Organizers announce dates for this year’s Lilac Festival

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Highland Park will once again be filled with live music, crowds, and fragrant scents of Lilacs this spring. The 126th annual Rochester Lilac Festival will run from Friday, May 10 and run through Sunday, May 19, announced the organizers.

The festival typically draws over half a million people and features the largest collection of lilacs in the northeast. The 45th annual Lilac 5K and 10K will return for closing day. Here is the schedule:

• May 10 – Opening Ceremony (10 a.m.) and festival grounds open (10:30 a.m. – 8:30 p.m.)
• May 11, 12, 18, 19 – Art in the Park (10 a.m. – 6 p.m. Saturdays, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Sundays)
• May 11 – Lilac Parade (10:30 a.m. at Science Parkway)
• May 14 – Seniors Day
• May 19 – Lilac Run 5K/10K and Donut Dash

The festival typically features over 120 musical performances and over 300 arts vendors. It’s hosted by the Lilac Festival Board, which includes Monroe County, the City of Rochester, and Visit Rochester. Longtime festival producer Jeff Springut will not produce this year’s Lilac Festival.