Springtime means flowers, and in Rochester that means the annual Lilac Festival. This year's festival will take place for May 14-23 in Highland Park. The 2010 festival includes a kick-off parade featuring the 2010 Lilac Queen, a sponsored 10K race, arts and crafts show both weekends, wine tasting and a farmers market. There will also be food vendors showcasing local restaurant favorites and specialties, and numerous musical performances including the 10,000 Maniacs, Sister Hazel and many local groups. Admission to both the park and the festival is free.
Highland Park features over 500 varieties of lilacs, making it the largest collection in the world since being first planted in 1892. The festival began in 1898, when one Sunday in May was declared Lilac Sunday and 5,000 Rochestarians came to Highland Park to visit and see the lilacs in bloom. Over 100 years later, the two week festival now draws hundreds of thousands of people each year to see the famous flowers. In 2007, Rochester even had a visit from Martha Stewart when the festival was named one of the top 10 events in the country.
Whether you spend the afternoon at a romantic picnic underneath shades of lilac or taking in a magic show with the kids on the main stage, the Lilac Festival provides a variety of free entertainment for all ages.
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