ESL Ball Park will host a free festival celebrating the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
The America 250 Festival on July 12 is meant to be the highlight in a series of events celebrating the semiquincentennial. It will feature live music, food, and end with a firework display.
The first event in that series is scheduled to take place at the Webster Arboretum on June 24 and will focus on the history of the Rochester region, including storytelling from the Ganondagan State Historic Site and performances of Dixieland and barbershop quartet music.
On July 4, the Genesee Country Village Museum pans to hold an all-day event featuring a 19th century parade, pie eating contest, and a naturalization ceremony for new Americans.
August will also feature a series of town and village festivals highlighting the anniversary.
“It's going to be a wonderful year full of celebration and acknowledgement. And I want to thank all of our partners for coming together to make this happen,” Monroe County Executive Adam Bello said during a news conference at the county-owned ESL Ballpark Wednesday. “It's going to be a real fun summer coming up.”
The festival is a collaboration between the County of Monroe Industrial Development Agency (COMIDA), the city of Rochester, Monroe County, and Visit Rochester. It’s sponsored by Wegmans and Rohrbach Brewing Company.
Rochester Mayor Malik Evans described the theme of the celebration as “The Evolution of Revolution.”
“It recognizes the ideals this country was founded on — freedom, opportunity and equality — didn't arrive fully formed,” Evans said. “They've been shaped over time by communities like ours, like Rochester, Monroe County, we've always been a part of that story, and as one of America's first boom towns, Rochester remains a place where people can come to innovate, build and create opportunity.”
