Go to Highland Park in Rochester, N.Y. The park, between Highland Avenue, South Avenue and Goodman Street, is one of the oldest municipal arboretums in the nation. With more than 1,200 lilacs in more than 500 different varieties, the park is home to the largest collection of lilacs in the world. Every year visitors from around the globe come to enjoy the beauty of the park and the cultural offerings of Rochester. Even Martha Stewart planted a lilac during the festival.
Smell the flowers. Make sure you take the time to stroll through the park and take in the sights and smells of the gorgeous lilacs. You will find the usual purples and whites here, but you will also see rarer colors like pink and yellow. Enjoy the pansy bed, which features more than 10,000 pansies. Vendors offer for purchase some of the beautiful flowers you will see at the park. Buy a lilac bush for your own garden; do not pick flowers off of the bushes in the park.
Make sure you get there on the opening day of the festival for the parade. Especially fun for kids, the parade features the marching bands, floats, clowns and equestrian units. It's a great way to kick off your visit to Rochester.
Enjoy the entertainment. See a performance of one of the many live bands playing. There also are clowns, theater, rides and more. Many of the performances are free, while some have an admission charge.
Take the kids to get their faces painted, make sand art, watch a puppet show, or bounce in the bounce house.
Check out the offerings at the arts and crafts and exhibit. You will find exquisite pottery, paintings, jewelry and more by local artists. Find that perfect sculpture for your living room or a silver bracelet for your mother.
Bring a picnic lunch or money to purchase your food at the festival. You will find the cuisine of the world offered, such as Greek, Indian, Chinese and Mexican. Or sample local favorites like Zweigles Red Hots, Rochester's famous hot dogs.
Visit the rest of Rochester. A must-see is the George Eastman House, home of the founder of Kodak. Stroll the gorgeous gardens, enjoy the beautiful mansion and see the fabulous collections that display the history of photography. Go to a concert at the Eastman School of Music. Most of the concerts and recitals are free. View Highfalls Gorge, where the Genesee River cuts through the heart of the city, or enjoy a stroll on the shores of Lake Ontario.
