ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Friday and this weekend is your last chance to visit the 127th annual Lilac Festival. Highland Park will be full of live music, food vendors, and crowds smelling the fragrant scent of lilacs through Sunday.

The Aces, an Indie group with millions of streams, is Friday’s music headliner. Then, this weekend, Art in the Park and Small Business Circle return with dozens of local vendors. On Sunday morning, runners will take the streets for the Lilac Run 5K and 10K. News10NBC has your guide to what’s happening at the festival each day:

RELATED: From ‘Lilac Sunday’ to 10-day festival: The evolution of Rochester’s Lilac Festival

Festival dates

The festival runs for 10 days in a row, from Friday, May 9 to Sunday, May 18. It runs from 10:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. at Highland Park, with special hours for parade and race day. You can see the festival’s website here.

Schedule of events

Art in the Park and Small Business Circle (May 17 and 18): Art in the Park will take place on Reservoir Avenue during both weekends, up the hill from the main festival site, with artists selling handcrafted goods. Guests can also shop from local entrepreneurs at the Small Business Circle during both weekends.

Lilac Run (Sunday, May 18): The Lilac Run 5K and 10K will return for the 46th year. The 5K kicks off at 8 a.m. and the 10K kicks off at 9:15 a.m., both on Highland Avenue. There will also be a one-mile fun run down Highland Avenue starting at 11:30 a.m. You can see a course map and register for the run here.

Daily events

There are some new daily events this year, including a non-alcoholic bar, the Zero Roof Social Club, which serves mocktails. There will also be free guided walking tours, which you can sign up for here. Volunteers will guide the Flower City Flora Tour and Highland Park Historical Tour to explore local history. For those who want to walk at their own pace, there will also be self-guided tours in English and Spanish.

The Kids’ Zone will also return this year, with plenty of rides, bounce houses, games, face painting, and more. You can get tickets at the festival. There is also a Sensory Space, presented by local non-profit AutismUp, with an outdoor space and a tent to create an inclusive environment for people with sensory sensitivities.

News10NBC was at the festival for Seniors’ Day on Wednesday, May 14, honoring older people in the community with a more relaxed experience. The day also coincided with the final Lilac Local Farmers Market, a new feature this year with local produce, flowers, and artisan foods.

“I think it’s pretty accessible,” Anne Miller said. “I broke my ankle about six weeks ago and I have a handicapped thing, so the parking was right up the way. So it was really nice to be able to use that so we didn’t have to park too far away.”

“I think we really need to honor our elders for whatever else that they paved the way to what we’re standing here today for, as well as the younger generation here to improve it and just make life better on this planet for everybody,” Shirlee Winder said.

Some people at the festival said they’ve been going for decades.

Who are the music headliners?

This year’s free music performances include multiple nationally-touring artists, an American Idol winner, tribute bands, and local bands. The headliner shows will take place at the KeyBank Center Stage.

Festival organizers created a Spotify playlist where people can stream the artists’ music. Here’s the schedule for the headliners:

• Friday, May 16: The Aces (An Alternative pop and indie rock group from Provo, Utah). This sister duo and friends’ lead single, “Daydream,” has 35 million streams.
• Saturday, May 17: The Dirty Dozen Brass Band (A New Orleans jazz, bebop, and funk group from New Orleans).
• Sunday, May 18: Beach Weather (A pop rock and indie pop group from Phoenix, AZ). Beach Weather has more than 1 billion streams on their latest hit.

On Mother’s Day, 2021 American Idol winner Chayce Beckham took the stage. The country artist from Apple Valley, California, is known for his hit song “23”.

What’s the new bag policy?

The Lilac Festival is implementing a new bag policy this year. Only clear bags, fanny packs, six-inch by eight-inch purses or clutches, medical bags, and diaper bags will be permitted at Highland Park. Backpacks, duffel bags, and drawstring bags are not allowed. Organizers warn to be prepared and leave any prohibited bags in your car.

What’s this year’s pansy bed design?

The pansy bed design has been a Rochester tradition for more than 120 years. This year’s design will be a compass and the theme is navigation, honoring Rochester’s legacy as an Erie Canal city. The Parks Department grows roughly 23,000 pansies every year. Between 1,500 to 1,800 of them make it into the display.

Interview with an organizer

News10NBC spoke with Lexy Rivera, the festival’s head of production, as she was preparing for the start of the Lilac Festival. Rivera said the festival is expected to welcome half a million people over its ten days.

“It’s May. It’s Rochester. We’re so excited to be here. Obviously, this is a massive festival that brings tons of people into the local Rochester area. So I’m just stoked to be here,” she said.

Rivera said the festival has over 50 food vendors and plenty of options for locally crafted drinks, including Casa Larga wines and wine slushies at the Bully Hill Wine Grove.

“We love supporting local and you’ll see them all right here,” she said.

Related coverage

• Artists show off work at ‘Art in the Park’ at Lilac Festival
• From ‘Lilac Sunday’ to 10-day festival: The evolution of Rochester’s Lilac Festival
• A look at the poster for the 127th annual Lilac Festival
• Lilac Festival draws newcomers and longtime festival goers
• Traffic Alert: Lilac Festival Parade Saturday to affect traffic
• Good Question: When will the magnolia trees bloom in Highland Park?
• Good Question: What will be this year’s pansy bed design at Highland Park?
• Monroe County horticulturist gives update on lilacs ahead of Lilac Festival