KidsOutAndAbout's weekly e-newsletter |
|
|
|
Save the Date
Sat, Jul 18 - Sun, Jul 19: Oatka Festival 2026
Wed, Jul 22 - Sun, Jul 26: Oswego Harborfest Carnival
Sat, Jul 25 - Sun, Jul 26: Centennial Expo at GCV&M July 25 & 26
Sat, Jul 25 - Sun. Jul 26: Ganondagan's Indigenous Music & Arts Festival
Sat, Jul 25: Christmas in July at the Reindeer Farm Wed, Jul 29: Creatures of the Night: A Porch Talk at BANC
Thu, Jul 30 - Sat, Aug 1: 2026 Puerto Rican Festival - Parcel 5
Mon, Aug 10: American Motherhood Tour: ROC Film Screening at Central Library
Mon, Aug 10 - Sun, Aug 16: Wayne County Fair
Wed, Aug 12 - Sun, Aug 16: Erie County Fair 2026
Sat, Aug 15 - Sun, Aug 16: Fiddle & Folk Festival at GCV&M
Sat, Aug 15 - Sat, Aug 22: Wyoming County Fair
Fri, Aug 21-Sun, Aug 23: Annual Egyptian Festival at St. Mark's Coptic Orthodox Church
Fri, Aug 28: RAMS 23rd Annual Northeast Model Helicopter Jamboree |
Dear KidsOutAndAbout readers:
When I was a kid, summer meant St. Rocco’s Feast in the Peterstown neighborhood of Elizabeth, New Jersey. The streets were filled with music, carnival rides, vendor booths, and fairgoers... but the main attraction for 10-year-old me was zeppoles: lumps of dough dropped into hot oil, puffed golden, shaken in a paper bag with powdered sugar, and handed over hot enough to require
patience. To my young self, they were almost proof of magic. They were also my gateway drug into Italian food. Zeppoles led eventually to prosciutto and fresh mozzarella, risotto and gnocchi, pesto and puttanesca. Along the way, I learned that food has a vocabulary: crisp, chewy, silky, smoky, briny, bitter, fermented, caramelized. Knowing the names of flavors and textures helped me notice them more clearly, and knowing where dishes came from helped me see that food carries
geography, history, ingenuity, celebration, and memory. The more I tasted, the bigger the world became. Summer is the perfect season to help kids develop that kind of appetite... for food and discovery. Visit a farmers
market and learn what grows nearby. Pick berries and notice how they taste when harvested just a second ago with your own hands. Try the food truck serving something you’ve never ordered. At a festival, ask what country or region a dish comes from, what ingredients give it its flavor, and who traditionally makes it. Kids don’t have to like everything. Exploration still counts when the verdict is “Not for me.” As tour guides to our kids’ universe, we can help them notice that food connects downward to the Earth and outward to people. Name
the flavor. Name the texture. Name the place and the tradition. Then take another bite. Sometimes an entire world opens through one little bag of fried dough.
—Debra Ross, publisher of KidsOutAndAbout.com, co-author of The Eclipse Effect: How to Seize Extraordinary Moments to Build Strong Communities
|
|
|
KidsOutAndAbout.com: Discover more. Connect more. Do more. If you like my publisher's column, you can easily scroll through past columns in the "Notes from Deb" section of our site. |
|
|
|
Oatka Festival is back July 18th & 19th in LeRoy with tons of FREE fun for kids and families! Enjoy free kids activities like Nerf games, painting, bounce houses, kids free play areas, and exciting shows both days. Families can also check out live music, shop local craft vendors, and grab lots of yummy festival food all weekend long. Don’t miss the parade on Saturday at 11 AM on Main Street, one of the best parts of Oatka Fest! Bring the whole family and join us for a weekend full of fun, food, music, and community tradition.
|
|
|
|
The Rochester Red Wings welcome the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp for a fun-filled weekend at Innovative Field, July 17–19. Friday’s 6:45 p.m. game features Christmas in July, an ornament giveaway, player autographs, and post-game fireworks. Saturday brings Batman Night, special jerseys, celebrity autographs, fireworks, and a family campout with The Lego Batman Movie. Sunday’s 5:05 p.m. finale includes a Big League Chew jersey giveaway, a pregame appearance by Bills legend Thurman Thomas, and Kids Run the Bases with Spikes and Mittsy. Grab the family and enjoy three exciting days of baseball, giveaways, and entertainment!
|
|
|
|
Parties are out-of-this-world at StarCatcher Arcade! We have racing games, arcade games, pinball, claw machines, air hockey and more. Our two-hour parties include use of the entire arcade for up to 15 kids, a Two Ton Tony’s sheet pizza and $15 in tokens for each child. Throw a party your child will never forget! Please visit our website for more information!
|
|
|
|
July 14 through August 9, 2026, at Image City Photography Gallery, 722 University Avenue in Rochester, discover Fur, Feathers, and Fins, a lively new exhibition featuring work by more than 70 photographers... including your publisher's daughter Ella. :-) Families can explore striking images of wildlife, birds, aquatic creatures, and beloved pets, captured in styles ranging from classic to wonderfully creative. Be sure to stop by the free opening reception tomorrow, Friday, July 17, from 5–8:30 pm. With no admission fee, full accessibility, and plenty of animal personality on display, this exhibit is an easy, inspiring outing for curious kids and grown-ups alike this weekend and beyond.
|
|
|
|
|
|
JOIN US at Salena's at Village Gate in Rochester FOR KIDS EAT FREE WEDNESDAYS! Purchase an adult meal and get a kids meal for free of our kids menu! 12 and under please :) Our kid’s meals come with a “decorate your own” kid’s cookie. Let your server know if your child needs a distraction and they can grab you some extra activities from our office. Yes, we are proud to be a family-friendly restaurant!
|
|
|
|
Ciao Ragazzi! Festa D’Italia and 2026 FIFA World Cup Final Celebration welcomes guests on Saturday, July 18, through Sunday, July 19, 2026, to Spencerport Fireman’s Field for a festival rooted in Italian-American heritage. Founded by Rochester natives, Andrew and Domenico Colaprete, Ciao Ragazzi! showcases the flavors, music, and artistry of Italian culture. Through local partnerships with Rochester-area businesses, artists, and cultural organizations, as well as global brands like Aperol Spritz
|
|
|
|
Experience the 38th Annual Canandaigua Art & Music Festival, July 17–19! Enjoy juried artists, live music, food vendors, artist demonstrations, shopping, and family fun in Historic Downtown.
|
|
|
|
Irondequoit Garden Walks is a free event open to the public, July 18 & 19, 2026 from 12-4 pm, rain or shine. Visit neighborhood & community gardens of all types & sizes! No pets, please.
|
|
|
|
Wednesday and Thursday at 10AM at Episcopal Church of the Good Shephard in Webster: Singing, dancing, drumming, jamming together! Music Together® is an internationally recognized, research-based program that allows kids and their caring grownups to enjoy making music together in a safe, fun, and educational environment. Once Upon A Tune Music Together offers FREE demonstration classes - an excellent opportunity for you to experience a class and find out more. Please RSVP @ (585)224-6244.
|
|
|
|
The 187th Genesee County Fair will be held July 18th - 25th, 2026. The Midway Rides will be open Tuesday July 21st – Saturday July 25th. There will be Kids Day Ride Specials on Wednesday, Friday, & Saturday. Enjoy great food, rides, contests, races, demolition derby, animals, and so much more!!
|
|
|
|
ChamberFest Canandaigua’s 2026 Summer Festival, taking place from July 22 to July 29, 2026. Take advantage of this incredible opportunity to experience world-class chamber music in the beautiful Finger Lakes region. This season features a spectacular lineup of world-class performances, highlighted by a deep dive into the works of Antonín Dvořák and the return of the fan-favorite "Music of Wine" event, including two main-stage concerts and a series of community engagement events.
|
|
|
|
On the 3rd Friday of every month parents can enjoy a night out while the kids participate in our Kids' Night Out. Sign your kids up in advance for a night of fun with staff guided climbing, games and activities. Pizza dinner will be provided. For ages 7-13.
|
|
|
|
FREE performances of “The Taming of the Shrew” are every evening except Mondays and Tuesdays at 8:00 p.m. beginning Thursday, July 9 through Saturday, July 25, 2026. The Taming of the Shrew is the 29th Shakespeare in the Park production presented by Rochester Community Players and the Monroe County Parks Department at Highland Park Bowl. It will also be a very different approach to one of William Shakespeare’s best-known works!
|
|
|
|
Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (PG-13) Friday, July 17th @ 7:00pm $30 admission (includes popcorn and the CUSTOM KIT - a mini Black Pearl!)
|
|
|
Have a wonderful weekend!
Debra Ross
Publisher, KidsOutAndAbout.com
Mom of Madison and Ella |
|
|
