The Highlights of the Rochester Summer

As the semester winds down, many of us will soon head home for a summer jobs, internships, and the comforts of home.  However, many others opt to stay in our beloved Rochester for the summer, maybe even experiencing the first 80 degree weather this city has seen in months.  Below is a list of some of the many attractions Rochester has to offer in the summer months.
 
 
Lilac Festival (May 13^th-22^nd) The only 10-day free festival of its kind in North America that is inspired by the magnificent lilac collection at Highland Park.   The festival features live music, art, and a wine tasting and parade, to name a few.  The event takes place in Highland Park!
 
Canal Days in Fairport (June 3^rd-5^th)
The Fairport Canal Days festival is one of the premier annual Arts and Crafts festivals in the Northeast, attracting nearly a quarter-million visitors each year. It is held annually during the first full weekend of June in beautiful Fairport, NY, along the banks of the historic Erie Canal. The festival features over 200 artisans, more than 40 food and drink vendors, and featuring outstanding performances by local and regional High School Jazz Ensembles.
 
Xerox Rochester International Jazz Festival (June 10-18^th)
This year’s line-up includes: Chris Botti, Elvis Costello, k.d. lang, Natalie Cole, Béla Fleck, and The Fab Faux
From legendary performers to rising stars, the Rochester International Jazz Festival –one of the most popular and most respected jazz festivals in the country – navigates all genres of creative improvised music from all corners of the world.  Tickets are available through Ticketmaster.
 
Party in the Park (Thursday nights from June 16^th-August 18^th)
Party in the Park is a series of free, open air concerts every Thursday night at the Riverside Festival Site across from the Blue Cross Arena.  Last year’s performers featured Rusted Root and Umphrey’s McGee.  This year’s lineup will be announced in May.
 
 
Taste of Rochester Food Festival (June 24-25^th)
The Taste of Rochester is an international food festival in downtown Rochester where many of the city’s finest select restaurants offer food and fare to delight the crowd.  It is similar to the “Taste of Buffalo” which draws about 500,000 people over two days. Fifty restaurants are either selected or sign up to give out samples and sell food to the public. Local wineries as well as local brewers will also sample and sell in the wine and beer ‘gardens’. For entertainment there is be a music stage where local and national acts will perform.
 
 
Corn Hill Arts Festival (July 9^th-10^th) is an annual festival in the Corn Hill neighborhood with hundreds of artists and craftsmen.
 
Big Rib BBQ & Blues Fest (July 14^th-17^th)
Visitors to the Big Rib BBQ & Blues Fest enjoy sampling the wide variety of barbecue styles and barbecue specialties. Each Rib Master features a unique style of preparation, a full menu of specialty items and world famous side orders.  There is also live musical entertainment!
 
Park Avenue Summer Art Festival (August 6^th-7^th)
Rochester’s trendy Park Avenue boasts an eclectic mix of artistic boutiques, cozy cafes and charming stores. The Park Ave Fest brings over 300 artists from the United States and Canada and more than 30 musical acts on three stages and two performance areas. It’s no wonder this is the most anticipated Rochester Festival of the year! Delicious food ranges from festival fare to calamari salad to chocolate dipped key lime pie on a stick. Save some room for some kettle korn and fresh-squeezed lemonade!
 
Rochester Beaches
Ontario Beach Park (Charlotte Beach):On any given day at Ontario Beach Park you’ll find numerous folks enjoying its breathtaking panoramic view of Lake Ontario. When the weather is decent, hundreds will come out to enjoy one of the region’s most popular parks. If the beach is open for swimming, Rochesterians will flock to its sandy shores. Unfortunately, it is rarely open. Contamination keeps it closed for many days throughout year, and despite the popularity of what the locals call “Charlotte Beach,” little headway has been made to clean up the water.