Fasten or unfasten your seat belts, everyone: Summer is here, bringing with it delicious festivals, food truck rodeos, and other food-focused events around Rochester. Here are some highlights for summer and September.
Food Events in June
Annunciation Rochester Greek Festival: May 30-June 2, 11 a.m.-11 p.m., Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church, 962 East Ave. Greek food, beer, wine, coffee, a Greek market, music, dancing, a children’s village with a variety of activities. Free admission. rochestergreekfestival.com.
Rochester Cocktail Revival: Held June 3-9 at 30 venues around Rochester, the annual spirits festival features more than 70 events, including pairing dinners, theme parties, tasting events, educational seminars, live music, lavish garden parties and immersive theater experiences. rochestercocktailrevival.com.
History on Tap: 5:30-8:30 p.m. June 7, Genesee Country Village and Museum, 1410 Flint Hill Road, Mumford. Craft beverage tastings, live music, food, magic lantern show, museum admission after closing. $30 advance, $35 at the door. gcv.org.
Smokin’ Summer Kickoff: June 8, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Seneca Lake Wine Trail members will pair wines with grilled and summer dishes. $55 includes food and wine tasting and a keepsake glass. Designated driver is $17 and will provide a non-alcoholic beverage instead. senecalakewine.com.
Rochester Real Beer Expo: June 8, 6-10 p.m. on the concourse at Innovative Field, home of the Rochester Red Wings. More than 75 breweries, cideries, kombucha makers and other craft beverage producers will be present. Food will be available for purchase at concessions at Innovative Field. A free shuttle will run from South Avenue to the stadium. General admission is $56.50 (VIP tickets are sold out), $16.50 for designated driver. rochesterrealbeer.com.
Saperavi Wine Festival: June 8, 11:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., Dr Konstantin Frank Winery, 9683 Middle Road, Hammondsport. Wine tastings and educational seminars. Wine dinner sold out. $49-79. Tickets and more information at Eventbrite.com.
Lao-Thai Summer Food Festival: June 9, noon to 4 p.m. (or until food runs out) at Wa Pat Lao Buddhadham, 135 Martin Road, Henrietta. Local restaurants and members of the Theravada temple will prepare Thai and Lao dishes. Bring a lawn chair and stroll the temple grounds while enjoying live music (traditional Lao and Thai, as well as contemporary popular music). Admission and parking are free. watpalaorochester.com.
Sodus Rolling Stoves: June 10 and 24, 4 to 8 p.m. at Sodus Fireman’s Field (48 Mill St., Sodus). More than a dozen food trucks and vendors, plus live music, craft vendors, face painting, pony rides and jumping attractions. waynecountytourism.com.
Mid-Day Bash: June 12 and 19, 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., Parcel 5, 285 E. Main St., downtown. Food trucks, live music, massage chairs, games, giveaways, pop-up stores from local businesses. Free admission. rochesterdowntown.com.
Macedonian Folk Festival: June 14-16 at St. Dimitria Macedonian Orthodox Church, 235 Telephone Road, Henrietta. Friday from 5 to 11 p.m., Saturday from noon to midnight, Sunday from noon to 7 p.m. Enjoy Macedonian food, drink and culture. macedonianfest.com.
Bagg Dare Carnival: June 16 at Three Brothers Wineries, 623 Lerch Road, Geneva. Sim Redmond Band performs from 1 to 4 p.m. Food trucks, balloon artists and more. “Dress Like Your Dad” contest, 2:30 p.m. Free admission. 3brotherswinery.com.
Food Truck Rodeo: June 26, 5 to 9 p.m., Rochester Public Market, 280 N. Union. Food trucks, live local music and dancing. Limited parking. Bring folding tables and chairs. Free admission. cityofrochester.gov/foodtruckrodeo/.
Food Events in July
Sodus Rolling Stoves: July 8 and 22, 4 to 8 p.m. at Sodus Fireman’s Field (48 Mill St., Sodus). More than a dozen food trucks and vendors, plus live music, craft vendors, face painting, pony rides and bouncer attractions. waynecountytourism.com.
Mid-Day Bash: July 10 and 24, 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., Parcel 5, 285 E. Main St., downtown. Food trucks, live music, massage chairs, games, giveaways, pop-up stores from local businesses. Free admission. rochesterdowntown.com.
Chocolate Week Celebration: July 10-14, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Genesee Country Village and Museum, 1410 Flint Hill Road, Mumford. Sample sweet and savory treats and explore chocolate’s historical uses around the historic village. Museum admission is $18 for adults, $15 for seniors and students, $12 for ages 3-12, and free for ages 2 and under. gcv.org.
Taste of Wayne County: July 16 from 4:30-8 p.m. at T. Spencer Knight Canal Park on Van Buren Street in Newark. Food businesses from around Wayne County will offer specialty dishes, food and beverage samples. Tickets ($15 in advance, $20 the day of the event) include 15 samples, glasses and tableware. Purchase online at tasteofwaynecounty.org.
Parma Summer Smash: July 26, 5 to 10 p.m. at Parma Town Park. Food truck rodeo, live music by Zac Brown tribute band, activity zone, community vendors, fireworks. Free admission. hiltonny.myrec.com.
Finger Lakes Wine Festival: July 26-28 at Watkins Glen International, 2790 County Route 16, Watkins Glen. Wine tastings, food vendors, wine seminars, cooking demos, live music and more. Camping available. One-day passes are $59, two-day passes are $64, designated driver is $32. flwinefest.com.
Food Truck Rodeo: July 31, 5 to 9 p.m., Rochester Public Market, 280 N. Union. Food trucks, live local music and dancing. Limited parking. Bring folding tables and chairs. Free admission. cityofrochester.gov/foodtruckrodeo/.
Food Events in August
Puerto Rican Festival: August 1-3 at Parcel 5 in downtown Rochester. Live music, authentic food, cultural events and more. Hours are 5-11 pm Thursday and Friday and noon-11 pm Saturday. Admission is free on Thursday and $10 each day on Friday and Saturday. Find more information on Facebook.
Lincoln Hill Farms Brewfest: Saturday, Aug. 3, at Lincoln Hill Farms, 3792 Route 247, Canandaigua. Enjoy Finger Lakes and other craft beers along with live music and a mechanical bull. Advance VIP tickets are $76.38, advance general admission is $52.88, and admission without tasting is $22.86. Admission increases at the door. Parking is $10. lincolnhillfarms.com.
Phelps Sauerkraut Weekend: Aug. 1-4 at various locations around Phelps, Ontario County. Visit the former sauerkraut capital of the world and enjoy food (with and without sauerkraut), parades, carnival rides, live music, kids’ activities, market stalls, 5K and 20K marathons and more. phelpsny.com.
Sodus Rolling Stoves: Aug. 5 and 19, 4 to 8 p.m. at Sodus Fireman’s Field (48 Mill Street, Sodus). More than a dozen food trucks and vendors, plus live music, craft vendors, face painting, pony rides and bouncer rides. Fireworks follow the event on Aug. 19. waynecountytourism.com.
Mid-Day Bash: Aug. 7 and 21, 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., Parcel 5, 285 E. Main St., downtown. Food trucks, live music, massage chairs, games, giveaways, pop-up stores from local businesses. Free admission. rochesterdowntown.com.
German Festival: Aug. 9 and 10, Spencerport Firefighters Field, 75 S. Union St., Spencerport. Open Friday from 5 to 11 p.m., Saturday from 2 to 11 p.m. German food, beer, music, folk dancing. $6 admission, free for children under 12 with paying adult. rochestergerman.org.
Avon Rotary Corn Festival: Aug. 10, 10 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. in the village of Avon, Livingston County. Festival food, fresh corn, salted potatoes and other foods, beer garden, corn-eating contest, cornhole tournament, vendors, children’s events. Live music on two stages culminates with the Sky Coaster at 7:30 p.m. avoncornfest.com.
Victor Music & Food Festival: Aug. 10, 4 to 10 p.m. in Mead Square in Victor Village. Food trucks and vendors, beer, live music, fireworks at 10 p.m. Parking available at Fireman’s Field, all municipal lots and on Main Street. Bring camp chairs. victormusicfoodfestival.com.
Carifest: Aug. 10, 1 to 8 p.m. at Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Park in Manhattan Square. Presented annually by the Rochester West Indian Festival organization, the event kicks off with a parade through downtown Rochester at 11 a.m. The festival celebrates Caribbean music, cuisine and art. Early bird tickets $15, general admission in advance $20, day of festival $25. Seniors and children 6-11 $10. Children 5 and under free. rwifo.com.
St. Josephat Ukrainian Festival: Aug. 15-18 at St. Josephat Ukrainian Catholic Church, 940 East Ridge Road, Irondequoit. Hours are Thursday, 6-10:45 p.m., Friday, 6-11:45 p.m., Saturday, 1-11:45 p.m. and Sunday, 1-8 p.m. Ukrainian food, traditional entertainment and a festival bazaar. Admission and parking are free. rochesterukrainianfestival.com.
Flower City Brewers Fest: Aug. 19, 6 to 9 p.m., Rochester Public Market, 280 N. Union St.. Craft beer tastings, food trucks, live music. $55 general admission, $85 VIP admission, $10 designated driver. Tickets on sale May 31. flourcitybrewersfest.com.
Le Dîner en Blanc: The evening of August 22nd at a secret location in Rochester. Dress all in white (the more flashy the better) and prepare a gourmet meal and table setting for this lavish picnic. Location to be announced shortly. Live music and dancing. More details to be announced. rochester.dinerenblanc.com.
Food Truck Rodeo: Aug. 28, 5 to 9 p.m., Rochester Public Market, 280 N. Union. Food trucks, live local music and dancing. Limited parking. Bring folding tables and chairs. Free admission. cityofrochester.gov/foodtruckrodeo/.
National Buffalo Wing Festival: Aug. 31, noon to 9 p.m., and Sept. 1, noon to 7 p.m., at Highmark Stadium, 1 Bills Drive in Orchard Park, southeast Buffalo. Chicken wings and other food, live music, contests and other entertainment. $20 per person, free parking. There’s a VIP craft beer fundraiser ($75) on Aug. 31. Children 8 and under are free. buffalowing.com.
Food Events in September
Mid-Day Bash: Sept. 4 and 11, 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., Parcel 5, 285 E. Main St., downtown. Food trucks, live music, massage chairs, games, giveaways, pop-up stores from local businesses. Free admission. rochesterdowntown.com.
Webster Garlic Festival: Sept. 7-8 at Webster Recreation Center, 1350 Chiyoda Dr., Webster. Open Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Garlic growers, craft vendors and food trucks. Tickets are $5, proceeds benefit Wreaths Across America Webster, Blue Star Mothers ROC NY8 and Gold Star Mothers Rochester. webstergarlicfest.com.
Foodlink Food Festival: Sept. 16, 6 to 9 p.m., Rochester Public Market, 280 N. Union St.. Tastings from dozens of local food and beverage vendors. Tickets on sale July 8. foodlinkny.org.
Food Truck Rodeo: Sept. 25, 5 to 9 p.m. at Rochester Public Market, 280 N. Union. Food trucks, live local music and dancing. Limited parking. Bring folding tables and chairs. Free admission. cityofrochester.gov/foodtruckrodeo/.
Naples Grape Festival: Sept. 28 and 29, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Memorial Town Hall and Naples High School grounds in the Village of Naples. Juried art fair, food vendors, live music, grape pie contest, tastings and bottle sales from wineries, breweries, cider breweries and distilleries. naplesgrapefest.org.
This story may be updated with more options. To submit your event for consideration, email Tracy Schuhmacher at TracyS@Gannett.com.
