Local festival organizers say state and federal guidance regarding events has been confusing or lacking, which has made it difficult for them to made decisions about their programming. Governor Cuomo announced Monday that the New York State Fair will return this summer, but at 50 percent capacity. In Rochester, the Park Avenue Merchants Association cancelled the Park Avenue Summer Arts Festival for the second year in a row. Other festivals are still on the books, but with adaptations and restrictions.
Our guests are festival organizers who discuss their plans and their concerns. Our guests:
- Erica Fee, producer of the KeyBank Rochester Fringe Festival
- Orlando Ortiz, president of the Puerto Rican Festival
- Scott Winner, director of public relations for Fairport Canal Days
Here is a list of local festivals. Click the links to read more about their 2021 plans.
- Corn Hill Arts Festival (cancelled)
- Fairport Canal Days (planned, with restrictions)
- Flour City Brewers Fest (smaller scale; more information expected soon)
- KeyBank Rochester Fringe Festival (hybrid)
- M&T Bank Clothesline Festival (planned, with final decision expected in August)
- Park Avenue Summer Arts Festival (cancelled)
- Party in the Park (no information available)
- Puerto Rican Festival (information to be released at a later date)
- Rochester International Jazz Festival (final decision expected this spring)
- Rochester Lilac Festival (planned, with restrictions)
Sterling Renaissance Festival (planned, with restrictions)
