ANNUAL MANUAL '10: 2010 Festival Guide 

 [ EVENTS ] COMPILED BY LEDWING HERNANDEZ

For a city its size Rochester is jam-packed with events. Once the weather warms up we tend to go a little crazy, and nary a weekend goes by between April and October when there isn't some fabulous festival bringing thousands of people to the streets.

            Below is a list of many of the major events of 2010. For a complete events calendar, check out City Newspaper every Wednesday, or visit rochestercitynewspaper.com/events and use our searchable online calendar.

MARCH

Rochester Erotic Arts Festival

March 26-28

Harro East Ballroom, Chestnut St.

Artistic expressions celebrating sensuality/sexuality

rochestereroticartfest.org

APRIL

Rochester International Film Festival

April 22-24

Dryden Theatre, George Eastman House

Short-film festival

rochesterfilmfest.org, 234-7411

Sheep Sheering Festival

April 24

Springdale Farm, Ogden

Demos, wool cleaning, music

Heritagechristianservices.org/springdale, 349-2090

MAY

Imagine RIT: Innovation and Creativity Festival

May 1

RIT campus

Activities highlighting a fusion of art and technology, kids events

Rit.edu/imagine

360 | 365 George Eastman House Film Festival

May 5-10

Dryden Theatre, other local cinemas

Screenings of more than 80 films (full-length, shorts, documentaries)

film360365.com, 279-8307

Lilac Festival

May 14-23

Highland Park

500 varieties of lilacs, live music, activities, food

lilacfestival.com

Memorial Day Parade

May 31

Downtown Rochester

Cityofrochester.gov, 544-2839

JUNE

Greek Festival

June 3-6

Greek Church of the Annunciation, East Ave

Greek food, entertainment, culture

Rochestergreekfestival.org, 244-3377

East End Festivals

June 4, July 9, and August 13

East End District

Local bands, street festivities

eastendmusicfestival.com, 234-0630

FairportCanal Days

June 4-6

Main Street, Fairport

Arts & crafts, food, music, family activities

fairportcanaldays.com

19th Ward Square Fair

June 5

Aberdeen Square

Food and activities to celebrate the 19th Ward

19wca.org, 328-6571

Xerox Rochester International Jazz Festival

June 11-19

Many venues in Rochester's East End

More than 250 shows, featuring local, national, and international acts

rochesterjazz.com, 454-2060

Juneteenth

June 19

Susan B. Anthony Square

Performances, food, activities to celebrate the end of slavery.

454-2860

Maplewood Rose Celebration

June 19-20

MaplewoodPark, Driving Park and Lake Avenue

Hundreds of varieties of roses; horticultural tours, more

cityofrochester.gov, 428-6755

Harbor and Carousel Festival

June 25-27

OntarioBeachPark, Charlotte

Special events to celebrate the LakeOntario waterfront

cityofrochester.gov, 428-6767

JULY

Sterling Renaissance Festival

Weekends, July 3-August 15

Sterling, NY

"Olde school" food, drink, performances, crafts

sterlingfestival.com, 800-879-4446

Hill Cumorah Pageant

July 9-10 & 13-17

Hill Cumorah, near Palmyra

Theatrical retelling of the Book of Mormon

hillcumorah.org/Pageant, 315-597-5851

Corn Hill Arts Festival

July 10-11

Corn Hill neighborhood

Dozens of crafters, food, kids activities

cornhill.org, 262-3142

NazarethCollegeArtsCenter Dance Festival

July 10-17

NazarethCollegeArtsCenter, East Ave

Dance performances by renowned national and local troupes, dance films, parades

Naz.edu/artscenter, 389-2525

Rochester Pride 2010

July 10-18

Various locations in Rochester

Parade, festival, picnic to celebrate the local LGBT community

gayalliance.org, 244-8640

Monroe County Fair

July 14-18

MonroeCountyFairgrounds, East Henrietta Road

Agricultural exhibits, animals, rides, food

mcfair.com, 334-4000

10 Ugly Men Festival

July 24

GeneseeValleyPark

Music, food, drinks, charity sporting events, kids activities

tenuglymen.com

SpencerportCanal Days

July 24-25

Along the Erie Canal, Spencerport

Arts & crafts, entertainment, food, canoe race

spencerportcanaldays.com, 349-1331

Waterfront Art Festival

July 24-25

KershawPark, Canandaigua

Arts & crafts, kids' activities

waterfrontartfestival.com, 671-9102

Rochester Jewish Film Festival

July 25-August 2

Little Theatre, Dryden Theatre, JCC

Movies by Jewish filmmakers/of Jewish interest

rjff.org, 461-2000 x237

Puerto Rican Festival

July 30-August 1

Frontier Field VIP Parking Lot

Puerto Rican food, parade, cultural activities

prfestival.com, 234-7660

Brockport Summer Arts Fest

July 31-August 1

SUNY Brockport, Holley Street

Food, music, rubber duck derby, dragon boat races

brockportartsfestival.com, 260-7764

AUGUST

Northeast Naturist Festival

August 3-8

Empire Haven, Moravia

Activities for naturists/nudists

naturistsociety.com

Polish Arts Festival

August 6-7

St. Stanislaus Church, corner of Norton and Hudson

Polish arts, food, crafts

polishartsfest.org, 266-6440

German Fest

August 6-8

Fireman's Field, Spencerport

German food, drink, dancing, entertainment

rochestergerman.com

African/African American Festival

August 7

Highland Bowl, South Avenue

African drums and dancing, arts and crafts, food

313-3685, rochesterabove.org

Park Ave Summer Arts Fest

August 7-8

Park Avenue

Arts & crafts, live entertainment, food, family activities

rochesterevents.com, 473-4482

Palmyra Pirate Weekend

August 7-8

Village of Palmyra

Family-friendly activities with a pirate theme

eriecanalpirates.com, 315-597-4849

Tour de New York

August 7-12

Downtown Rochester, and region

Various bike racing events

tourdenewyork.com, 546-4030

Carifest

August 14

Riverside Festival Site

Celebration of Caribbean heritage

227-2183

Clarissa StreetReunion

August 21

Corn Hill neighborhood

Music and more to celebrate the historic hotspot

234-4177

Sankofa Arts, Dance, Music & Theater Festival

August 27-28

MuCCC, Village Gate

Arts and cultural activities to celebrate African-American history and heritage.

271-7010, 442-9892

SEPTEMBER

New YorkState Festival of Balloons

September 2-6

Dansville

Hot air balloon rides, food, entertainment, music, kids' rides

nysfob.com

Labor Day Parade

September 6

Downtown Rochester

rochesterlabor.org, 263-2650

Clothesline Arts Festival

September 11-12

MemorialArtGallery

Renowned arts & crafts, live entertainment

mag.rochester.edu/clothesline, 276-8900

Mendon Station Festival

September 11-12

MendonStationPark, Mendon

Music, Irish dancers, horse exhibitions, arts and crafts

Mendonfoundation.com

RochesterMarathon

September 12

Downtown Rochester

26.2-mile course through the city

rochestermarathon.com

Irondequoit Oktoberfest

September 17-19, 24-26

CampEastman, DurandEastmanPark

Echt Deutsch music, dancing, food, beer

irondequoit.org

Purple Foot Festival

September 19

Casa Larga Vineyards, Fairport

Grape stomping, live music, wine tasting, kids' activities

casalarga.com/purplefoot, 223-4210

Savor Rochester: Festival of Food

September 20

Public Market

Samples from area restaurants, wineries, farmers, specialty food sellers

festivaloffood.org, 328-3380

Naples Grape Festival

September 25-26

Naples

Grape pie contest, arts & crafts, family entertainment, live music

naplesvalleyny.com

Harvest Jamboree & Country Fair

September 26

Rochester Public Market

Celebration of agriculture with pumpkin patch, petting zoo, country dance, more

cityofrochester.gov, 311

OCTOBER

Hilton Apple Fest

October 2-3

Hilton

Arts & crafts, car show, apple wares, pie contest

hiltonapplefest.org, 392-7773

RochesterRiver Romance Weekend

October 8-10

GeneseeRiver Corridor

Various activities celebrating the GeneseeRiver, including Head of The Genesee Regatta

cityofrochester.gov, 428-6755

ImageOut Film Festival

October 8-17

Dryden Theatre, Little Theatre

Gay & lesbian film festival

imageout.org

Jewish Book Festival

October 24-31

Jewish Community Center, Edgewood Ave

Book events featuring Jewish authors or books of Jewish interest

Rjbf.org