- FILE PHOTO
- The Rochester International Jazz Festival draws 200,000 to downtown annually.
rochesterjazz.com
The word “jazz” in the name is a bit misleading. While the festival does ooze jazz — and some top jazz musicians in the world have played the festival — many of the performers are drawn from other genres, particularly rock, with the likes of Sheryl Crow, King Crimson, Bruce Hornsby, and Gregg Allman being among them. And those musicians from Africa and the Nordic countries have offered jazz sensibilities as well. This year marks the 20th anniversary of the event, which runs from June 23 through July 1, and promises 325 shows spread across nine stages.
Finalists: Fairport Music Festival | Lilac Festival | “Party in the Park” Series