THIS WEEKEND: Lou Gramm at Red Wings game, Joywave at State Fair, and more
ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Here’s your guide to events happening this weekend in the Rochester area. You can learn more about what’s happening around town on our Community Calendar.
Lou Gramm at Red Wings Game (Saturday)
Lou Gramm, the rock legend who spent decades as the lead singer for Foreigner, threw the first pitch at the Rochester Red Wings game on Saturday.
The rockstar also signed autographs before the game and lead the crowd in singing “Take Me Out to the Ballgame”. After the game, there were fireworks set to hits from Foreigner and Gramm’s solo career. The game was against the Scranton-W/B RailRiders.
Joywave at New York State Fair (Sunday)
Joywave, Rochester’s acclaimed alternative band that has toured the world, will perform on Sunday at the Great New York State Fair.
Joywave will bring their electric and genre-blending energy to the Chevy Court at 6 p.m. The show is included with tickets to the fair.
Joywave rose to stardom after their collaboration with Big Data on the 2013 hit song “Dangerous”. That was followed by the release of Joywave’s debut album “How Do You Feel Now?” which peaked at third on Billboard’s Heatseekers Album chart. Joywave’s fourth album “Cleanse”, which was released in February 2022, received acclaim for its relatable lyrics that comment on life during the pandemic and consumerism.
You can see a full list of performers at the Chevy Court here. Tickets to the fair are $6 for adults. They’re free for anyone 12 or younger and 65 years old or older.
Drum Corps Associates World Championships (Friday through Sunday)
The Drum Corps Associates World Championships begins Friday at the Rochester Riverside Convention Center. Then, it continues Saturday and Sunday at the Rochester Community Sports Complex.
The competition features dozens of competitive drum and bugle corps from across the country and typically draws over 4,000 attendees and fans.
The performances on Friday night are free and include a tribute to music legend and Rochester native Chuck Mangione. The performance, which celebrates Mangione’s impact on drum and bugle corps worldwide, begins at 8 p.m.
The rest of the days require tickets, which you can buy here. Here’s the schedule for the championship:
- Friday at 5:30 p.m. – The I&E and Mini Corps Competition at the Rochester Riverside Convention Center
- Saturday at 4 p.m. – DCA World Championship Prelims at the Rochester Community Sports Complex
- Sunday at 10 a.m. – Field performances by alumni corps at the Rochester Community Sports Complex.
- Sunday at 5 p.m. – DCA World Championship Finals at the Rochester Community Sports Complex
Wings Over Batavia Air Show (Saturday and Sunday)
The Wings Over Batavia Air Show is coming to the Batavia Airport on Saturday and Sunday. It features modern military aircraft, warbirds, and world champion aerobatic performers.
Gates open at 2 p.m. for the air show. The flying begins at 5 p.m. and runs through 9 p.m. Each night when the sun sets, there will be a high energy show with choreographed fireworks featuring aerobatic performances.
You can get tickets here. Some of the planes that will take the skies include the USAF A-10 Thunderbolt II Demo Team, USAF F-22 Raptor, and U.S. Air Force Heritage Flight.
Turkish Food Festival (Friday through Sunday)
The annual Turkish Food Festival begins on Friday and runs through Sunday. It’s at the Turkish Society of Rochester at 677 Beahan Road in Chili.
The festival runs from 3 to 8 p.m. on Friday. Then, it’s from noon to 8 p.m. on Saturday and noon to 7 p.m. on Sunday. There will also be traditional Turkish music. Some traditional dishes at the festival include kebabs, filled grilled dough, stuffed grape leaves, baked pastries, and desserts including baklava.
Sunflower Spectacular and corn maze final weekend (Saturday through Monday)
It’s the final weekend of Wickham Farms’ Sunflower Spectacular and corn maze honoring the National Toy Hall of Fame. The festivities continue through Monday.
The maze is designed in the shape of iconic toys such as a rubber duck, a magic 8-ball, and an Etch a Sketch. It celebrates the 25th year anniversary of the hall of fame at The Strong National Museum of Play. The farm will also showcase its Barbie Pink Tractor.
The Sunflower Spectacular features 30 sunflower varieties of all different shapes and sizes and opportunities to make a bouquet. The farm at 1315 Sweets Corners Rd is open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. You can get tickets to the farm here.