Guide to festivities, parades, and fireworks on the Fourth of July

Evan Bourtis News10NBC
Fourth of July Festival in Irondequoit (Photo: WHEC)

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — The Fourth of July is on Thursday. The Rochester area is celebrating American independence with fireworks, parades, races, and more. Here is your guide to celebrations in the city, towns, and villages:

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Irondequoit

Irondequoit’s Fourth of July Festival began on Wednesday and continues all day on Thursday at the town hall on 1280 Titus Ave. It includes live music, 10K race, a parade, and fireworks. Here’s Thursday’s schedule. You can see a complete schedule here.

  • Irondequoit’s 2-mile race starts at 8 a.m. and the 10K starts five minutes after that. Both races begin at Christ the King Church and end at Irondequoit Town Hall. You can register here.
  • The Fourth of July Parade will begin at 11 a.m. at Irondequoit High School and end at the town hall campus.
  • There will be a watermelon eating contest at 2 p.m.
  • The kids zone inflatables will be available from 2 to 6 p.m.
  • Local artists will sell at a craft fair at the town hall campus. It runs from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. in front of the library.
  • Irondequoit’s fireworks show will begin at 9:30 p.m. at the town hall lawn. For the first time, there will be music accompanying the fireworks.

Genesee Country Village and Museum

Genesee Country Village and Museum is celebrating Independence Day from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The celebration includes a 19th century style parade around the village square that begins at 1:30 p.m.

There will also be other festivities. A naturalization ceremony will take place at 11 a.m. to welcome new American citizens. There will also a pie-eating contest from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. The festivities also include a chicken BBQ and patriotic tunes. You can see a complete schedule here.

Brighton

Brighton is holding its annual 5K race, festivities, and fireworks display. The 5K race will begin at 8 a.m. at Brighton High School on Winton Road. You can register for the race here.

After that, there will be food, games, and entertainment from 2 to 10 p.m. at Meridian Centre Park. Professor Jangle / aka Mike Reich will perform at 6 p.m. and The Skycoasters will perform at 8 p.m. The fireworks will begin at 9:50 p.m.

Fairport

Fairport is celebrating the Fourth of July with a race that starts at 8 a.m. and a parade at 10 a.m. The annual Firecracker Four Mile Run will begin at the corner of Whitney and O’Connor in Perinton Park and goes through the street of Fairport. You can register here.

After that, the parade begins on North Main Street. It’s organized by the Village of Fairport, Town of Perinton, Wegmans, and the Fairport-Perinton Chamber of Commerce.

Greece

Greece is holding an old-fashioned Fourth of July celebration at its town hall. It will feature a performance from 1970s and 80s arena rock group Jefferson Starship, a band that’s had multiple top 40 singles.

The celebration will start with a 5K race, the Freedom Run, at 7 a.m. starting at Greece Town Hall on 1 Vince Tofany Blvd. You can sign up here.

Food trucks and family activities will begin at 4 p.m. Jefferson Starship will perform at 8 p.m. You can see the full schedule here.

Canandaigua

Canandaigua is holding a Fourth of July parade that starts at 10 a.m. on 115 South Main Street. From there, it goes to City Hall to Booth Street. Then, on Saturday, July 6, there will be fireworks at Kershaw Park at dusk.

Lincoln Hill Farms in Canandaigua

Lincoln Hill Farms in Canandaigua is holding a Fourth of July celebration with fireworks, live music, and vendors that runs from 1 to 10 p.m.

There will also be a chance to meet goats, lawn games, and craft brews at the silo bar. The bands ROC Star Academy followed by BB Dang will perform. The fireworks start at dark.

Parking is $30 per car (cash only) and parking closes at 8pm. You can learn more about the celebration here. There is also a VIP exclusive option at the farm with S’mores by the fire pits, a barbecue buffet, free parking, and a front row seat to fireworks.

Henrietta

Henrietta is holding a celebration at Veterans Memorial Park that starts at 4 p.m. including games and fireworks. At the amphitheater, there will be a children’s area that includes crafts, a bounce house, a slide, carnival games, pony rides, wagon rides, and face tattoos.

There will also be live music. The band 5 Second Rule will play hits from the 70s to contemporary from 5 to 6:30 p.m. The band Brass Taxi will perform from 7:45 to 9:45 p.m. Fireworks in the park will begin at 9:45 p.m.

Downtown Rochester

The city is hosting a downtown fireworks extravaganza. Both the Broad Street Bridge and Court Street Bridge will be closed to traffic so people can watch the fireworks from them. People are welcome to bring a chair.

The fireworks will launch at 10 p.m. The show will last 15 to 20 minutes and there is free parking at the Sister Cities Garage, Court Street Garage, and Washington Square Garage. These areas will close starting at 8 p.m. until the fireworks viewers leave:

  • Court Street from South Avenue to Exchange Boulevard 
  • Broad Street from South Avenue to Exchange Boulevard 

Innovative Field

Innovative Field will have fireworks after the Rochester Red Wings take on the Buffalo Bisons. Gates open at 5 p.m. for the game and the first pitch is at 6:45 p.m.

The first 1,000 fans at the game will get a small American flag from the Veterans Outreach Center. The Red Wings will wear Fourth of July themed jerseys, which will be auctioned off after the game to benefit the Wegman’s Child Life Program at Golisano Children’s Hospital and RocDog. You can get tickets to the game here.