Rochester news

• Letter from the Editor | May 2026

  22-05-2026 19:15 via roccitymag.com
  This year’s May issue marks, for me, a full three years of working on CITY magazine. The May 2023 issue was a shared production between myself and Dave Andreatta, a sort of “passing of the torch” as he moved into a new role and I took the helm. In his outgoing editor’s letter for that issue, Andreatta wrote about his four years as editor — a challenging journey through WXXI’s acquisition of the magazine, a pandemic, a rebrand to “magazine” and the
  
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• REVIEW | “Anastasia: The Musical”

  02-06-2026 21:27 via roccitymag.com
  
  There’s no generational nostalgia on my part for “Anastasia,” the 1997 film from legendary animation director Don Bluth. I first saw the movie a year or so after its release, while in college, and for a second time a year or so ago at a screening at Rochester’s own Little Theatre. But what I would call a minor screen delight translates superbly to the stage, in particular the current production on display through June 28 at Geva Theatre.Plot mechanics aren’t all th
  
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• Octavia Spencer to receive the George Eastman Award

  30-05-2026 07:04 via wxxinews.org
  
  The post Octavia Spencer to receive the George Eastman Award appeared first on CITY Magazine. Arts. Music. Culture..
  
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• Backwoods brings 30 acres of nature to the foreground

  29-05-2026 07:04 via roccitymag.com
  
  When Joe Hurley and his son Chris first dreamed up Backwoods, they weren’t just trying to build another live music venue. Beyond the food, drink and music scene, they wanted to create an outdoor gathering place where people could slow down and explore. As the father-son team behind Kettle Ridge Farm in Victor, they’re already known for turning the natural world into a source of connection — through maple syrup, honey and pancake breakfasts. Backwoods, on 30 wooded acres in the
  
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• Know Before You Go: Rochester International Jazz Festival

  28-05-2026 14:32 via roccitymag.com
  
  Jazz Street’s back for year 23 from June 19-27, and with each consecutive iteration, the Rochester Regional Health Rochester International Jazz Festival presented by M&T Bank — sporting a new title sponsor this year — continues to grow in size. The region’s largest fest will also receive support from Wegmans and the City of Rochester, along with many other community partners.From headlining acts like Count Basie Orchestra and returning fest-closer favorite Trombone S
  
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• The iconic City of Rochester mark now has its own festival and documentary

  27-05-2026 20:56 via roccitymag.com
  
  Ask a city-dweller what best represents Rochester, and you may hear garbage plates or
  chicken French, Kodak or Xerox, even good old Genesee Beer.But the easiest answer is perhaps less obvious: the Flower City mark. That five-petaled sigil has become such an ingrained local icon that it can easily be overlooked, placed everywhere from the shoulder patches of Rochester police officers to murals, trash cans, city vehicles and inked into every other Rochesterian’s skin.The mark is a symbol me
  
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• REVIEW | “New York Études, Volume 2′ by Jeff Beal

  26-05-2026 17:45 via roccitymag.com
  
  Practice. Study. Repetition.
  These are the familiar patterns of learning: for a musical instrument, a new language or most other skills. Dreaming. Resting. Feeling. Are these modes the break from that work, or can they also be a part of it? Those interlocking experiences were on my mind while listening to Jeff Beal’s new album, “New York Etudes Volume 2,” letting the gentle patterns of the piano solos wash over me.  In his two volumes of “études&rdq
  
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• Three dance companies present June 3-7 program at MuCCC that spans genres and generations

  21-05-2026 07:42 via roccitymag.com
  Inside an old church-turned-small blackbox theater on Atlantic Avenue, there’s an intimate yet polished atmosphere that suits movement-based work particularly well. That’s part of the reason MuCCC (short for Multi-use Community Cultural Center) has become a go-to venue for local dancers. From June 3-7, “dance theater x3” brings three distinct productions to the space: Rochester dance community staples Daystar Dance Company and Commotion Dance Theater will each present ev
  
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• Summer of whimsy 

  20-05-2026 18:21 via roccitymag.com
  Before I tell you how I plan to have the most whimsical summer possible (and, more importantly, how you can too), it’s important we have a shared understanding of the definition of ‘whimsy.’According to Merriam-Webster: whimsical (adjective) resulting from or characterized by whim;whim (noun) a capricious or eccentric and often sudden idea or turn of the mind;According to Oxford Languages:  whimsical (adjective) playfully quaint or fanciful, especially in an app
  
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• Mara Ahmed’s cinema of the unseen wound

  18-05-2026 17:32 via roccitymag.com
  Best known for her non-linear multimedia work, filmmaker Mara Ahmed creates documentaries, soundscapes and visual art projects that challenge colonial narratives and cross political and cultural borders. Born in Lahore but educated in Belgium, Pakistan and the United States, Ahmed’s work reflects those layered histories and displacements. She has directed five films, including “The Muslims I Know,” “Pakistan One on One,” “A Thin Wall,
  
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• Dear Maggie: Is my social media content ruining friendships?

  15-05-2026 18:16 via roccitymag.com
  Dear Maggie,I’ve started pursuing social media content creation and I feel like my friends don’t respect my work. It’s not full-time yet, but I’m serious about turning it into something sustainable. At first they were supportive, but now I get backhanded comments when I pull out my phone to try to capture content. One person has asked not to be recorded at all, and while no one else said they have a problem specifically, the vibe has definitely changed. I feel like I can
  
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• The Ticketing Co. strives to be independent, alternative option in a crowded market

  14-05-2026 18:05 via roccitymag.com
  If it takes two laptops and a smartphone to secure Taylor Swift concert tickets — and these days, it does — the ticketing system might be broken. Indeed, behemoths Live Nation and Ticketmaster recently settled an antitrust case with the Justice Department, though 33 states and the District of Columbia are still moving forward with the case.The claim? These live-entertainment giants have monopolized the industry, and fans have paid the price.Trevor Titley has always opted for a diffe
  
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• The Ticketing Co. strives to be an independent, alternative option in a crowded market

  14-05-2026 18:05 via roccitymag.com
  If it takes two laptops and a smartphone to secure Taylor Swift concert tickets — and these days, it does — the ticketing system might be broken. Indeed, behemoths Live Nation and Ticketmaster recently settled an antitrust case with the Justice Department, though 33 states and the District of Columbia are still moving forward with the case.The claim? These live-entertainment giants have monopolized the industry, and fans have paid the price.Trevor Titley has always opted for a diffe
  
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• The International Plaza, a cultural hub, embarks on its largest season yet

  13-05-2026 07:28 via roccitymag.com
  As soon as the weather breaks each year, weekends around North Clinton Avenue belong to the International Plaza.From the opening ceremony on May 3 this year through the close of the season October 11, the Plaza will host more than a dozen festivals and celebrations on Saturdays and Sundays, all with music, food and local vendors.The International Plaza, which sits on North Clinton Avenue between Sullivan and Hoeltzer Streets, is a vibrant market and greenspace developed by the City of Rochester
  
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• After 15 years, The Demos press play again at Rochester Lilac Festival

  12-05-2026 16:38 via roccitymag.com
  When The Demos step on stage, the sound is tighter, the edges cleaner, the connection sharper than ever. After a four-year hiatus, the band’s return has been shaped by time, perspective and a city that never quite stopped listening.Led by Jay Milton on vocals and guitar alongside Callan Saunders, Jeremiah O’Reilly and Caela Moore, the current lineup brings together players from across the band’s different eras. Returning members Ryan Farnung and Anna Dana add a renewed chemist
  
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• Local doulas make the birthing process — and beyond — a labor of love

  10-05-2026 07:03 via roccitymag.com
  It was the spring of 2004 when Christy Muscato and Julia Sittig met at a local doula training. Both pregnant at the time, they quickly became friends and that friendship evolved into Beautiful Birth Choices, a North Winton Village-based business focused on helping people navigate pregnancy, birth and their postpartum experience. Alison Spath joined their team in 2014 and came on as third co-owner in 2020. What began as a desire to create a space for community has grown to doula support services
  
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• Five generations of Zweigle’s prove family is linked to longevity

  08-05-2026 18:30 via roccitymag.com
  The longstanding tradition of Sunday sauce is rooted in family: a designated time of the week where a slow-cooked pot of flavors brings the entire family to the dinner table. But for Julie Camardo, CEO of Zweigle’s (preference: white hot), Sunday sauce meant driving to all the local “hots” places with her family.“We’d hop in our old station wagon and go to Nick Tahou’s, Bill Gray’s, Tom Wahl’s or Schaller’s,” said Camardo, “That
  
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• REVIEW | ‘Blue Heron’

  07-05-2026 18:48 via roccitymag.com
  Writer-director Sophy Romvari’s “Blue Heron” is a deeply personal feature debut. Romvari has been making shorts since 2011, which would indicate she has been ready to make the leap to features for a while. Most filmmakers would use a few well-received shorts as their launchpad to feature filmmaking, but “Blue Heron” feels like Romvari needed to make the film when the time was right for her. When something as personal as “Blue Heron” gets put into t
  
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• Rochester Lilac Festival has a musical act for every ear

  05-05-2026 20:02 via roccitymag.com
  For Mikaela Davis, the 2026 Rochester Lilac Festival is a homecoming. Though the harp-playing, twangy, jam-adjacent singer-songwriter is now based in Catskill, New York, she still considers Rochester home enough to make her May 13 headlining set in Highland Park the release party for her new album, “Graceland Way.” Fellow local cornerstone group Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad will support.Mikaela Davis. PHOTO PROVIDEDIt’s just one of the many shows at this year’s Lilac F
  
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• Garth Fagan Dance looks back — and forward — during a milestone 55 years

  05-05-2026 07:08 via roccitymag.com
  Audiences around the world have long been enamored with Garth Fagan’s choreography. While families and theatergoers may be most familiar with his Tony Award-winning work on “The Lion King,” others have been singing Fagan’s praises since long before his Broadway debut. But without the company and overall artistry of Garth Fagan Dance, it’s unlikely his choreography would have reached those stages at all.This year, as the company marks its 55th anniversary, Garth Fag
  
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• 2026 Festival Guide

  04-05-2026 16:41 via roccitymag.com
  Rochester’s reputation as a “festival town” is one we herald proudly from May through (roughly) October — and even beyond. From downtown to the Finger Lakes, our region features festivals celebrating everything from flowering trees and craft cocktails to film and folk music. So break out the calendar and save the dates (also: maybe try cloning yourself), because it’s time for CITY’s annual roundup of all the fests we could find from now ‘til fall.Did we
  
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• REVIEW | ‘The Devil Wears Prada 2’

  01-05-2026 18:56 via roccitymag.com
  The real twist (if you can call it that) of 2006’s “The Devil Wears Prada,” for those in the know, is that Miranda Priestly (Meryl Streep) isn’t so much the devil, but a flawed, driven, insanely exacting woman. Working for her, or near her, is a nightmare, but you admire her style and her ability to get things done. How does (quick math, lies facedown on floor) 20 years treat that kind of character? Is there accountability? Has there been a reckoning? If you’re &ld
  
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• REVIEW | ‘Burn From Both Ends’ by Pluck

  29-04-2026 17:17 via roccitymag.com
  On “Burn From Both Ends,” the second full-length release from local favorite Pluck, the band’s indie-rock sound rings true. This vibrant collection explores a wide variety of topics and themes. From sickness to relationships to the political state of the world, Pluck’s sophomore album is ready to converse with the listener. “Sooner” opens the album strong, with its stop-in-your-tracks chorus, frontperson Brock Saltsman’s hypnotic vocals and dynamic
  
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• Exploring over a century of growth at Lamberton Conservatory

  28-04-2026 22:43 via roccitymag.com
  “Please watch for wandering turtles,” reads the sign on the door leading into Lamberton Conservatory.Brimming with plant varieties from across the world and a horde of tortoises, turtles and quails, the conservatory in Highland Park welcomed nearly 70,000 visitors through that door last year, a 46% increase from 2021.The Lamberton Conservatory was built in 1911 and was named for then-president of the parks board and park commissioner Alexander B. Lamberton. Originally focused primar
  
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• Monroe Theatre’s historic façade and unused space is a landmark and a question mark

  28-04-2026 19:40 via roccitymag.com
  Along Monroe Avenue, buildings don’t just stand. They lean into traffic, watch the sidewalks and quietly record the neighborhood’s evolution. The Monroe Theatre, with its Art Deco façade still intact and its marquee frozen mid-thought, feels less like an abandoned structure than an unfinished sentence.People notice it. They ask about it. They debate it. Why does one of the most recognizable buildings on one of Rochester’s busiest corridors remain dark, and how long will
  
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• Following a two-year artist residency, Baron Vaughn’s newest show premieres at Geva Theatre

  24-04-2026 20:44 via roccitymag.com
  Growing up in Las Vegas, Baron Vaughn loved comedy. His mother and grandmother raised him through a tumultuous childhood, and his father was out of the picture. Comedians on TV like Eddie Murphy and Richard Pryor became Vaughn’s father figures. He wanted to be like them, so he pursued the first opportunity he found to go on stage and talk: acting. While he was studying theater at Boston University, a friend suggested he try standup comedy.Twenty-five years later, with a prolific and multi
  
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• REVIEW | ‘A Beautiful Noise’ at RBTL

  23-04-2026 21:58 via roccitymag.com
  There is a cruel irony in that Neil Diamond, whose songs have made millions of people feel “so good, so good, so good,” felt so bad about himself for much of his life.Diamond has spoken openly about his persistent depression and loneliness, but even his most ardent fans could be forgiven for being surprised that his struggle forms the narrative backbone of “A Beautiful Noise, the Neil Diamond Musical” now playing at West Herr Auditorium Theatre through Sunday, April 26.An
  
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• REVIEW | ‘Michael’

  23-04-2026 18:51 via roccitymag.com
  Musical biopics have become an easy target of criticism these days, and it’s even easier to be entirely cynical about them. Sometimes, a movie about a musician dares to break the mold and escape the tried-and-true formula to create an unique experience (2024’s “A Better Man” wasn’t a good movie, but certainly tried to do something different). More often, they play it safe and let the music sell the tickets. Director Antoine Fuqua’s embattled “Michael,&r
  
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• FILM REVIEW | ‘Michael’

  23-04-2026 18:51 via roccitymag.com
  Musical biopics have become an easy target of criticism these days, and it’s even easier to be entirely cynical about them. Sometimes, a movie about a musician dares to break the mold and escape the tried-and-true formula to create an unique experience (2024’s “A Better Man” wasn’t a good movie, but certainly tried to do something different). More often, they play it safe and let the music sell the tickets. Director Antoine Fuqua’s embattled “Michael,&r
  
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• Muck Duck Studio spreads its wings with a new event space in NOTA

  22-04-2026 18:14 via roccitymag.com
  Take a walk with Casey Arthur.Descend the stairs at 100 College Ave. and meet the artist and founder of Muck Duck Studio, who is standing in a feathered hat.Then step into a 7,000 square-foot space where soon, Arthur said, couches will host first dates in which paintbrushes and chamomile tea break the ice.“A lot of young people want to date and don’t know where to meet people,” Arthur said. “Having art and creativity as a shared language gives everyone an in to the conve
  
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