Rochester Lilac Festival

About the Event

Celebrating 126 years in 2024! Featuring stunning gardens in an Olmstead-designed park, with hundreds of varieties of lilacs and other flora. This 10-day event features live music all day, everyday from 10:30am-8:30pm with local and national musicians.

All 10 days are filled with FREE live music on our Main Stage and celebrate the coming of spring in Rochester, New York with the many varieties of lilacs in Highland Park.

Kids' Zone:

The Rochester Lilac Festival is for everyone, and we have a special place specifically for our little lilac buds. Open every day of the festival, the Lilac Festival Kids' Zone is a vibrant and exciting space dedicated to providing fun for our young festival-goers. Enjoy rides, bounce houses, midway games, face painting and more!

Festival Schedule:

Lilac Run:

The 45th Annual Lilac Run 5K, 10K and Dunkin' Dash will take place on the final day of the festival. Choose to run or walk in one, two or all three events! Both in-person and virtual race experiences will be offered! Participants in the 5K & 10K will receive an event T-shirt, donuts & finisher medal.

8:00am: 5K Run
9:30am: 10K Run
11:30am: Dunkin' Dash

Click here to Sign Up

10:00am - 5:00pm: Art In The Park

The festival runs 10 consecutive days, featuring Art in the Park on each weekend. Art in the Park takes place up the hill from the main festival site, on Reservoir Ave. Several pathways from the festival site weave their way through Highland Park up to Reservoir Ave, bringing hundreds of thousands of visitors through the lilacs and onto the avenue. The avenue is a paved street surrounded by magnolias, tulips, pansies and more.

Music Lineup:

7:00pm Trousdale
This powerful female band brings melodic and heartfelt harmonies that spread a message of self-acceptance and love.
(For fans of The Chicks, Kacey Musgraves, and HAIM)

5:30pm Claudia Hoyser

4:00pm The Honey Smugglers

2:30pm Meg Williams & Travis Bowlin

1:00pm AKOMA Choir

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