Rochester’s Puerto Rican Festival, which has been around for more than 50 years, has decided to postpone the event that was originally scheduled for mid-August at Frontier Field.
“This was a difficult decision to make after we had such an amazing 50th celebration in 2019 that included a gala celebration, various events throughout the year, and the 50th Puerto Rican Festival,” said Orlando Ortiz, President, Puerto Rican Festival, Inc. “This is the socially responsible action to take and is consistent with other community events given the current climate. Rest assured we will be putting our efforts to bringing this deeply rooted tradition in Monroe County back in 2021. This unprecedented decision for our organization allows us to dedicate our efforts to informing the Latino community of the importance of adhering to the guidelines set forth by government officials as it relates to COVID-19.”
Organizers say they consulted with city officials as well.
The festival organization also says that it has begun working with the City of Rochester’s “Protect Your Circle” media campaign launching in April to raising awareness of the impact of COVID-19 in black and brown communities. “We are honored to be partnering with the City of Rochester in this vital endeavor to ensure the Latino community is aware of this pandemic and the importance of being socially responsible through this crisis,” said Ortiz. “We expect to utilize our network, local partners, and you, the community, to help spread the awareness of this campaign in the coming weeks.”