The 1,200 lilac bushes decorating the 22 acres of Highland Park 
will put on a spectacular show May 10-19, 2013, exploding with color and fragrance during the Rochester Lilac Festival — showcasing the world’s largest collection of lilacs during the largest and oldest festival of its kind.
The 105-year-old festival this year has a new name, adding the word Rochester to the title, plus a new logo, new events and attractions, high-profile national music acts, and a new producer, The Springut Group.
What’s new and notable for the Lilac Fest in 2013?
Wine & Chocolate Tasting:
Three evenings of a Wine & Chocolate Tasting under the big tent, where you can sample more
than 150 different local, regional, and national wines from more than 30 wineries — from 4
to 8 p.m. Tuesday, May 14; Wednesday, May 15; and Thursday, May 16.
Craft Beer Garden:
A Craft Beer Garden will offer more than 20 varieties of eclectic regional and national beers on
tap on a rotating schedule of five different beers per day, for sale alongside a variety of beers
from Genesee Brewery. The featured breweries are Ithaca, Victory, Long Trail, and Pyramid.
Kid Power!
Each year a portion of the park is transformed into a mini amusement park during the Lilac
Festival. And this year the children’s rides and entertainment will feature new mini rides and
several bounce houses and inflatable obstacle courses. The kids’ stage will offer a variety of acts
and is being relocated closer to the rides, in an area now being called “Kid Power!”
Demonstration Stages:
Along the paths, a variety of demonstrations will be taking place, from gardening tips to
woodworking.
Lilac 10K and Family 5K:
This annual event, sponsored by MedVed, is a picturesque run through city streets on the final
day of the festival, Sunday May 19. New high-tech additions help runners track their midway
and final times, while automatically sending texts to family and friends.
Art In the Park:
More than 130 artists will be exhibiting on the South Avenue Green in this year’s juried Arts
and Crafts Shows, open 10:30 a.m. to 6 pm. Saturdays and 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sundays. Artists
from more than 10 different states are participating, with art ranging from ceramics and glass to
jewelry and metal/sculpture.
2013 Lilac Festival Event Schedule:
Friday, May 10th
Special Events
10:30 Opening Ceremonies
Center Stage
10:30am Le Roy Jr. High School Swingin’ Knights Jazz Band
11:30am Brockport 5th Grade Hilltop Singers & Top Brass Players
12:30pm Dr. Charles T. Lunford School No. 19 School Band
4:00pm Mr. Mustard
5:30pm The Fat City Band
7:00pm Skycoasters
Children’s Stage
5:00pm Joe Cappon
6:00pm Joe Cappon
Saturday, May 11th
Special Events
10:30am YNN Lilac Parade
10:30am-6:00pm Art In Bloom – Juried Art & Craft Show
Center Stage
12:30pm The Spanky Haschmann Swing Orchestra
1:30pm Zac Brown Tribute Band
2:30pm Deborah Mangone
4:00pm Mitty and The Followers
5:30pm Amanda Lee Peers and The Driftwood Sailors
7:00pm Spin Doctors
Children’s Stage
1:00pm Dinner Dogs
2:00pm Gary the Happy Pirate
3:00pm Dinner Dogs
4:00pm Gary the Happy Pirate5:00pm The Magical John Show
Sunday, May 12th
Special Events
10:30am-5:00pm Art in Bloom – Juried Art & Craft Show
Center Stage
10:30am Alysia Groth Band
11:30am Blue Jimmy
12:30pm The Dirty Bourbon Blues Band
2:30pm Natalie B Band
4:00pm My Plastic Sun
5:30pm Teagan and the Tweeds
7:00pm Eddie Money
Children’s Stage
1:00pm Dinner Dogs
2:00pm The Magical John Show
3:00pm Mike Kornrich
4:00pm Dinner Dogs
5:00pm The Magical John Show
Monday, May 13th
Center Stage
10:30am Abraham Lincoln School 22 Choir
11:00am Cobblestone School Band
12:00am Our Lady of Mercy High School Orchestra
12:30pm Bishop Kearney – Murder of Crows Band
1:30pm Greece Olympia High School
4:00pm MoChester
5:30pm Lake Street Dive
7:00pm The English Beat
Children’s Stage
12:30pm “Farmer Tom” Walsh
6:00pm “Farmer Tom” Walsh
Tuesday, May 14th
Special Events
4:00pm-8:00pm Wine & Chocolate Tasting
Center Stage
10:30am Paul Road Elementary School Band
11:30am Indian Landing School Band
12:30pm Palmyra-Macedon Middle School Honors Band, Jazz Band, Con Brio
1:30pm Spencerport High School Jazz band
4:00pm Audio Influx
5:30pm J.C. Brooks & the Uptown Sound
7:00pm Chuck Prophet and the Mission Express
Children’s Stage
12:30pm Mike Kornrich
6:00pm Mike Kornrich
Wednesday, May 15th
Special Events
10:30am-4pm Seniors Day
4:00pm-8:00pm Wine & Chocolate Tasting
Center Stage
10:30am St. Joseph’s School Band
11:30am St. John’s Jam Band
12:30pm Twelve Corners Middle School Jazz Band & Select Choir
1:30pm Smugtown Stompers
4:00pm Meghan Koch and the Gentleman Callers
5:30pm Tommy Brunett Band
7:00pm The Marshall Tucker Band
Children’s Stage
12:30pm “Farmer Tom” Walsh
6:00pm “Farmer Tom” Walsh
Thursday, May 16th
Special Events
4:00pm-8:00pm Wine & Chocolate Tasting
Center Stage
10:30am Holly Elementary Chorus
11:00am Gates Chili Middle School Jazz Ensemble & Spartan Original Singers
12:00pm School #12 Concert Band and Hand Bell Choir
1:00pm North Christian Academy Concert Band and High School Choir
4:00pm The Moho Collective
5:30pm The Lawnmowers
7:00pm Rusted Root
Children’s Stage
12:30pm Mike Kornrich
6:00pm Mike Kornrich
Friday, May 17th
Center Stage
10:30am Cosgrove Middle School 7th Grade Chorus
11:00am Rochester City School District “Bloomin Arts”
4:00pm Mikaela Davis
5:30pm Brian Lindsay Band
7:00pm The Smithereens
Children’s Stage
12:30pm “Farmer Tom” Walsh
6:00pm “Farmer Tom” Walsh
Saturday, May 18th
Special Events
10:30am-6:00pm Art In The Park -Juried Art & Craft Show
Center Stage
11:30am Teressa Wilcox Band
12:30am The Fools
2:00pm The Crawdiddies
3:30pm Driftwood
5:30pm The Lone Bellow
7:00pm The Prickers
Children’s Stage
1:00pm Matt Episcopo
2:00pm Gary the Happy Pirate
3:00pm Matt Episcopo
4:00pm Gary the Happy Pirate
5:00pm Matt Episcopo
Sunday, May 19th
Special Events
8:00am 5K Family Fun Run
9:00am 10K Race
10:30am-5:00pm Art In The Park – Juried Art & Craft Show
Center Stage
11:30am Flint Creek
1:00pm Dang!
2:30pm Big Sandy and his fly-rite boys
4:00pm The John Cole Blues Band
5:30pm Prime Time Funk
7:00pm The Campbell Brothers
Children’s Stage
1:00pm Matt Episcopo
2:00pm Mike Kornrich
3:00pm Matt Episcopo
4:00pm Mike Kornrich
5:00pm The Magical John Show
For more information and updates on Rochester Lilac Festival 2013, visit lilacfestival.com