THIS WEEKEND: Children’s Book Festival, Deaf Culture Day, 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.

Rochester Children’s Book Festival (Saturday)

The 27th annual Rochester Children’s Book Festival takes place on Saturday at the Monroe Community College Brighton campus at the R. Thomas Flynn Campus Center.

The free festival includes a chance to meet over 50 authors and illustrators who will sign books. It runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. with presentations across three rooms every half hour. There will also be book-related crafts.

You can see the full schedule here. Free parking is available at Lot M. ASL interpreters are available.

Deaf Culture Day at RMSC (Saturday)

RMSC is hosting a variety of activities on Saturday that will be accessible to the deaf and hard-of-hearing community.

The museum is partnering with the National Technical Institute for the Deaf at RIT for Deaf Culture Day, a celebration of the deaf community’s culture and contributions to science and technology. There will be a chance to meet local deaf science and technology professionals, a deaf storytime, and hands-on experience with ultrasound scanning.

Students at NTID will interpret for deaf participants throughout the day. Admission is free for RMSC members and NTID faculty, staff, or students. It runs from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

East Avenue Grocery Run (Saturday)

The Wegmans East Avenue Grocery Run, a 15th annual fundraiser to benefit local food pantries and hot meal programs, is taking place on Saturday.

News10NBC TODAY spoke with the organizers, who say 100% of the proceeds go toward fighting food insecurity through 35 pantries and Foodlink.

A 5K and 10K race will both start and finish at the Third Presbyterian Church on East Avenue at 8 a.m. There’s also a 1K race that runs out and back to Alexander Street at 9:10 a.m. You can register and see a course map here.

Once runners have registered, they can pick up their shirts and bibs on Thursday or Friday at Rochester Running on Mt. Hope Avenue from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on-site on race day at 6:45 a.m. Runners are welcome to bring non-perishable food items to donate to the food drive. After the race, there will be an after-party catered by two dozen local restaurants.

Dog costume contest (Saturday)

There’s a dog costume contest on Saturday to benefit Greece Residents Assisting Stray Pets. It runs from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Soho Bagels and Cafe at 1510 Ridge Road in Greece.

For a $10 donation, your pet will receive a free piece of bacon and their human will get a Soho travel mug and a coupon for 10 free coffee refills, for the first 100 contestants. GRASP volunteers will take a photo of your dog and post it on their Facebook page, where the public can vote with “likes” on their favorite dog costume. The top three dogs with the most “likes” will win a $25 Soho gift card and a GRASP t-shirt.

Day of the Dead celebration (Saturday)

Commotion Dance Theater will host a Day of the Dead Celebration at MuCCC (Multi-use Community Cultural Center), 142 Atlantic Ave., Rochester, at 2 and 7 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 2. This is a family-friendly event and admission is pay-what-you-wish.

Following a brief performance of dance and music, the audience is invited to enjoy refreshments and view altars created by local artists in memory of loved ones. Attendees are also welcome to bring a photo or memento of a loved one to place on a shared altar during the festivities.

Participating artists include visual artists Julie Chen, Annette Dragon, Dina Noto, Cielo Ornelas MacFarlane, and Tina Starr; musicians Bonnie Abrams, and Kristie and Brian Barr; and dancers Laura D’Amico, Nanako Horikawa Mandrino, Laurie MacFarlane, and Ruben T. Ornelas.

Advance tickets to the Day of the Dead Celebration are available at www.muccc.org

Diwali celebration (Saturday)

A celebration of Diwali, also known as the Festival of Lights, will take place at 5 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 2, at the Hindu Temple of Rochester, 120 Pinnacle Road, Pittsford. A cultural program will take place at 5 p.m., followed by fireworks at 7:15 p.m.

Diwali holds immense cultural and religious significance in Hinduism. It signifies the triumph of light over darkness and good over evil. Devotees gather in temples to offer prayers and participate in special rituals dedicated to various deities. The sacred ambiance is enhanced by the recitation of religious hymns and prayers. Temples also organize cultural programs and events, showcasing traditional dances and music that add to the festive spirit.

Young Musicians’ concert (Sunday)

Musicians will play on Sunday at Holy Cross Church at 4492 Lake Avenue to raise money for the food pantries at the church.

The Young Musicians’ concert begins at noon and features classical music, musical theatre, and several pianists. The food pantry serves the equivalent of 4,000 to 4,500 meals each month with support from the community and church members.