Park Avenue business owners and residents are getting ready for the 42nd annual Park Avenue Summer Art Festival.
Some 250,000 people are expected to attend this year's event, which will feature artists from 23 U.S. states and Canada.
Festival organizers have been meeting monthly since October to plan it. Craig Schneider, a real estate broker and president of the Park Avenue Merchants Association, said the festival is a symbol of everything he loves about the neighborhood.
"We opened our business down here because of the energy that Park Avenue has,” he said. “We believe that bringing people down here, we get them used to our environment and what a great place to enjoy the things that Rochester is known for, which is number one, festivals; number two, art; and number three, music. This event has all three of those things."
The festival is August 4 and 5. It will draw hundreds of artists from 23 U.S. states and Canada.
Festival director Jeff Springut says organizers are trying to make it easier this year for visitors to figure out where to park during the festival.
Volunteers will be posting temporary changes to some 1,200 parking signs. Green signs will indicate that parking is allowed during the course of the festival. Red signs will be placed on the side of the street where parking is prohibited. The parking rules will go into effect the Thursday evening before the festival, August 2.
Free parking will be available behind Gleason Works, 1000 University Ave., on Atlantic Ave. and Elton St. and at a lot on Atlantic Ave. west of Culver Rd. between Culver and the railroad underpass. Limited handicap only parking is available in the parking lot at Parkleigh, on the corner of Goodman Street and Park Ave.
Shuttles will be operating at Monroe Square and Gleason Works. There is a $3 charge for a round trip.
