Rochester's Lilac Festival will return in 2022 with three-weekend format 

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The dates for the 2022 Rochester Lilac Festival have been announced, and while there will be some changes compared to this year’s event, the format will be the same as 2021 in one key aspect: The festival will continue the three-weekend format.

The first weekend will be May 6-8, the second will be May 12-15, and the third will be May 19-22.

Monroe County Executive Adam Bello and Rochester Mayor Lovely Warren made the announcement on Tuesday, noting that the format was put in place this year to accommodate COVID-19 safety requirements.

But Bello said the format “was such a success that we will continue it next year for the 124th annual event.”

Warren said that by focusing on weekends when families can best enjoy the festival, “we have breathed new life and excitement into one of our city’s premier events.”

One change that the pandemic forced earlier this year is that there wasn’t the usual large, live music events. But that will change in 2022, with music again on center stage. The official lineup will be announced early next year.

The festival will also see the return of the Lilac Festival parade with more than 125 marching units and more than 3,200 groups participating.

The Lilac Run at Highland Park returns to its normal format, and the Wine & Beer expos are back as well with an expanded footprint.

Randy Gorbman is the news director at WXXI News, a media partner of CITY.