The Lilac Festival In New York That’s Unlike Any Other
By Lea Monroe|Published April 29, 2018
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Lea Monroe
Author
Writer for Only In Your State. Scribbling about all things New York and Buffalo related while also keeping you updated on the latest travel news! Inquiries: Lmonroe@onlyinyourstate.com
One of the many ways that you can tell that spring has sprung in New York is by the arrival of some of our favorite festivals. Less than two weeks away and the perfect outing for the entire family to enjoy, take a look at why you’ll want to head out to Rochester this spring to experience one of our most beloved festivals.
Celebrating its 120th anniversary, this year the Rochester Lilac Festival will be taking place from Friday May 11th through Sunday May 20th.
Happening right in Highland Park, the festival will be up and running over the course of these 10 days from 10:30AM to 8:30PM and is the largest free festival of its kind in all of North America!
Now drawing in roughly 500,000 visitors each year, people who come to the Rochester Lilac Festival will get to see hundreds of varieties of lilacs and flowers that cover more than 20 acres of Highland Park.
With lots of fun activities in store, you'll find crowds gathering around South Avenue on May 12th when the festival's parade takes place. One of our favorite parts of the parade? Getting to see the mini cars drive through town!
Visitors who are 21 years and older can enjoy plenty of tasty vendors offering samples of local wine, beer, and liquor. The festival's Wine Tasting Expo will be held on the 12th - featuring a variety of wine, cider, and spirits.
But this year the festival's made Mother's Day an extra delicious delight. On Sunday the 13th, the festival will be hosting their Bloody Mary Expo that will decorate the streets with local establishments who have come to show off their amazing Bloody Marys.
The aroma of all the gorgeous lilac bushes won't be the only smell to entice you, before you know it you'll start to see all sorts of food trucks and other vendors throughout the park.
Last year the lilac festival featured fan-favorites like garbage plates, garbage apples, BBQ in a cup, and tons of other mouth-watering dishes you can't believe are located all in one place.
With the first weekend always being full of some of the most exciting events, you'll also find that on the 12th the festival hosts its charming Garden Battles where locals compete to create their own stunning gardens!
...Or you want to walk around and explore everything else that's happening in the park. You'll want to set aside at least one day to check out the 120th Lilac Festival in Rochester.
Have you ever been to the Rochester Lilac Festival? To find out more about what you can expect to experience over the festival's 10-day run, check out their official website by click here.
How to get here:
180 Reservoir Avenue
Rochester, NY 14620
