Celebrate the spring season with festivals and events that take advantage of all the beauty, culture, and fun that Rochester and the Finger Lakes regions have to offer. We've pulled together the following list of top events and activities you don't want to miss when you #VisitROC this May.

Arts & Culture

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Antiques & Artisans Show

May 2 | Genesee Country Village & Museum

Asian Pacific American Heritage Month Celebration

May 2 | Strong Museum of Play

Asian Pacific American Heritage Celebration Day 2026

May 3 | Memorial Art Gallery

Day of Giving

May 6 | Memorial Art Gallery

Happiest Hour

May 7 | Strong Museum of Play

Garth Fagan Dance 55th Anniversary Performance Celebration 

May 7 - 10 | Nazareth University

Florals and Fine Art

May 8 | Memorial Art Gallery

Rochester Lilac Festival 

May 8 - 17 | Highland Park

World Video Game Hall of Fame Celebration

May 9 | Strong Museum of Play

Sensory Sunday

May 10 | Rochester Museum & Science Center

Half the Price Day

May 16 | Strong Museum of Play

Mother Goose with Rochester City Ballet

May 17 | Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra

50th Anniversary Celebration

May 22 | Genesee Country Village & Museum

Broadway in Hollywood! 

May 22 & 23 | Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra

APIDA Heritage Celebration

May 23 & 24 | Rochester Museum & Science Center

Mozart & Haydn

May 24 | Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra

Rochester Greek Festival 

May 28 - 31 | Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church

History on Tap

May 29 | Genesee Country Village & Museum

Mindful MAGiC: Frequency Flow

May 30 | Memorial Art Gallery

Carmina Burana 

May 30 & 31 | Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra 

Taking Care with Peanuts Exhibit Opening Weekend

May 30 & 31 | Strong Museum of Play

Festive Fun + Outdoor Markets

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Opening Weekend

May 1 - 3 | Long Acre Farms 

Fairport Spring Stroll

May 7 | Fairport Main Street

Civil War Days 

May 8 & 9 | Sonnenberg Gardens and Mansion State Historic Park

Rochester By Water Cruises 

Starting May 9 | Rochester By Water 

Flower City Days

May 10, 17, 24-25, & 31 | Rochester Public Market

Great NYS Flea Night Market 

May 14 | Rochester Public Market

Colonial Belle Cruises 

Starting May 15 | Colonial Belle

George Eastman Bike Tour

May 16 | George Eastman Museum

Local History Walking Tour 

May 21 | High Falls Historic District 

Paddle and Pour Festival

May 23 | Port of Pittsford

THEMATA Spring Market

May 24 | Culver Road Armory 

Food Truck Rodeo

May 27 | Rochester Public Market

Trees Walk and Talk

May 30 | Genesee Country Village & Museum

Taking The Stage (And Screen)

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Rochester International Film Festival

May 1 & 2 | Dryden Theatre

Furlough's Paradise

May 1 - 10 | Geva Theatre

CCPAS Student Spotlight Concert

May 2 | Hochstein performance Hall

The Sound

May 2 - 17 | Centerstage at the JCC

The Princess Diaries 

May 3 | The Little Theatre

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

May 4 | The Little Theatre 

Live Music at the Rochester Lilac Festival

May 8 - 17 | Keybank Center Stage

Parade

May 8 - 24 | Blackfriars Theatre

The 2026 Lenya Competition Finals

May 9 | Kilbourn Hall

Wind Beneath My Wings: Mother's Day Cabaret 

May 9 & 10 | OFC Creations Theatre

Georgia O'Keeffe: The Brightness of Light

May 10 | The Little Theatre

Over the Rainbow: A Golden Girls Musical

May 14 - 31 | OFC Creations Theatre

Jerry Seinfeld

May 16 | West Herr Auditorium Theatre/RBTL

2026 Emerging Artist Competition “Joseph Eduardo” Finals

May 16 | Hochstein Performance Hall

Joe Jackson + Band: Hope and Fury Tour 2026

May 16 | Kodak Center

Guitars & Stars

May 20 | West Herr Auditorium Theatre/RBTL

Eastman- Rochester New Horizons Green Band and Symphonic Band Spring Concert

May 20 | Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre

The Bibbidi-Bop Royal Princess Brunch

May 24 | OFC Creations Theatre

Anastasia 

Starting May 27 | Geva Theatre

Hitting The Field & Course

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Rochester Red Wings

Home Games: May 1-3, 12-17, 25, 27-31  | ESL Ball Park

Flower City Union

Home Games: May 9 & 23 | Rochester Community Sports Complex

Eat & Drink

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Flower City Food Tours

Throughout May | Various Locations

Late Night at the Dino

Throughout May | Dinosaur BBQ

Birds, Bees, & Brews

May 1 | Seneca Park Zoo

Derby Day

May 2 | Unwine'd

Cinco De Mayo Party

May 2 | Vine & Tap

Cinco De Mayo Food & Beer Pairing

May 5 | Sager-Stoneyard Pub

Date Nite: Lovers & Friends Edition

May 5 | Island Wraps

Titanic Murder Mystery Dinner

May 8 | Italian American Community Center

Talk Dirty to Me

May 13 | Unwine'd

Rails & Ales Train Rides

May 16 | Rochester Genesee Valley Railroad Museum

Lilac Table Tasting Collective

May 16 | Rochester Lilac Festival

Patio Parties

May 21 & 28 | Casa Larga Vineyards

Rochester Beer & Wine Tour

May 23 | Various Locations

MacKay Luncheon

May 23 & 24 | Genesee Country Village & Museum

Tastin Tuesdays

May 26 | Island Wraps

Single to Mingle Game Night

May 30 | Island Wraps

Mom's Special Day

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Paint, Sip, & Celebrate

May 9 | Woodcliff Hotel & Spa

Listen to Your Mother

May 9 | Hochstein Performance Hall

Mother's Day Weekend

May 9 & 10 | Scents By Design

Wind Beneath My Wings: A Mother's Day Cabaret

May 9 & 10 | OFC Creations Theatre

Mother's Day Brunch

May 10 | Seneca Park Zoo

Mother's Day Celebration

May 10 | Casa Larga Winery

Mother's Day

May 10 | 20 Deep Winery

Mother's Day Brunch Buffet

May 10 | Horizon's Modern Wine Bar

Mother's Day Psychic Fair

May 10 | Iron Smoke Distillery

Mother's Day

May 10 | Nolan's on Canandaigua Lake

Mother's Day Special

May 10 | Sonnenberg Gardens and Mansion State Historic Site

Mother's Day Brunch

May 10 | La Bola

Mother's Day Brunch

May 10 | Genesee Country Village & Museum

 

Discover even more Mother's Day events here.

There are so many things to see, do and experience when you visit Rochester this May! Looking for even more inspiration? Discover things to do this spring in Rochester here. Whatever you choose to do, share your adventures in Rochester with us using #VisitROC!