Five Things to Look Forward to This Spring
Special anniversaries and one-time-only events are coming to the Flower City early this year
By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant
Although the holiday season has drawn to a close, you still have interesting things to look forward to in spring 2024, including five exceptional events.
1. This year, the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra concludes its centennial season (2023-24) in June. One of the RPO’s special events, include the 100 Acts of Giving Back — community concerts intended to bring lower-cost RPO concerts to more venues in the community. To find upcoming concerts, visit www.rpo.org.
2. If rock is more to your taste, Journey’s 50th Anniversary Freedom Tour comes to Rochester Feb. 22. Special guest Toto will join Journey at Blue Cross Arena as part of Journey’s 30-city, nationwide tour with hits like “Don’t Stop Believing,” “Any Way You Want It,” Faithfully” and “Lights.” Journey includes features founder Neal Schon (lead guitarist), Jonathan Cain (keyboards, backing vocals), Arnel Pineda (lead vocals) Jason Derlatka (keyboards, vocals), and Deen Castronovo (drums, vocals) and Todd Jensen (bass). Toto have streamed more than 3.3 billion plays on Spotify such as “Rosanna,” “Africa,” and “Hold the Line.” The tour ends in April, so this is one of its last stops in 2024. Visit https://bluecrossarena.com/details/2024-02-22/Journey-Freedom-Tour for tickets.
3. Diehard Rochesterians should not miss the 50th Anniversary Celebration of the Rochester Area Chamber of Commerce Feb. 29. Held at the Rochester Marriott City Center, the gala includes dinner, Dueling Pianos by Fun Pianos! a performance by the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, silent auction and more. Visit https://business.rochestermnchamber.com/events/details/2024-annual-celebration-1515502 for more information. Tickets are also available by calling 585-454-2000.
4. April 8 marks the first complete solar eclipse in Rochester since Jan. 24, 1925. Don’t wait for the next one. That won’t happen until 2045. Since Rochester lies directly in the path of the eclipse, you can view it (with your solar glasses for safety) for three minutes and 38 seconds, a full minute longer than the 2017 eclipse. The Rochester Eclipse Stakeholders and the Rochester Museum & Science Center (RMSC) have special events planned for the occasion at the ROC the Eclipse Festival. The three-day eclipse and moon-themed festival at Rochester Museum and Science Center and its Strasenburgh Planetarium starting April 6 and will include food, music, speakers and activities, concluding on April 8 with the viewing of the total eclipse on RMSC’s campus. Visit https://rochestereclipse2024.org/ to learn more. Other area organizations and businesses are also planning eclipse events as well.
5. On May 2, rock out with Kansas: Another Fork In The Road – 50th Anniversary Tour at Kodak Center. The performance will represent 50 years of Kansas music, including “Carry On Wayward Son,” “Dust in the Wind,” “Point of Know Return,” “Play the Game Tonight” and “Fight Fire with Fire.” Kansas is original drummer Phil Ehart, bassist/vocalist Billy Greer, vocalist/keyboardist Ronnie Platt, violinist/guitarist David Ragsdale, keyboardist/vocalist Tom Brislin and original guitarist Richard Williams.
To find more Rochester festivals and special events for the rest of the year, visit www.cityofrochester.gov/article.aspx?id=21474840353 and www.visitrochester.com/events.