The Greater Rochester area hosts hundreds of annual celebrations that showcase the region’s rich culture and community spirit. These events include cultural festivals, neighborhood celebrations, fitness-focused activities, food truck rodeos, parades, concerts, and community gatherings, all contributing to the region’s lively social calendar.
This guide highlights Rochester’s most popular festivals, which attract hundreds of thousands of locals and visitors to our city.
March: Rochester St. Patrick’s Day Parade
One of Rochester’s largest single-day events (March 14, 2025), this lively parade draws up to 60,000 spectators downtown each March. Featuring bagpipers, Irish dancers, community groups, and more than 3,000 marchers, the St. Patrick’s Day Parade is a beloved tradition celebrating Irish heritage and the arrival of spring, no matter the weather.
May: Rochester Lilac Festival
The Rochester Lilac Festival, May 9–18, 2025, is the largest free festival of its kind in North America. It is a 10-day event that offers free concerts, art shows, tastings, footraces, and a parade. Highland Park’s lilacs—over 500 varieties across 1,200 shrubs—fully bloom by mid-May, along with pansies, tulips, magnolia, rhododendrons, azaleas, and flowering dogwood and cherry trees. Many Rochesterians’ tradition is to attend the festival on Mother’s Day.
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June: Annunciation Rochester Greek Festival
Held in early June, the Rochester Greek Festival offers four days (May 31–June 1, 2025) of delicious Greek food, live music, dancing, and cultural demonstrations. Visitors can enjoy baklava, souvlaki, and traditional performances while touring the beautiful Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church.
June: Rochester Cocktail Revival
New York State’s only weeklong spirits festival (June 2–8, 2025), RCR brings together 30+ top cocktail bars for a vibrant celebration of craft culture. Now in its 12th year, the festival features pairing dinners, tasting events, live music, interactive art, outdoor parties, and the thrilling Bar Room Battle Royale. Drawing over 18,000 attendees in 2024, RCR welcomes cocktail lovers and spirit pros from across the country and around the world.
June: Rochester International Jazz Festival
The nine-day Rochester International Jazz Festival, in partnership with Rochester Regional Health, takes place June 20–28, 2025. It brings musicians and attendees from all over the world to Rochester. The event features hours of exceptional music, including many free performances at outdoor stages throughout Rochester’s East End.
July: Corn Hill Arts Festival
The Corn Hill Arts Festival takes place July 12–13, 2025. Avery Mall is the official shuttle stop for the popular weekend-long art and music festival. Find over 350 artists and vendors along nine tree-lined streets that make up Corn Hill—one of Rochester’s oldest residential neighborhoods.
July: Rochester Pride Parade and Festival
The Rochester Pride Parade and Festival is on Saturday, July 19, 2025. The parade begins at 11:00 a.m. at Science Parkway and proceeds north along South Avenue to Highland Park for the festival. Join the LGBTQ+ community celebration with food, wine, and beer, plus hours of entertainment.
August: Rochester Puerto Rican Festival
This three-day celebration (July 31–August 2, 2025) draws nearly 20,000 people and is one of the city’s most significant cultural events. It features live salsa and reggaetón performances, authentic Puerto Rican cuisine, a cultural parade, and family-friendly programming. The festival highlights community pride and Caribbean heritage in a big way.
August: Rochester Ukrainian Festival
A hidden gem of the summer festival season, this mid-August event (August 14–17, 2025) celebrates Ukrainian culture with traditional music, dance, food, and crafts. Hosted at St. Josaphat’s Church in Irondequoit, the Ukrainian Festival offers pierogi, pysanky demonstrations, and energetic performances from local and touring groups, welcoming thousands each year.
September: Clothesline Art Festival
The Memorial Art Gallery hosts the M&T Bank Clothesline Arts Festival on September 6–7, 2025. This two-day open-air exhibition—Rochester’s longest-running celebration of the arts—features over 300 juried artists. A festival pass also includes museum admission.
September: Rochester Fringe Festival
The 12-day Rochester Fringe Festival, which takes place September 9–20, 2025, offers a diverse range of entertaining performances. One Fringe Place, including the Spiegeltent and Spiegelgarden, serves as the festival center, and dozens more venues across the city host over 500 free and ticketed performances.
December: Roc Holiday Village
Roc Holiday Village opens on the first full weekend of December. It marks the beginning of this delightfully nostalgic 17-day celebration, open Wednesday through Sunday, December 5–28, 2025. The festivities start with the official Main Street Liberty Pole lighting, followed by a Santa-led procession to the Village at Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Park. Enjoy a range of free holiday-themed activities and community events all season, including free ice skating, live music, shopping, dining, and a chance to meet Santa Claus.
Looking for more City of Rochester festivals and events?
In addition to the seven most significant festivals noted above, here is a quick list of annual events and festivals around Rochester.
Events with Multiple Dates
Food Truck Rodeo
Last Wednesday night of the month, April through September
Zoo Brew
Fridays nights, once a month, May through September, with special events throughout the year
Party in the Park
Thursday nights, June – August
Concerts by the Shore
Wednesday nights, June – August
Bands on the Bricks
Friday nights, July & August
February
Lakeside Winter Celebration + Polar Plunge
April
Rochester Erotic Arts Festival
Gateway Music Festival, biennial
May
Rochester International Film Festival
July
Rochester Jewish Film Festival
National Warplane Museum Airshow
August
Rochester International Air Show, 2026
Rochester Summer Soul Music Festival
St. Stanislaus Polish Arts Festival
September
Ukrainian Arts & Craft Festival
October
November
December
It’s a Wonderful Life in the South Wedge
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Which are your favorite Rochester festivals?
I’d love to hear from you—please share your thoughts and experiences in the comments below.
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Enjoy the Journey Together!
Hi, there’s a craft show on 10/22 at Temple B’rith Kodesh, this is their 7th year. If you want to add here is the info:
Artfest On The Avenue 10/22 Sunday 9-5pm
What can be better than an art fest with hand picked artisans? The seventh annual Artfest on the Avenue. More than 40 high quality artisans will present ceramics/pottery, wearable art, clothing, purses, scarves, baby/ children’s clothing, quilts and fabric art, jewelry, paintings, photography, mixed media, woodworking, glass and more.
Fabulous silent auction also! Plenty of free parking in the back. Sponsored by Temple B’rith Kodesh Sisterhood.
$2 Entrance Fee.
https://www.tbk.org/wrj-tbk-sisterhood-calendar
Please include Rochester Summer Soul Music festival
Rosetta, thank you! I’m happy to add Summer Soul!