ONGOING
TUESDAYS–FRIDAYS
SCIENCE TOGETHER
Ithaca’s Sciencenter hosts its Science Together programs, which explore different science processes for children up to four years old. Children must be accompanied by an adult, and paid admission to the museum is required. The Sciencenter includes 250 interactive exhibits and seasonal outdoor science parks, mini-golf, as well as opportunities to meet animals.
10:30 a.m.
Sciencenter
601 First St., Ithaca
(607) 272-0600
THURSDAYS JULY 3–AUG. 7
THE BROCCOLO BUG CLUB AT THE B-FRIENDLY FARM
This series of events are an interactive way for school-aged kids to engage and explore in nature play. Children will catch and release bugs safely. Topics include bug anatomy, life cycles, and more. This is for ages between 7 and 12; younger kids must be accompanied by an adult. $15 a session—$12 for siblings.
10:30 a.m.–noon
B-Friendly Farm & Gardens at Broccolo
2755 Penfield Rd., Fairport
THURSDAYS JULY 3–AUG. 21
LAKE AND LAND TOUR TO TAUGHANNOCK FALLS
This four-hour cruise departs from the Treman Marina and heads to Taughannock Falls State Park and back. Once guests arrive at the park, they can enjoy a two-mile guided hike, rent a paddleboard or kayak, or enjoy the park at their own pace and leisure. Knowledgeable narrators aboard the cruise will provide a history of the lake and some hands-on activities for kids and adults.
10 a.m.–2 p.m.
Allan H. Treman State Marine Park
1000 Allan H. Treman Park Rd., Ithaca
(607) 327-5253
MONDAY NIGHTS IN JULY & AUG.
MONDAY MOVIE MANIA
Free outdoor movies begin at dark or at 8:30 p.m. (whichever happens sooner) on Monday nights this summer in Auburn’s city parks. Guests can bring chairs, blankets, and snacks. Wicked will play on July 28 at Lincoln Park, and A Minecraft Movie will play on August 11 at Booker T. Washington Community Center, to name just a couple. Visit website below for more dates.
8:30 p.m.
Auburn
JULY 5 & 26; AUG. 2, 16 & 30; SEPT. 20 & 27
RIVERIE KIDS CRUISES
The Riverie Kids Cruises allow kids in kindergarten through sixth grade the opportunity to learn more about the Erie Canal and Genesee River by exploring them in person. Each month features a different theme, with relevant activities: July’s theme is pirates, August’s theme is the canal’s birthday, and September is I-Spy. Snacks and beverages will be available for purchase.
Corn Hill Navigation Waterfront Center/ Riverie Cruises, 280 Exchange Blvd.
662-5748
JULY 8–AUG. 19
MIXED MEDIA ART FOR KIDS
In this art class for kids, children will be supported as they explore and create art, and they will be encouraged to make creative decisions. Kids will use a variety of mediums to create their masterpieces, including oil pastels, watercolors, colored pencils, and more. This class is open to children four and older. Parents can sign kids up for one class or for a total of seven weeks.
4:15–5:15 p.m.
The Art of Mandy
52 Main St., LeRoy
356-2533
JULY 24, 25, 27, 31; AUG. 1 & 3
CIRCUS CULTURE SUMMER TOUR 2025
Ithaca’s circus school, Circus Culture, will perform free one-hour community circus shows in downtown Ithaca this summer. The troupe will perform on Thursdays at 6:30 p.m. in the Press Bay Alley Backlot, on Fridays at 6:30 p.m. on the Commons next to the fountain in Bank Alley, and on Sundays at 4:30 p.m. at Thompson Park on Cayuga Street.
Ithaca; cityofithaca.org
JULY 7–11 & 14–18
AVENTURA BILINGÜE: SPANISH SUMMER CAMP
Nazareth’s Casa Hispana offers a two-week Spanish immersion camp for kids four to ten years old (split into two different groups). Campers will absorb the Spanish language while involved in activities like games, crafts, music, dance, cooking, and more. All teachers are native Spanish speakers.
Casa Hispana
4245 East Ave.
389-2525; naz.edu/casa-hispana
JULY 12–13
CORN HILL ARTS FESTIVAL
Hundreds of artists from around the country, as well as talented musicians and food vendors, will gather throughout nine streets in Rochester this July for the Corn Hill Arts Festival. Family-friendly activities will include a fairy house showcase, bounce houses, a chalk artist, Rosco the Clown and his balloon creations, ROC City Circus performances, and Lego creations on display by The Rochester Lego User Group.
133 S. Fitzhugh St.
262-3142
JULY 14–16
COMMUNITY SERVICE KIDS SUMMER CAMP
The Gathering Place, a nonprofit organization, is offering a Community Service Kids Summer Camp for kids who will be in kindergarten through fourth grade this fall. Hands-on projects will allow kids to give back to their community, earn service hours, learn new skills, and more.
9 a.m.–12 p.m.
The Gathering Place
570 Klem Rd., Webster
667-0411
JULY 16
CREATIVE CRITTERS ROCK PAINTING
B-Friendly Farm and Gardens introduces the Creative Critters Rock program with themes such as lady bugs, snakes, or in the natural world. Cost is $15 per child.
10:30 a.m.–noon
B-Friendly Farm & Gardens at Broccolo
2755 Penfield Rd., Fairport
JULY 18 & AUG. 29
MOVIES WITH A DOWNTOWN VIEW
Fan-voted films will be shown on an 18-foot-wide, 10-foot-high LED video wall this summer at Parcel 5 for Movies With a Downtown View. ASL interpreters will be present for Wicked in July and The Greatest Showman in August, and both films will be shown with closed captions. Four food trucks will be onsite.
7–10 p.m.
Parcel 5
285 E. Main St.
JULY 27
PARENTING VILLAGE’S FAMILY FEST
This year, fifty local family-related businesses and services will participate in Family Fest at Rothfuss Park. The free festival will also feature bounce houses, face painting, a petting zoo, a silent auction, and more.
2-6 p.m.
Rothfuss Park
1648 Five Mile Line Rd., Penfield
270-1832
JULY 31–AUG. 2
THE PUERTO RICAN FESTIVAL
This year marks the fifty-fifth anniversary of Rochester’s Puerto Rican Festival, an event that features live musical performances from local and international artists, in genres including salsa, merengue, and reggaeton. The festival will also feature cultural performances, dance, and authentic food. Hands-on workshops will be available for kids, exploring the history, music, and dances of Puerto Rico.
Parcel 5, 285 E. Main St
820-6484
AUG. 4–8
WRITING CAMP: BUILDING FANTASTICAL WORLDS
This creative writing workshop, for kids eight to eleven, will focus on building fantastical worlds, like those found in the Harry Potter series or in Chronicles of Narnia. Kids will explore and craft alternate realities, then share their work on the final day with family and friends.
Writers & Books
740 University Ave.
473-2590
AUG. 6
ICE CREAM TRAIN RIDES
Rochester Train Rides offers mile-and-a-half vintage train rides through their museum grounds, and on August 6, all ticketed museum visitors will receive an ice cream from Ice Cream Factory of Fairport. Museum exhibits are available to view at both ends of the train ride, where visitors can view the state’s largest collection of historic trains. Children four and under ride free.
Rochester Train Rides
282 Rush Scottsville Rd., Rush
533-1431
AUG. 9
VICTOR MUSIC & FOOD FESTIVAL
Visitors to the Victor Music & Food Festival can expect multiple bands on multiple stages, food trucks and food and drink vendors, and fireworks at the end of the night. Hot tip: bring a camp chair to this free event, but don’t BYOB.
4-10 p.m.
Mead Square Park
39 West Main St., Victor
698-9643
CARIFEST PARADE AND FESTIVAL
Rochester’s Carifest kicks off with a colorful costume parade starting at 11 a.m. at West Main Street and Plymouth Avenue in Rochester and ending at Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Park. Caribbean music, food, visual and performing arts will be celebrated. A free Kids’ Village will provide education on the culture and free bookbags with school supplies for children. Tickets will benefit annual scholarships for college-bound students of Caribbean descent.
1-9 p.m.
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Park
353 Court St.
234-0909
AUG. 13
STICK-BUGS AND LEAF SHAPED INSECTS
B-Friendly Farm and Gardens gets creative making Stick-bugs and Leaf-shaped insects. Family fun for adults bringing children. Cost is $15 per child.
10:30 a.m.–noon
B-Friendly Farm & Gardens at Broccolo
2755 Penfield Rd., Fairport
SEPT. 6–7
M&T BANK CLOTHESLINE ART FESTIVAL
Festivalgoers can expect more than 300 artists at Memorial Art Gallery’s largest annual fundraiser, the M&T Bank Clothesline Art Festival. There will also be live entertainment, food trucks and vendors, and family art activities at this two-day event.
10 a.m.-5 p.m.
Memorial Art Gallery, 500 University Ave.
276-8900
SEPT. 20
GENESEO CAT TOUR
The Geneseo Cat Tour is a walking tour starting and ending at the Livingston County Historical Society Museum. The walking route through the village will highlight feline friends at their homes— on view either from their window, outside in their yards, or in their owner’s arms. There will also be live music, games, cat adoptions, and a food truck onsite to participate in before and after the walk. Proceeds from this event benefit Hearthside Cats, a non-profit, no-kill cat shelter in Geneseo.
3–4 p.m.
Livingston County Historical Society Museum, 30 Center St., Geneseo
villagecattour.wixsite.com/geneseocattour
SEPT. 20–21
PURPLE PAINTED LADY FESTIVAL
The thirteenth annual Purple Painted Lady Festival will feature 350 artists, five bands, and thirty food and beverage trucks. Proceeds will benefit Embrace Your Sisters, a non-profit organization dedicated to assisting people with breast cancer. Rochester General Hospital’s Mobile Mammography Unit will be parked at The Purple Painted Lady retail store at 2620 State Route 31, and appointments are requested, but not required.
Fig Hollow Barn
80 Yellow Mills Rd., Palmyra
750-6056
thepurplepaintedladyfestival.com
SEPT. 27
MVP HEALTH CARE’S FALL FEST
This free family-friendly celebration of fall will feature crafts, games, pumpkin decorating, giant inflatables, and several food and beverage trucks. The City of Rochester’s Little Kids and Big Rigs program will also be onsite, providing kids with an opportunity to explore construction equipment, fire trucks, and more.
11 a.m.–2 p.m.
Parcel 5, 285. E. Main St.
546-6920
rochesterdowntown.com/fall-fest
SEPT. 27
CHILI RECREATION’S FALL FUN DAY
Fall Fun Day in Davis Park in Chili is a free event celebrating local farmers, with a local market, live music, food vendors, wagon rides, inflatables, and pony rides. Meet your local farmers, who will be selling their goods and may even bring a few animals along.
11:30 a.m.–2:30 p.m.
Davis Park, 541 Chestnut Ridge Rd.
889-4680
Have an event of your own to publicize? You can add it to our online calendar at 585mag.com. You may also email details to cg****@58****.com .
This article originally appeared in the Summer 2025 issue of (585) Kids.
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