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Go ahead, give us a reason to celebrate. I dare you. Just pick something, anything at all --- fruit, airplanes, balloons, jazz, snow --- and we'll throw a party for it. That's just one of our very many talents. Fried dough, anyone?
Lakeside Winter Celebration
Date: mid-February
Place: Ontario Beach Park
Description: games, snow and ice sculpture contests, sleigh rides, "Chilly Chili Challenge," polar plunge in Lake Ontario
Info: 428-7655
Lilac Festival
Dates: May 13-22
Place: Highland Park
Description: 500 varieties of lilacs, live music, activities, food
Info: 256-3070, www.lilacfestival.com
Memorial Day Parade
Dates: May 30
Place: downtown Rochester
Description: parade
Info: 473-0710
East End Night Life Festivals
Dates: June 3, July 8, August 12
Place: East Avenue
Description: bars, clubs and restaurants open on to the street, lots of music and beer
Info: 234-0630, www.milestonesmusicroom.com
Rochester Public Market Centennial Celebration
Dates: June 4-5
Place: Rochester Public Market, 280 North Union Street
Description:
Info: 428-6907, www.cityofrochester.gov
Wegmans Concerts By the Shore
Dates: Wednesdays June 8-August 31
Place: Ontario Beach Park
Description: live concerts
Info: 865-3320, www.cityofrochester.gov
Party in the Park
Dates: Thursdays June 9-August 11
Place: High Falls Festival Site
Description: concerts
Info: 428-6697, www.cityofrochester.gov
Rochester International Jazz Festival
Dates: June 10-18
Place: 15 venues throughout city, including Eastman Theatre, Frontier Field
Description: Over 70 concerts, tens of thousands of fans, international, top-notch acts
Info: 234-2002, www.rochesterjazz.com
Fairport Canal Days
Dates: June 3-5
Place: Main Street (Route 250), Fairport
Description: arts and crafts, food, music, many family activities
Info: www.fairportcanaldays.com
Rochester International Air Show
Dates: June 11-12
Place: Rochester International Airport
Description: US Navy Blue Angels, planes, helicopters, jets
Info: 428-2380, www.rochesterairshow.com
Spencerport Fireman's Carnival
Dates: June 15-18
Place: Spencerport
Description: kiddie parade, grand parade, amusement rides
Info: 352-4771, vil.spencerport.ny.us
Rochester Harbor and Carousel Festival
Dates: June 24-26
Place: Ontario Beach Park, Charlotte
Description: RPO concert, juried arts and crafts, food, activities
Info: 865-3320, www.cityofrochester.gov
Maplewood Rose Festival
Dates: June 18-19
Place: Maplewood Park, Driving Park Bridge and Lake Avenue
Description: roses, Genesee Gorge tours, live music, arts and crafts, kids' entertainment
Info: www.ggw.org/~mna/rose.htm
Gay Pride Celebration
Dates: mid-July
Place: various, including Genesee Valley Park
Description: Upstate New York's largest, with a big picnic and Pride Parade
Info: www.gayalliance.org
Sterling Renaissance Festival
Dates: weekends, July 2-August 14
Place: Sterling, NY
Description: food, drink, street performances, crafts, games --- all in the olde style
Info: 800-879-4446, sterlingfestival.com
N.E.N.A. Family Summer Fest and Carnival
Dates: July
Place: Freddie Thomas Learning Center, 625 Scio Street
Description: rides, activities for adults and kids, "home-grown music and home-grown food"
Info: 544-0140
Hill Cumorah Pageant
Dates: July 8-16
Place: Hill Cumorah, on Route 21, near Palmyra
Description: nightly performance with cast of 600, pyrotechnics, music; presents stories from the Bible and the Book of Mormon
Info: 315-597-5851, www.hillcumorah.org/Pageant/
Corn Hill Arts Festival
Dates: July 9-10
Place: Corn Hill neighborhood, off Exchange Blvd and Plymouth Ave
Description: hundreds of craftspeople, live music, family events, food
Info: 262-3142, www.cornhill.org
Monroe County Fair
Dates: July 13-17
Place: Monroe County Fairgrounds, 2695 E. Henrietta Rd
Description: agricultural exhibits, animals, amusement rides, food, special presentations
Info: 334-4000, www.mcfair.com
MusicFest
Dates: July 16-17
Place: various, including Genesee Valley Park
Description: Free, outdoor concerts, this year featuring Latin and soul
Info: 428-6690, www.rochestermusicfest.com
Festa Italiana
Dates: July 15-17
Place: Italian American Community Center, 150 Marconi Blvd
Description: Italian music, dance, and cultural displays
Info: 594-8882, www.iaccrochester.org
Spencerport Canal Days
Dates: July
Place: arts and crafts, entertainment, food, canoe race
Description: off Union Street, along the Canal, Spencerport
Info: 349-1331, www.ogdenny.com/canaldays
Puerto Rican Festival
Dates: mid-August
Place: Civic Center Plaza, Exchange Blvd
Description: Latino music, food, and culture celebrations
Info: www.prfestival.com
Park Avenue Festival
Dates: August 6-7
Place: Park Avenue from Alexander St to Culver Rd
Description: arts & crafts vendors, live entertainment, food, family fun
Info: www.rochesterevents.com
Clarissa Street Reunion
Dates: August 20
Place: Clarissa and surrounding streets
Description: neighborhood reunion, parade, jazz, gospel, and r&b performances
Info: 234-4177, www.csrc.info
Carifest
Dates: August 13-14
Place: High Falls Festival Site
Description: Caribbean-themed festival and parade
Info: 254-7569
Brockport Summer Art Festival
Dates: August 13-14
Place: Main Street (Route 19), Brockport
Description: arts and crafts, food, live music, rubber duck derby and dragon boat races
Info: www.rochesterevents.com
Penfield Country Fair Days
Dates: August 20-21
Place: Penfield's Four Corners, Rte 441 and Five Mile Line Rd
Description: arts and crafts, entertainment, food
Info: 340-8651, www.penfield.org
Rochester Irish Festival
Dates: September
Place: Camp Eastman, Durand Eastman Park
Description: Irish music, dance, cultural workshops, kids' activities
Info: 234-3746, www.rochesteririshfestival.org
New York State Festival of Balloons
Dates: September 2-4
Place: Dansville, NY
Description: hot air balloon rides, food, entertainment, music, kids' rides
Info: www.nysfob.com
Labor Day Parade
Dates: September 5
Place: Downtown Rochester
Description: parade
Info: 263-2650
Clothesline Arts Festival
Dates: September 10-11
Place: Memorial Art Gallery, 500 University Avenue
Description: renowned arts and crafts; MAG's biggest fundraiser
Info: 473-7720, mag.rochester.edu
Oktoberfest
Dates: September 16-18, 23-25
Place: Camp Eastman, Durand Eastman Park
Description: echt Deutsch music, food, and beer
Info: 336-6070, www.irondequoit.org/events/oktober.htm
Festival of Food
Dates: Sept 19
Place: Rochester Public Market
Description: samples from area restaurants, wineries, farmers, and specialty food sellers
Info: 328-3380
Naples Grape Festival
Dates: September 24-25
Place: center of Naples village
Description: grape pie contest, arts and crafts, food, family entertainment, live music
Info: 374-2240, www.naplesvalleyny.com
Rochester River Romance
Dates: October 8-9
Place: various, including Ontario Beach Park
Description: entertainment, lighthouse and boat tours, hikes, rowing regatta
Info: 428-6770, www.cityofrochester.gov
Hilton Apple Festival
Dates: October 1-2
Place: off Route 18, Hilton
Description: arts and crafts, car show, apples raw and cooked, pie contest
Info: 234-3378, www.hiltonapplefest.org
ImageOut
Dates: October 7-16
Place: Cinema, Dryden, and Little Theatres
Description: films by and about gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people
Info: 271-2640, www.imageout.org
High Falls Filmfest
Dates: November
Place: Little and Dryden Theatres
Description: Screenings, visiting artists to celebrate women in film
Info: www.highfallsfilmfestival.com