It's never too early to get excited for festival season.
Organizers on Friday announced the dates for the 2025 Rochester Lilac Festival. It will take place from May 9-18 next year.
The festival board selected Best Resipe Productions as the 2025 production partner earlier this year, following a competitive RFP process. Best Resipe principal and owner, Jenny LoMaglio, has been a long-time festival collaborator.
“A time-honored tradition that brings our community together, the historic Lilac Festival offers a vibrant celebration of the spring, complete with Highland Park’s world-renowned lilac collection, live entertainment, local food, and family-friendly fun. I am excited to welcome Best Resipe Productions as our new production partner, and know Jenny and her team will uphold the legacy of the Lilac Festival in Monroe County,” said County Executive Adam Bello. “As one of the largest free festivals of its kind in North America, we look forward to welcoming residents and visitors alike to enjoy all that the Lilac Festival has to offer.”
The following evets will be part of the festival:
- May 9 – Opening Ceremony (10 a.m.), festival grounds open (10:30 a.m. - 8:30 p.m.)
- May 10-11 & 17-18 – Art in the Park (10 a.m. – 6 p.m. Saturdays, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Sundays)
- May 10-11 & 17-18 – Small Business Circle (10 a.m. – 6 p.m. Saturdays, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Sundays)
- May 10 – Lilac Parade (commences at 10:30 a.m. at Science Prkwy)
- May 14 – Seniors Day
- May 18 – 45th Annual Lilac Run 5K/10K, and Donut Dash
The Rochester Lilac Festival is one of the largest free festivals of its kind in the country and serves as the unofficial start of Rochester’s festival season. Organizers expect more than 500,000 visitors to attend to celebrate the beauty and fragrant scents of the largest collection of lilacs in the Northeast while enjoying 10 days of gardens, music, art, food and family fun.
Those interested in being vendors can find information at RocLilacFest.com.