ROCHESTER, N.Y. — After three weekends, the 124th Rochester Lilac Festival is in the books.

It was canceled in 2020 and scaled-down last year, but all of the festival's most well-known events returned in 2022.

Thousands came to Highland Park to take in all the sights, sounds and smells of the festival.

Organizers say this was the best year yet.

"I think we had record-breaking attendance,” said Jenny LoMaglio, the communications director for Rochester Events. “The flowers bloomed as if I ordered it myself. I love that we went three long weekends.”

This was the second time the festival has been held during the pandemic, but more popular activities returned from years past.

Events like the Craft Beer Expo and the 5k race were back, along with new activities like the Health and Wellness Weekend.

“We had a component of live fitness all over the park and we also had the wellness expo, which was a great local trade show,” said LoMaglio.

After three successful weekends, you would think festival planners would take a break. But organizers say, not so fast.

“We are always thinking about next year,” said LoMaglio. "This takes almost a full year to plan and we’re going to be bringing back things we did this year.”