The 42nd annual Corn Hill Arts Festival in Rochester's lovely and historic Corn Hill neighborhood featured more than 400 artists, an emerging artists expo, live music, a beer and wine garden and other attractions.
There was beautiful glasswork, jewelry and fine furniture, photography, paintings, pottery, weaving, woodworking -- art in every shape, size, color and medium you can think of. There also were plenty of consumable crafts, like soup and dip mixes, handmade soaps and herbs, spices and sauces.
We couldn't ignore "crafts" of the edible variety, which included everything from those completely addicting cinnamon-roasted nuts and fresh-cut sweet potato fries to barbecue, crab cakes and ethnic specialties. Among the things that got our attention:
French macaroons in traditional pastel colors...
...plus cookies and cupcakes from Rochester's Newbury Park Pastries.
The aroma of grilled meat in the food court came from a booth selling Greek specialties...
... like this traditional gyro with the works, which was big enough for two to share.
An Italian bakery from Queens was on-site with a stunning array of cookies (almond, almond paste, pignoli, anise, lemon and more) and cannolis.
Corn Hill is Rochester's oldest residential neighborhood, and strolling its streets is part of the fun of the festival. The neighborhood grew after the building of the Erie Canal in the 1820s, but many of its historic structures were lost to Urban Renewal in the 1960s.
Today the neighborhood is a combination of the old (stately Victorians and brick homes) and the new (single-family houses and townhouses). It has the feel of a village in the city, like Eastwood in Syracuse, but more elegant and leafy.
My good friends Cathy and Marie are moving to Corn Hill soon from the Rochester suburbs, and I can't wait to explore their new neighborhood with them. The arts festival returns next July.
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