2024 Greater Rochester Festival & Events Guide
While our winters may be long, there is no shortage of festivals and events taking place throughout Rochester and the Western NY region year-round! With the spring season upon us, it’s now time to mark your calendar for all of the festivities that will be coming up this summer!
From arts and culture to food and music, there is something for everyone. As a local expert on all that is happening in the area, we've curated a calendar of some of the signature festivities coming your way in 2024!
Lilac Festival
Highland Park
May 10-19, 2024
Each May visitors travel from all over the world visit Rochester’s Highland Park for the Annual Lilac Festival and to see the park’s 1,800 lilac bushes displaying 500 varieties of lilacs in a floral masterpiece of the deepest purples and purest whites. The Lilac Festival offers over 80+ bands on the Main Stage, every type of food you can think of, a Lilac 5K/10K, and a Special Events Tent that has a Wine Expo and Craft Beer Expo!
Food Truck Rodeo
May 29, June 26, July 31, Aug. 28 & Sep. 25, 2024
It’s fabulous fun: food on four wheels featuring the community’s creative mobile cuisine! Just about everything and anything that could be served from a truck can be found at the Food Truck Rodeo! While you experience Rochester’s best food trucks, you’ll also enjoy local music, dancing, and entertainment.
Greek Festival
962 East Ave
May 30-June 2, 2024
Bringing the aromas, tastes, sounds, and traditions of Greece to Rochester on the grounds of the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church, 962 East Avenue, near the George Eastman House. The Greek Festival allows visitors to enjoy many unique treasures; clothing, jewelry, and books and activities for children of all ages!
Fairport Canal Days
Village of Fairport
May 31-June 2, 2024
Located in Fairport, NY, a “front-porch” friendly village on the scenic Erie Canal, Fairport Canal Days is produced by the Fairport Perinton Merchants Association and will be celebrating it’s 47th year as one of the premier juried art festivals in the Northeast alongside the scenic village on the historic Eric Canal.
Rochester Real Beer Expo
Innovative Field
June 8, 2024
Local business owners from the award-winning South Wedge neighborhood have joined forces through the Business Association of the South Wedge Area (BASWA) to bring you Rochester’s biggest and best beer festival. This year’s edition will feature 75+ breweries, cideries, kombucha producers, and other craft beverage makers!
International Jazz Festival
Rochester’s East End
June 21-29, 2024
More than 1,500 artists perform in more than 300 concerts over this 9-day event at both public outdoor stages and ticketed indoor venues in the Rochester International Jazz Festival. The venues, all located within walking distance in and around Rochester’s east end cultural district, range from elegant concert halls to intimate clubs to outdoor stages.
ZooBrew
Seneca Park Zoo
June 21, July 12, Aug. 16 & Sep. 6, 2024
Spend an evening outdoors at the Seneca Park Zoo with a drink in hand at ZooBrew, the Zoo’s exclusive happy hour event! Enjoy great live music, delicious food and drink, and animal experiences at this after-hours event exclusively for adults 21+. ZooBrew supports elephant conservation with a portion of each ticket sold.
Party in the Park
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Park
July 11, 28, 25 & Aug. 1, 8, 15, 2024
Every summer in downtown Rochester, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Park transforms into a music mecca hosted by the City of Rochester. Now in it’s 27th year, the 2024 Party in the Park concert series presents a wide range of music including blues, funk, rock, reggae, and classic rock, attracting devoted music fans and families to come out and enjoy the beautiful summer season!
Corn Hill Arts Festival
Corn Hill Neighborhood
July 13-14, 2024
As one of Rochester’s favorite summer arts festivals, the Annual Corn Hill Arts Festival features over 300 original arts and craftspeople set over nine streets. Visitors can stroll and shop, relax in the beer and wine gardens, and listen to live music. Family-friendly, the festival features climbing structures, bounce houses, and more! There’s food trucks galore and your favorite festival foods.
Pride Festival & Parade
South Avenue & Highland Park
July 20, 2024
Each year, Pride celebrates the accomplishments and history of the LGBTQ+ community. Produced by Trillium Health, Rochester Pride is one of New York State’s largest Pride festivals north of New York City. Pride Fest is filled with a range of food, wine, beer, games and activities, vendor tables, and live music and performances!
Puerto Rican Festival
285 E. Main St
Aug. 1-3, 2024
The Puerto Rican Festival Inc. sponsors a variety of events, which serve to share and celebrate Puerto Rican culture. The Puerto Rican Festival is the longest running cultural festival in Monroe County. The festival is an annual three-day event, which averages a daily attendance of 7,000 people of all cultures and ethnic backgrounds!
Summer Soul Festival
Innovative Field
Aug. 24, 2024
Since 1995, the City of Rochester has produced it’s legendary “Rochester Music Festival” as a family-friendly experience designed to offer authentic, grassroots community engagement. Building on that legacy, 2024 will be even more momentous, with a focus on community and creating a huge boost for local businesses. This year’s 29th annual signature Summer Soul Festival concert includes a dynamic line-up of iconic national acts.
Clothesline Festival
Memorial Art Gallery
Sep. 7-8, 2024
The M&T Bank Clothesline Festival has been MAG’s largest annual fundraiser and biggest celebration of the arts for more than 60 years. Over 300 artists from across the country offer their work for purchase at this festival that takes place on the beautiful grounds of the Memorial Art Gallery. Experience all-day live entertainment, sample food from some of Rochester’s favorite food trucks and vendors, enjoy free family art activities, and visit the museum.
Fringe Festival
Rochester’s East End
Sep. 10-21, 2024
Since debuting in 2012, the Fringe Festival has drawn more than 750,000 visitors from all over the world to more than 5,000 diverse performances and events. In fact, Rochester’s not-for-profit Fringe has become one of the largest and most successful Fringe Festivals in the nation, the largest multidisciplinary performing arts festival in New York State, and one of the region’s most anticipated festivals each year!
Are we missing something? We know this can’t be all of them! Be sure to comment below with any other festivals, events, or activities worth checking out this summer!