READERS’ ROCHESTER

What are your favorite things to see and do locally? What are the best restaurants and shops? Share your thoughts with fellow Explore Greater Rochester readers: visitors and residents alike.

Submit a Comment >
Read Comments >

BEST BETS: Aug. 11 to 18, 2011

Sonnenberg presents Asian Culture Festival Saturday
Sonnenberg Gardens & Mansion State Historic Park is one of only 250 public gardens in the U.S. that have Japanese gardens, and one of 100 containing a tea house. The Canandaigua estate will hold its Asian Culture Festival Saturday afternoon to raise funds to replace the tea house roof and restore the garden to its original 1906 design. The festival will be held from 1 to 3 p.m. and will include a performance by the Chinese Dance Company of Rochester. The company was founded in 2000 to promote public awareness and appreciation of Chinese performing arts through top-level performances to diverse audiences. It will perform from 2 to 2:45 p.m. Visit sonnenberg.org.

Big country show
Superstar country trio Rascal Flatts brings its "Flatts Fest" to Darien Lake Performing Arts Center at 7 p.m. Friday. Opening acts are Sara Evans (pictured), Easton Corbin and Justin Moore. Rascal Flatts features Gary LeVox, Jay DeMarcus and Joe Don Rooney. Visit livenation.com.

Romantics to rock Party in the Park
American new wave band The Romantics—best known for the timeless classic "That’s What I Like About You"—plays at Party in the Park from 5 to 10 p.m. today. It's at the Riverside Festival Site at the corner of Exchange Boulevard and Court Street. Admission is $2. The band's other hits include "Talking In Your Sleep" and "One In a Million." Food and drinks will be sold. Visit ticketmaster.com.

Skaneateles Festival kicks off
The Skaneateles Festival began this week and continues through Sept. 3. Classical musicians from all over the country gather to play by the lake. The nationally recognized festival features musicians young and old and typically draws 7,000 listeners. This year's artists include pianist Andrew Russo, pianist Jon Nakamatsu, the Chiara Quartet, the East Coast Chamber Orchestra, So Percussion and Marcus Roberts and the Marcus Roberts Trio. Each week of the festival has a different theme; this week's is community. There are plenty of free events, as well, from FamilyFest! to student workshops to informative talks and post-concert receptions. Skaneateles is less than an hour and a half from Rochester. Visit skanfest.org.

Finger Lakes Riesling Festival
The third annual Finger Lakes Riesling Festival is 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Presented by the Villas at Canandaigua, the event takes place along Lakeshore Drive and Kershaw Park. More than 25 area wineries, restaurants, artists and musicians unite for the festival, which celebrates Finger Lakes wineries and Rieslings, local food and fresh produce, entertainment and businesses. Activities include Riesling tastings, seminars and artisan cheese samplings in the Wine Garden; beer tastings in the New York State Craft Beer Tent; live music and entertainment; an arts and crafts show and sale; a farmers market; and Canandaigua Lady boat rides. Visit RieslingFestival.com. Also, the annual Rendezvous with Riesling event is from 7 to 10 p.m. Friday at the New York Wine & Culinary Center, to coincide with the festival.

On the big screen
"30 Minutes or Less" is a comedy in which novice criminals kidnap a pizza delivery guy, strap a bomb to his chest and inform him that he has mere hours to rob a bank or else. Jesse Eisenberg and Danny McBride star. In "Final Destination 5," survivors of a suspension-bridge collapse learn there's no way you can cheat death. "Glee: The 3D Concert Movie" a documentary shot during the Glee Live! In Concert! summer 2011 tour. "Terri" opens Friday at The Little. It stars John C. O'Reilly as a guidance counselor who takes a troubled, obese teenage boy named Terri under his wing and helps draw him out of his shell. Find movie times.

Hit the road in 19th-century style
The largest carriage-driving competition in the world will bring the 1890s to Pittsford this weekend. The annual Walnut Hill Farm Driving Competition celebrates the Gilded Age as riders dressed in period garb take all kinds of carriages through the paces. The event, at Walnut Hill on West Bloomfield Road, is the largest show of its kind in North America. Among the attractions will be a miniature horse drill team, a Texas trick rider and the Horseman Team, which are horseless jumpers who will be jumping fences just as high as grand prix horses. Performances are from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, through Sunday. Visit walnuthillfarm.org.

Submit listing information

Help us provide readers with the most up-to-date and comprehensive information on dining, shopping, entertainment and the arts, wineries, sports and recreation, special events, museums and more.  

For information about submitting listings to Explore Greater Rochester, contact us by email.