April 2016

In just a few weeks, we’ll be able to say that spring has sprung. Before things pick up, be sure to pencil in a visit to the 118th annual Rochester Lilac Festival. If you’ve never been, you’ll be doing yourself a disservice by missing this 10-day festival of free sights, sounds, and flowering fragrances. The festival runs May 6th through 15th from 10:30 am to 8:30 pm.

The Flowers

Rochester’s famous lilac festival (locally pronounced “ly-lock”) sprouted and grew as organically as the blooms from which it takes it name. The first gathering to celebrate “lilac time” convened spontaneously in 1898, and the flowers simply kept attracting crowds each year. The excitement has always been merited since Highland Park’s 500 varieties and 1200 plants amount to the largest collection of lilacs in the United States. Even when the lilacs bloom too late in the Spring to join the festivities, the park’s gorgeous gardens provide more than enough natural beauty to get both locals and visitors talking.

The Flavors

Anyone looking to explore Rochester cuisine can do so in one visit to the bustling purple carpet. It’s best to come with an all-you-can-eat appetite. You’ll find a plethora of food vendors that includes international flavors, regional favorites, festival fare, and food-truck delicacies. Where else can you sample sushi, gobble up a garbage plate, gnaw on a smoked turkey leg, and finish with your favorite sundae from Abbott’s? To make sense of all the options, check out the official dining How-To guide.

The Fun

Every day of the Lilac Festival brings new opportunities and experiences. The more than 50 free concerts at Sahlen’s Center Stage are just the beginning. Art in the Park, held both weekends, brings a juried art and craft show, as well as the best of the best shopping to be found during festival week. The Home & Garden Show May 7th & 8th gives visitors a chance to consult with horticulture and renovation experts. There’s also a wine tasting, a brew fest, and a parade.

If we haven’t convinced you, it’s time to go out on a limb. For anyone in Rochester in May, the Lilac Festival is the place to be.