One of Rochester’s oldest festivals, the Puerto Rican Festival, will return this summer after it was canceled last year along with many other events due to the pandemic.
But there are some big changes on tap. Instead of the usual three-day event at Frontier Field, there will be two separate days at different locations.
One day will be held Saturday, Aug. 14, at the International Plaza on North Clinton Avenue, and the other day will be Saturday, Aug. 21, at Parcel 5 in downtown Rochester.
Festival President Orlando Ortiz also said there will be no admission charge this year.
“Making the Puerto Rican Festival at least free for this year, we felt that both the International Plaza and the Parcel 5 venues presented an opportunity for us to bring the festival to different parts of the city that we can potentially explore hosting events in the future," he said.
Ortiz said in future years, there may be an expansion of the festival: “Not necessarily replacing our traditional three-day event with either of those spaces. But provide additional opportunities for us to celebrate and expose others to those venues.”
Ortiz said the event will again feature musical acts, but those details are still being worked out. The festival will also partner with other events this summer, including a Latino Day at a Red Wings Game at Frontier Field on Aug. 8.
The Puerto Rican Festival will also partner with "Concerts by the Shore: Latino Night" on July 21 at Ontario Beach Park, and "Bands on the Bricks: Latino Night" on Aug. 6 at the Public Market.
