56th Annual Puerto Rican Festival Starts At Parcel 5

With dozens of local food and retail vendors expected to set up shop for its three-day run, the Puerto Rican Festival is organized by its nine-member board. Festival President Orlando Ortiz says that it takes about a year to plan the event and more than 60 people to assist with setup. Ortiz shared all there is to look forward to ahead of the event. “Thursday is free admission so we invite people to come out, we have a lot of children’s activities that happen here, boxing on Saturday and the Puerto Rican parade on Saturday,” Ortiz said.

He added that the board hopes to attract more guests to the parade, which will take place along East Avenue from the Alexander Street intersection to Main Street/Parcel 5. “We want people to come out, showcase their pride and enjoy the festivities we have showcased here at the Puerto Rican festival,” Ortiz said.

One of the largest attractions each year is the music. This year, four local musicians are set to take the stage, and Ortiz expects thousands of people to attend and cheer them on. “I view it as an opportunity for them to showcase their talent to folks that may have never heard them in the past or want to hear them in a different aspect,” Ortiz said. Over the next three days, the Puerto Rican Festival board is expecting around 25,000 people to visit Parcel 5. In past years, many of these visitors have chosen to frequent businesses along North Clinton Avenue. In 2025, leaders with the City of Rochester issued a closure order to businesses on North Clinton on the last day of the festival in what they say was an attempt to prevent violence. As a result of this order, businesses were mandated to close by 4 p.m.

A spokesperson for the City of Rochester said they do not plan to issue closure orders to the North Clinton businesses this year. The city does plan to shut down roads, including North Clinton Avenue between Upper Falls and Avenue D, starting at 6 p.m. on Saturday.

Ortiz is excited for what the next three days has in store at the festival. “I always say my payback for doing everything we do as an organization is seeing the people coming out, enjoying themselves, and treating it almost as a family reunion,” Ortiz said. You can find the full calendar of events planned during the Puerto Rican Festival by clicking here.

Source: Rochester First