Flower news
DiscoveriesUW-River Falls professor discovers new orchid species in PalauIn bloomSeeds for spring blooms are available for freeFloristryThis Family-Owned Florida Florist Is Celebrating 50 Years—Here’s The Secret To Their Blooming SuccessGardensFalling glass and ‘decapitated’ plants: the race to protect Edinburgh botanic garden’s plantsGardensHow to create a vibrant cutting gardenIn bloomColorful wildflowers bloom across Chile's Atacama DesertIn bloomColorful wildflowers bloom across Chile's Atacama Desert in wake of 'super' El NiñoFloristryHoltschlag Florist and Frericks Gardens mergeGardensNew York Botanical Garden event explores how crop diversity could shape the future of foodGardensNew York Botanical Garden event explores how crop diversity could shape the future of foodDiscoveriesUW-River Falls professor discovers new orchid species in PalauIn bloomSeeds for spring blooms are available for freeFloristryThis Family-Owned Florida Florist Is Celebrating 50 Years—Here’s The Secret To Their Blooming SuccessGardensFalling glass and ‘decapitated’ plants: the race to protect Edinburgh botanic garden’s plantsGardensHow to create a vibrant cutting gardenIn bloomColorful wildflowers bloom across Chile's Atacama DesertIn bloomColorful wildflowers bloom across Chile's Atacama Desert in wake of 'super' El NiñoFloristryHoltschlag Florist and Frericks Gardens mergeGardensNew York Botanical Garden event explores how crop diversity could shape the future of foodGardensNew York Botanical Garden event explores how crop diversity could shape the future of food
Phool
People enjoying the lilacs at the Lilac Festival at Highland Park in Rochester .

Rochester Lilac Festival

A ten-day spring festival among 1,200 lilac bushes in Rochester, New York

Photo: Matthew D. Wilson ( LtPowers ), CC BY-SA 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons

The Rochester Lilac Festival is a free annual event held each May in Highland Park, Rochester, New York. Visitors can explore over 1,200 lilac shrubs of more than 500 varieties, enjoy live music, art shows, parades, and family activities across ten days.

Share on WhatsApp

  • Features over 1,200 lilac bushes and 500 varieties in Highland Park
  • Attracts more than 500,000 visitors each May
  • Includes live music, art shows, a parade, and family activities
  • Set a Guinness World Record for largest human flower in 2014
  • Admission to the festival and park is always free

What is Rochester Lilac Festival?

The Rochester Lilac Festival is a ten-day spring celebration set in Highland Park, Rochester. The park features a vast collection of about 1,200 lilac bushes, representing over 500 varieties, spread across 22 acres. During the festival, visitors can stroll among lilacs in bloom, listen to live music on several stages, browse a large art show, watch the Lilac Parade, and join in family-friendly activities. Food vendors and a farmers market are also part of the experience.

The history of Rochester Lilac Festival

Highland Park began in 1888 when George Ellwanger and Patrick Barry donated land to the city. The first lilacs were planted by John Dunbar in 1890, and by 1892, the collection included 20 varieties. The tradition of gathering to see the lilacs started in 1898, with 3,000 people visiting the park one Sunday in May. The event became formalized as 'Lilac Sunday' in 1905 and grew into a large organized festival by 1908. Over the years, the collection expanded, and the festival grew to its current size and format.

What there is to see

The festival is held each May, timed to coincide with the peak bloom of the park's lilacs. Organizers plan a full schedule of events, including music performances, art displays, a parade, and road races. The park's lilac collection is managed so that different varieties bloom in succession throughout the spring, offering a changing display. Visitors can also tour the arboretum and nearby Ellwanger Garden for free.

When to go

The Rochester Lilac Festival is open to everyone, with free admission. It draws over 500,000 visitors each year, who come to see the lilacs, enjoy entertainment, and take part in community events. The festival includes a parade, art show, live music, races, food stalls, and activities for families. It is a highlight of spring in Rochester and a long-standing tradition.

Parts and collections

The park's lilac collection includes more than 500 varieties, such as the 'President Lincoln' blue lilac introduced in 1916 and the 'Rochester' creamy white lilac from 1963. The collection is curated to provide a range of bloom times and colors. The festival itself has expanded from a single day to ten days, with occasional changes in schedule, such as the modified format in 2021 and 2022.

Why Rochester Lilac Festival matters

The Rochester Lilac Festival is recognized as one of the oldest and largest lilac celebrations in the United States. It has set records, including the largest human flower in 2014 and the longest hug relay in 2017. The festival is a point of pride for Rochester and was nominated for USA Today's 'Best Flower Festival in the USA' in 2025. It remains free to attend, reflecting its community roots.

The flowers of Rochester Lilac Festival

LilacFragrant spring-flowering shrubs and small trees grown for their showy clustersCommon LilacA spring-flowering shrub with fragrant purple or white blooms

Questions people ask about Rochester Lilac Festival

Where is the Rochester Lilac Festival held?

The festival takes place in Highland Park, Rochester, New York, United States. The park is known for its extensive lilac collection and is the central location for all festival events.

What can visitors do at the festival?

Visitors can enjoy walking among blooming lilacs, listen to live music, attend art shows, watch the Lilac Parade, participate in races, and explore food vendors and family activities. The arboretum and Ellwanger Garden are also open for tours.

When does the Rochester Lilac Festival happen?

The festival is held annually in early to mid-May and lasts for ten days. This timing coincides with the peak bloom of the park's lilacs.

What kinds of lilacs are featured at the festival?

Highland Park's collection includes more than 500 varieties of lilacs, such as the blue 'President Lincoln' and the creamy white 'Rochester' cultivars. The collection is managed to provide a range of colors and bloom times.

Is there an admission fee for the festival?

No, admission to both the Rochester Lilac Festival and Highland Park is free of charge. This has been a tradition since the festival's beginnings.

Good reading and sources

Where this page comes from

The facts on this page come from the Wikipedia article "Rochester Lilac Festival", written by its contributors and used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence, and from its Wikidata record (CC0). Phool rewrote the text in its own words, with AI assistance, and compares every page with the article to make sure no passage is copied. It may be reused under the same CC BY-SA 4.0 licence with a link back.

It may contain mistakes. Opening times, prices and bloom dates change: check with the place before you travel. If something is wrong, tell us. Last refreshed 2026-10-03.

More of the same kind

Place International Garden Festival Britain’s first major international garden festival, held in Liverpool in 1984 Liverpool, 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Festival or show, May to Oct Place Bloom Festival Ireland’s largest gardening and food show in Phoenix Park, Dublin Dublin, 🇮🇪 Ireland · Festival or show, June Place Villa Rufolo A historic villa in Ravello with year-round flower gardens and sea views Ravello, 🇮🇹 Italy · Flower garden Place Genzano di Roma A hill town near Rome known for its June flower carpet festival Genzano di Roma, 🇮🇹 Italy · Flower garden, June

More from the United States

All the flowers of the United States
Place Dumbarton Oaks A historic estate, garden, museum, and research center in Washington, D.C. Washington, D.C., 🇺🇸 United States · Flower garden Place Hillwood Estate, Museum & Gardens A museum and garden estate in Washington, D.C. with historic interiors and formal gardens Washington, D.C., 🇺🇸 United States · Flower garden Place Longwood Gardens A vast public garden with formal displays, woodlands, and meadows in Pennsylvania Kennett Square, 🇺🇸 United States · Botanical garden Place Morton Arboretum A vast tree-focused botanical garden and outdoor museum near Chicago Chicago, 🇺🇸 United States · Botanical garden

Photo credits on this page

The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.

The weekly bunch

Every Monday: what is in bloom, the flower festivals of the week, seven flowers you may not know and one tradition explained.