KICK OFF TO SUMMER FEST
The Conesus Golf Club will celebrate the beginning of summer with their first-annual Kick Off to Summer Fest on July 7 at 10 a.m.
“It is important for us as a business to be a family-oriented company. Since taking over in 2021, we have organized many family-friendly events, including Kids Easter Egg Hunt and Breakfast with Santa,” said co-owner Erica Schuster, who owns the golf club with her husband, Bill.
Entry to the festival is free for all, and burgers, hot dogs, chips, and soda will be available for purchase. Members of the Conesus Fire Department will be donating their time to provide activities for children —and visits with a fire truck!
The festival will also feature a bounce house, a dunk tank, face painting, a reptile petting zoo, and yard games. conesusgolfclub.com
MOVIES WITH A DOWNTOWN VIEW
Every summer, as the sun dips below the city skyline, locals gather on blankets and chairs in downtown Rochester parks to view movies on a big screen, under the stars.
This season of Movies with a Downtown View starts with Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom on July 19 at the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Park. The live-action version of The Little Mermaid will play on August 6, and Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire plays on September 6, both at Parcel 5.
Free pre-movie activities begin at 7 p.m., with showtime starting at dusk. Attendance is always free, and there is a limited supply of free snacks, water, and giveaways. Food trucks will be onsite, and popcorn will be available for purchase.
Since 2022, seven movies have been hosted, averaging 650 attendees to each event.
“This event is enormously popular with families. It offers a chance for people to gather and enjoy something together in the heart of their city, and that helps build community connection and pride,” says Galin Brooks, president and CEO of Rochester Downtown Development Corporation. The company’s events brand, Downtown Definitely Events, helps organize the movie nights.
The latest addition to these events is the use of a jumbo LED screen for movie screenings, allowing organizers to start the movie even if it’s not completely dark outside. rochesterdowntown.com
SUPERHERO TRAIN
The Arcade & Attica Railroad will host a Superhero Train event on August 3.
Visitors will hop aboard a vintage World War ll-era diesel train on this shortline railroad—one of the last “common carriers,” running freight and passenger trains weekly.
Three superheroes (America’s Hero, Spider Hero, and Wonder Hero) will join families for a ride on the train, offering introductions, story time, and superhero training. Halfway through the ride, the train will stop to allow passengers to stretch their legs and meet/take photos with the superheroes. The superheroes will provide masks to all children aboard and lead them in a superhero oath before the end of the ride.
Recommended for ages three to seven, but all ages are welcome. aarailroad.com
PLAY DAY ON THE RIVERWAY
Back for its second year on September 14, Play Day on the Riverway is a front-row seat to Rochester’s historic waterways. The event will take place from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. inside and outside of the Rundel Memorial Library, including the North Terrace to the ROC City Skatepark, overlooking the Genesee River.
Last year’s inaugural event attracted 750 attendees, and this year, organizers are expecting an even bigger crowd.
This year, the free event will highlight children’s businesses and young entrepreneurs and feature a walking tour led by a knowledgeable guide who will unveil the rich history of Rochester along its iconic waterways.
Family-friendly activities will include a scavenger hunt, storytelling, live music, and crafts and activities. Food will be available for purchase from local food trucks. rochesterdowntown.com
APPLEUMPKIN FESTIVAL
On September 28 and 29, the historic “Gaslight Village” of Wyoming will celebrate the beginning of autumn with its AppleUmpkin Festival.
The celebration, originated nearly forty years ago by a local resident to celebrate the harvest and local apple orchards and pumpkin patches, features hundreds of craft vendors, lively street entertainers, and food stalls.
The Village Hall will host an antiques show and sale, and the Natural History Museum will be open during the event as well. Just outside the doors of Village Hall, a bluegrass festival will entertain visitors, and the Middlebury Historical Academy will be open with special exhibits and displays. A chicken barbecue will fire up at the Wyoming Fire Hall on Sunday, and food vendors will be onsite both days. appleumpkin.com
