Monroe County’s parks director says he and Lilac Festival officials consulted with police, public safety experts and other major festivals around the country before deciding on a major policy change.
Starting this year, children and teens 16 and under will have to be accompanied by an adult at least 21 years old. Parks Director Larry Staub tells 13 WHAM this is to keep the festival family friendly. Staub says one adult may accompany up to five juveniles. Unattended young people who appear to be less than 17 may be stopped and asked to produce identification.
Festival organizers are taking this action because groups of young people have gotten into fights in recent years. Last year, 10 people were arrested for fights outside the festival grounds and seven of them were juveniles.
Producers of Rochester’s 2017 Lilac Festival in Highland Park released the official poster by artist Kurt Pfeiffer today, along with details of the city’s first summer festival. It begins this year on May 12th and runs through the 21st.
