Small City Surprise

Posted 01/29/10

A highly respected theater community, philharmonic orchestra, museum of photography and film, and home to several professional sports teams and institutions of higher learning. Could we be talking about New York, Boston, or Chicago. Nope.If you have never heard of or visited Rochester, you are in for a surprise.

Located on the south shore of Lake Ontario at the mouth of the Genesee River, Rochester, New York is home to approximately 200,000 people within its city limits. Around 1,000,000 people live in the entire metropolitan area. Officially established as a city in 1834 and the seat of Monroe County, New York, Rochester is home to world class companies Eastman Kodak Company, Constellation Brands, and Paychex. Known as The Worlds Image Centre, Rochester is also home to optical and imaging centers at the University of Rochester and the Rochester Institute of Technology. In addition, Rochester is the birthplace of the Wegmans Food Markets chain, which has grown from a small mom and pop grocery store into a network of stores reaching across the northeastern United States and into northern Virginia.

Life in Rochester, New York is not all business and no play, however. During the spring and summer months, residents and visitors can choose from any number of festivals such as the Lilac Festival, the Rochester International Jazz Festival, the East End Festival, the Corn Hill Festival, the Park Avenue Festival, the Clothesline Arts Show, and the Rochester High Falls International Film Festival. There is even a Cold Rush Winter Celebration that highlights winter sports. For night owls, the East End District, the Monroe Avenue and Park Avenue districts, Upper Monroe Avenue, and the St. Paul Quarter are home to the majority of Rochester hot spots.

Cultural institutions abound. If cultural pursuits are more your style, there are the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra and the Geva Theatre Center, the Rochester Museum and Science Center, the Memorial Art Gallery, and the Strong National Museum of Play.

There is a lot to choose from if your interests run more towards sports. You can choose from the Rochester Red Wings baseball team, the Rochester Americans ice hockey team, Rochester Rhinos soccer team, Rochester Knighthawks indoor lacrosse team, the Rochester Razorsharks basketball team, and the Rochester Raiders indoor football team. The Wegmans LPGA Tournament, PGA Championship, US Open, and the Ryder Cup have also been major draws for local golf enthusiasts. If you want to experience the great outdoors, numerous parks and public greenways also provide plenty of opportunities to hike and bike or photograph the abundant wildlife.

There is something for everyone in Rochester, New York.

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