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Every May, Highland Park hosts the Rochester Lilac Festival which has been an annual tradition in the park for over 100 years. What started with admirers flocking the spring blooms of the hundreds of lilac bushes in the park has grown into a huge festival drawing visitors from all over the world. The traditional ten day format of the Rochester Lilac Festival has returned for 2023 after some adjustments 2020-2022.
History of Highland Park and its Lilacs
In the early 1800s Rochester, NY was known as Flour City due to all the flour mills along waterfalls on the Genesee River near modern downtown Rochester. By the mid 1800s, the moniker for Rochester had evolved into Flower City thanks to the booming seed trade and the decline in flour production.
With approximately 1200 lilac bushes of over 500 different varieties, Highland Park is home to the largest collection of lilacs in the United States. The first twenty acres of Highland Park’s grounds were originally part of the Mount Hope Nurseries until the owners George Ellwanger and Patrick Barry endowed it to the community in the late 1880s. Designed by Frederick Law Olmsted to have a natural appearance, Highland Park is a planned arboretum. The first lilacs were planted in 1892 by the park’s horticulturist John Dunbar, and by 1898 they were drawing crowds to enjoy the spectacular spring bloom.
Over the years Highland Park has grown in size to about 150 acres and now includes a pinetum, a collection of Japanese Maples, a rock garden featuring dwarf evergreens, over thirty varieties of magnolias, many azaleas, rhododendrons, mountain laurel and andromeda, a large number of tree species from around the world, and so much more.
Rochester Lilac Festival Today
The Rochester Lilac Festival is the largest free festival of its kind in North America where festival attendees can enjoy the Lilac Parade, the art and craft show, Art in the Park, Garden Battles, live music performances, and many more attractions. There’s only a handful of events that require attendees to purchase tickets such as the wine or craft beer events, access to the Ultra Lounge or Party Deck, or taking part in the Lilac Run (5k or 10k distances) or Dunkin’ Dash (1 mile run).
Attendees will get to enjoy wandering the Highland Park’s rolling hills to take in the spectacular blooms and breathe in the sweet scent of lilacs. Vendors provide not just the kinds of treats you expect at fairs and festivals, but many will also have lilac inspired food, drink, and products. When we went the year of our wedding, I picked up a bottle of the Highland Lilac of Rochester perfume since lilac was one of our wedding colors and I was carrying lilacs as my bridal bouquet. One of my favorite Rochester distilleries, Black Button Distilling, also releases limited quantities of its Lilac Gin each spring to celebrate the city’s famed blooms.
Tips for Attending the Rochester Lilac Festival
Parking
Finding street parking near Highland Park during this popular event will be extremely difficult as many of the streets around the park have temporary changes to their traffic patterns and some will be closed entirely. Visitors are better off using the parking provided by the festival which costs $7 per car.
What to Bring
Guests are welcome to bring bring one sealed bottle of water, blankets, a small chair, and an umbrella to use to sit and enjoy the park grounds and free entertainment. If you have spring allergies, this may not be the most enjoyable experience for you so you’ll definitely want to have your allergy medicine on you.
What NOT to Bring
Pets. Sadly, you’ll have to leave your favorite animal friends at home since this isn’t a pet-friendly event. Also leave home any outside food and drinks (other than the water bottle mentioned above), bicycles, skateboards, and roller blades.
Check the Weather
Spring in Rochester is not the the most predictable when it comes to weather, so make sure to check the forecast before visiting to pack appropriate clothing and so forth. I’ve attended the Rochester Lilac Festival in cold, rainy weather and in hot, sunny weather. For the cold days bring yourself some weatherproof layers since it’s hard to enjoy everything the festival has to offer when you’re cold and miserable. If you luck out with warm, sunny weather, you’ll want to make sure you bring that sunscreen as you’ll be spending a lot of time outdoors soaking up all the lovely gardens and entertainment.
Whether you’re looking for a day out enjoying the beauty of spring, a fun family outing, or a date night enjoying the evening entertainment, everyone can find something they enjoy among the many offerings of the Rochester Lilac Festival. This is one of those seasonal events that should be on everyone’s bucket list!
Have you ever attended the Rochester Lilac Festival?
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This sounds wonderful! I love to go to nature/flower shows but haven’t been to one in such a long time (I will have to see what’s available where I live). I’m lucky enough that the local botanical garden is close by and I can spend time wandering around!
I’m definitely more into lilacs than I am into cherry blossoms! I also didn’t know that Rochester had a lilac festival. Good to know.
Great pictures. These flowers are so lovely. It must be so relaxing in Highland Park.
Thank you so much! Highland Park is a lovely park, and especially so during the peak bloom of the lilacs!
Anything with a 100y+ tradition impresses me, Kelly, but those blossoms are really amazing!! Nice you’re taking your mom out for a fun day. Ever since I prepared for my British citizenship test, I’m into horticulture (3 out of 24 questions were about horticulturalists like Capability Brown, Brits are mad haha…).
I’ve never heard of the Rochester Lilac Festival, but I love lilacs so I will be sure to put this on my bucket list! So glad you wrote about it! There must be many tasty lilac treats and wonderful lilac fragrances to enjoy at this festival. The surrounding area also looks like it has some interesting things to see, like Susan B. Anthony’s gravesite and the Warner Castle.
Yes, Rochester has a lot to offer! The tours at Susan B. Anthony house are fabulous, and her grave tends to collect a lot of “I voted” stickers each election from modern women paying homage to her efforts on their behalf. Just a bit south is the Finger Lakes region which is beautiful and home to a lot of wonderful wineries, breweries, etc! Hope you get to visit someday!
A Lilac Festival and in Rochester, objects of beauty. So are your pics. Except for your mom holding an umbrella, looks like beautiful weather.
I think I knew Rochester had a lilac festival but I don’t think I’ve ever seen photos. How beautiful!! I love going to festivals like this. It’s on the list now!
I love to just wander Highland Park soaking in all the gorgeous colors and fragrance. Definitely visit if you get the chance!
Lilacs are so beautiful! Good post. I like all the pictures you shared. Thank you for sharing your experience with me.
Thank you, it’s a wonderful festival!