Rochester has its fair share of local festivals, including the popular, springtime Lilac Festival. It takes place annually in Highland Park and is the largest free festival of its kind in North America. For ten days in the spring, this festival provides non-stop special events that attract over 500,000 visitors to the city.

The Lilac Festival truly appeals to all the senses. As for your sight, the festival has an Art in the Park exhibit in which local craftsmen can set up tents and sell their products.The park also looks gorgeous due to the lilacs blooming in the spring weather. I speak from experience when I say theses flowers are still worth seeing in the rain. They also give off a pleasant smell throughout the park which makes your stay a lot more enjoyable.

The smell of popcorn and fried dough isn’t too bad either. The food at the Lilac Festival is provided by a variety of food trucks stationed throughout the park. Whether you’re in the mood for wine tasting or for some classic Abbott’s Frozen Custard, you’ll be able to find it at this festival. As you wander the park, you can also enjoy the local bands who perform live music throughout the ten days. As parents enjoy the music, young kids can also be entertained at the bouncy castles throughout Highland Park. This festival provides activities for all ages interests, assuring Upstate New Yorkers that a trip to Rochester in the spring is surely worth their time.

My first experience with the Lilac Festival was as a middle schooler, when our band performed in the pouring rain. As I said, seeing the art and the flowers distracted me from the rain and made it worth the trip. As a violist, I have gone back to the Lilac Festival to perform with orchestras multiple times since that first rainy day. I’ve also spent days there with family and friends to grab some food and of course to take cute pictures in front of the lilacs. Overall, this festival is a great experience and I will definitely be making a trip to Rochester in the spring.