Rochester Lilac Festival 2026: 10 Days of Flowers, Music, and Community

The Rochester Lilac Festival turns 128 this year, running May 8 through 17 at Highland Park. It's eight miles from the village and worth every one of them — over 100 live performances, a juried art show with more than 300 vendors, the Lilac Parade, a 5K and 10K, and the Lilac Local Farmers Market running May 11 through 13. The lilac collection itself is the largest free display in North America: 1,200 shrubs, 500 varieties, and the particular smell of a Rochester spring doing what it does. Half a million people find their way there over ten days. Pittsford has always sent a good share of them.

Dates: Friday, May 8 – Sunday, May 17, 2026 Time: 10:30 AM daily Location: Highland Park, Rochester NY Cost: Free admission

Full schedule, performer lineup, and race registration at roclilacfest.com. Go more than once — it's a different festival on a Tuesday afternoon than on a Saturday.