Choral Festival (Rochester)
- Macedonian Festival Henrietta
- LeRoy Oatka Festival
- Seneca Falls Canal Festival
- Ontario County Fair (Canandaigua)
- Watkins Glen Waterfront Festival
- Indigenous Music & Music Festival (Victor)
- Orleans County Fair (Albion)
- Spencerport Canal Days
- Finger Lakes Wine Festival (Watkins Glen)
- Waterfront Art Festival (Webster)
- Rochester Pride Festival
- Canadian-American Festival (Sackets Harbor)
- Webster Jazz Festival
- Perry Chalk Art Festival & Taste of Summer
- Oswego Harbor Festival
- Shakespeare in the Park (Rochester)
- Sterling Renaissance Festival
Reoccurring through the warmer months
Food Truck Rodeo (Rochester) Last Wednesday night of the month, April through September
Concerts by the Shore (Rochester) Wednesday nights, June through August
Party in the Park (Rochester) Thursday nights running roughly early-June to early-August
Bands on the Bricks (Rochester) Friday nights roughly mid-July to mid-August
Zoo Brew (Rochester) Friday nights, once a month May through September, with special events throughout the year
Flavors of the Market (Rochester) Saturday mornings, May through September
Garden Vibes at Eastman Museum
Fresh produce, fresh water, outdoor concerts, and 13,500 square miles to explore! Take advantage of everything summertime in Rochester has to offer.
2020 New York State & County Fairs
Our state and county fairs offer their own unique blend of agriculture, amusement, and entertainment, dating back to the early 1800s.
August events around Rochester
- Gateway Music Festival (Rochester, 2019)
- New York State Festival of Balloons (Dansville)
- Lima Crossroads Blues Festival
- Palmyra Pirate Weekend
- Flour City Brewers Fest (Rochester)
- Phelps Sauerkraut Festival
- Chalk Walk & Arts Festival (Dansville)
- Poags Hole Hillclimb (Dansville)
- Park Ave Summer Festival (Rochester)
- Monroe County Fair (Rush, take the trolley to the fair!)
- St. Stanislaus Polish Arts Festival (Rochester)
- Livingston County Fair (Caledonia)
- Wyoming County Fair (Castile)
- Art in the Gardens (Canandaigua)
- Fairport Music and Food Festival
- Avon Corn Festival
- Pageant of Steam (Canandaigua)
- Brockport Summer Arts Festival
- Wayne County Fair (Palmyra)
- Ukrainian Arts & Craft Festival (Rochester)
- Mount Morris Italian Festival
- Elmwood Avenue Arts Festival (Buffalo)
- New York State Fair (Syracuse)
- Eden Corn Festival
- Rochester Teen Film Festival
Reoccurring through the warmer months
Food Truck Rodeo (Rochester) Last Wednesday night of the month, April through September
Concerts by the Shore (Rochester) Wednesday nights, June through August
Party in the Park (Rochester) Thursday nights running roughly early-June to early-August
Bands on the Bricks (Rochester) Friday nights roughly mid-July to mid-August
Zoo Brew (Rochester) Friday nights, once a month May through September, with special events throughout the year
Flavors of the Market (Rochester) Saturday mornings, May through September
Garden Vibes at Eastman Museum
45 Cheap & Free Outdoor Concerts Around Rochester
Free outdoor concerts around Rochester start ramping up in June, when the city and surrounding towns kick off their summer music series and festivals.
September events around Rochester
- Macedon Center Lumberjack Festival
- Naples Grape Festival
- RocCon Rochester
- Clothesline Art Festival Rochester
- Rochester VegFest
- Wickham Farms’ Honeycrisp Weekend & The Great Candy Drop Penfield
- Appleumpkin Festival Wyoming
- Cuba Garlic Festival
- Rochester Garlic Festival Webster
- Rochester Fringe Festival
- WNY LlamaFest Arcade
- Finger Lakes Fiber Festival Hemlock
- Oktoberfest Irondequoit
- Barktober Fest Walk for the Animals Fairport
- KettleFest Victor
- Palmyra Canaltown Days
- Artist Row Juried Art Show Rochester
- Tinker Park’s Honey Harvest Festival Henrietta
- Niagara Celtic Olcott
- Buffalo Maritime Festival
- CNY Tomato Fest Auburn
- Niagara County Peach Festival Lewiston
- Purple Foot Festival Fairport
- Locktober Fest Lockport
Reoccurring through the warmer months
Food Truck Rodeo (Rochester) Last Wednesday night of the month, April through September
Zoo Brew (Rochester) Friday nights, once a month May through September, with special events throughout the year
Flavors of the Market (Rochester) Saturday mornings, May through September
Apples: 22 Places to Pick Your Own
Many of our farms offer a family-fun experience, with hay rides, cider & donuts and activities for the kids, in addition to pick your own apples.
October events around Rochester
- Stokoe Farms Pumpkin Patch and Harvest Fest (Scottsville)
- Genesee Valley Hunt Races (Geneseo)
- Hilton Apple Festival
- Rochester Antiquarian Book Fair
- Penn Dixie Fossil Park’s Earth Day (Buffalo)
- Wizarding Weekend (Ithaca)
- Fairport Oktoberfest
- ImageOut (Rochester)
- Rochester Fashion Week
- Indoor Fine Arts & Craft Festival (Rochester)
- ROC the Riverway
- Letchworth Arts & Crafts Show
- Seneca Park ZooBoo (Rochester)
Scenic train rides, leaf-peeping, bird migrations and ghost walks happen only in autumn in Rochester–take advantage of them while you can!
Pumpkin Patches & Farm Markets Around Rochester
Spending time on our Rochester-area pumpkin farms—hayrides, fresh apple cider & donuts, corn mazes—is the perfect autumn experience.
Paranormal Activities: Our 8 Favorite Haunts
There is something about October that peeks our interest in paranormal activities. These night trips explore the other side of Rochester!
November events around Rochester
- Dickens Christmas in Skaneateles (through December)
- Rochester Children’s Book Festival
- Rochester Maker Faire
- Park Avenue Holiday Open House (Rochester)
- Granger Homestead Festival of Trees (Canandaigua)
- Glass Wonderland at the Corning Museum of Glass
- Sweet Creations Gingerbread House Display at Eastman House (Rochester)
- High Falls Film Festival (Rochester)
- Mayday! Semi-Annual Underground Crafts + Art (Rochester)
- International “Art of the Book” Juried Art Show (Rochester)
- Great New York State Fair Model Train Fair
- Winter at Powers Farm Market
- Holiday Valley’s Fall Beer & Wine Festival (Ellicottville)
- Anniversary of the Signing of the Canandaigua Treaty
OptOutside: 31 Ideas for Spending Time Outdoors
Here are a few ideas for you to OptOutside on Black Friday, or anytime of the year. Our state, county, town, and city parks are a great place to start!
75 Rochester Experiences that Make Great Gifts
Make something together. Visit a place you’ve never been, or one you love. The benefits of Rochester experiences extend far beyond personal happiness!
December events around Rochester
- Light Up the Holidays and Roc Holiday Village (Rochester)
- Holidays at the Market (Rochester)
- Rochester Festival of Lights and North Pole Village (Henrietta)
- Garden Factory’s Holiday Lights Show (Gates)
- Lights on the Lake (Syracuse)
- Yuletide in the Country Tours at Genesee Country Village & Museum (Mumford)
- Festival of Lights (Clifton Springs)
- Carolcade (East Aurora)
- Come Home for the Holidays (Fairport)
- Cobblestone Museum Holiday Tour of Homes (Albion)
- Corn Hill Tour of Homes (Rochester)
- Candlelight Night (Pittsford)
- Eastman Museum Holiday Homecoming (Rochester)
- Lamberton Conservatory Holiday Show (Rochester)
- It’s a Wonderful Life in the South Wedge (Rochester)
- It’s a Wonderful Life in Seneca Falls
- It WAS a Wonderful Life (Forest Lawn Cemetery, Buffalo)
- Lighting of the Genesee Brew House Keg Tree (Rochester)
- Sparkle (Corning)
Get Into the Holiday Spirit – 2020 Edition
Rochester has plenty of ways to help you connect with your inner holiday spirit! Enjoy the stories, traditions, and experiences this season has to offer.
22 Christmas Tree Farms Around Rochester
One of the most popular holiday family traditions is searching for the perfect real Christmas tree on the farm and decorating it together.
January events around Rochester
It’s cold, it’s snowy, it’s dark. It’s wintertime in Rochester! Here are a few suggestions to help embrace our winter season.
Snow Sports: 6 Ways to Stay Active in Winter
Skiing, snowshoeing, sledding, skating, and tubing are great snow sports to shake the winter doldrums with exposure to fresh air and sun.
February events around Rochester
- Native American Winter Games and Sports Victor
- NY Ice Wine & Culinary Festival Fairport
- Battle of the Brunches Rochester
- Lakeside Winter Celebration Rochester
- Polar Plunge Rochester
- NordicFest at Cumming Nature Center Naples
- George Eastman Museum Dutch Connection Rochester
Holiday & Winter Break: 24 Ideas for All Ages & Interests
The weather over holiday and winter break can be unpredictable! Here are several ideas for spending your days off outside or inside!
230+ Rochester Date Ideas: The Ultimate Guide for Spending Quality Time Together
We’ve broken these date ideas into themes to help you find a topic you already love or want to try to avoid the routine rut.
March events around Rochester
- St. Patrick’s Day Parade (Rochester)
- Rochester International Auto Show Rochester
- Rochester Wine & Chocolate Festival
Maple Syrup: 12 Sweet Sugar Shacks
In March, local producers open their sugar shacks to the community to celebrate the innovative process of turning sap into syrup during Maple Syrup Weekend.
April events around Rochester
- Imagine RIT: Innovation & Creativity Festival (Henrietta)
- Rochester Red Wings Opening Day
- Flower City Comic Con (Rochester)
- Dyngus Day (Buffalo)
- Sheep Shearing Festival at Springdale Farms (Spencerport)
- Rochester Erotic Arts Festival
- Mayday! Semi-Annual Underground Crafts + Art (Rochester)
Reoccurring through the warmer months
Food Truck Rodeo (Rochester) Last Wednesday night of the month, April through September
There is no better way to usher in springtime in Rochester than with maple syrup, bird migrations, April showers, and May flowers!
May events around Rochester
- Lilac Fest Rochester
- Rochester Cocktail Revival
- Red, White and Blue Balloon Festival Letchworth
- Low Bridge High Water Brockport
- Ellwanger Garden Lilac Weekends Rochester
- Holland Tulip Festival
- Buffalo Cherry Blossom Festival
- NYS Chinese Lantern Festival Syracuse
- Linwood Gardens Tree Peony Festival
- Rochester Dachshund Parade
- Roc City Rib Fest Greece
- Greater Rochester Teen Book Festival
- Montezuma Wildlife Festival
- Paddle & Pour Pittsford
- Glass Fest Corning
- Finger Lakes Celtic Games & Festival Shortsville
- Mendon Fire Department Carnival
- St. Rita’s Annual Fiesta (Webster)
- Rochester Greek Festival
- Sulphur Springs Festival (Clifton Springs)
- Fairport Canal Days
- Ithaca Festival of the Arts
Reoccurring through the warmer months
Food Truck Rodeo (Rochester) Last Wednesday night of the month, April through September
Flower City Days at the Market Sundays mid-May and early-June
Zoo Brew (Rochester) Fridays nights, once a month May through September, with special events throughout the year
Flavors of the Market (Rochester) Saturday mornings, May through September
Lilac Festival in Rochester, NY
Highland Park draws crowds in the thousands during Rochester’s week-long Lilac Festival, though the lilacs are not the only sights to see!
Rochester Festivals – Six in the City
“Festival season” in Rochester runs from May to September. Let’s focus on the six most popular summertime City of Rochester festivals!
Which are your favorite annual events around Rochester?
Share your thoughts with us in the comments. Your insight and experience is invaluable!
Skydive the Falls. Fest 2020
https://m.facebook.com/events/2562302137359776