Celebration Series

All Are Welcome!

Celebration Series offers Rochester area families and community members the opportunity to learn more about specific cultures, communities, and events through performances, presentations, art & crafts, and more! These days are free and include museum admission with a suggested donation of $5 per group when you RSVP. Tickets are required!

The Gallery Council of the Memorial Art Gallery is the series sponsor for our Celebration Days.

The words "sculpture park expansion celebration" overlaid on a rendering of the park

Centennial Sculpture Park Celebration Day

Sunday, June 4 | 12-4 pm

2023 marks the ten-year anniversary of the opening of the Centennial Sculpture Park, bringing art to the community. To celebrate the expansion of the park, join us for free museum admission, yoga, art projects, lawn games, and more!

Schedule of Events

12-4 pm | Lawn games and food trucks
12-4 pm | Community display tables
12:30-2 pm | Docents by the new works in the Centennial Sculpture Park
1-4 pm | Art projects with the Creative Workshop
1-4 pm | SOTA performances in the Rashid Johnson Community Pavilion
3 pm | Yoga with NAMI under Pia Camil’s Lover’s Rainbow


Past Celebration Days

Asian Pacific American Heritage Celebration Day ★ Sunday, May 7

Join us for Asian Pacific American Heritage Celebration Day! Enjoy free museum admission, community and cultural displays, live performances, a grand finale, and more. This year’s theme is “Together, we are stronger.”

Schedule of Events

VANDEN BRUL PAVILION
12:15-1:30 pm | Inauguration & Performances
Song – Vivaan Dholakia accompaniment Casey Kallman
Phoenix Dance Team – Mother’s Day Dance
Thiruvathira Dance – Vivaan Dholakia
Song – Mehul Patel
Kuchipudi Dance
ABCD Dance Group
Gujarati Dandiya Dance
Phoenix Dance team 
Chinese School of Rochester – Flowers in the Rain
Fashion Show coordinated by Seema Dahake

AUDITORIUM
1:45-2:45 pm | Performances
Leah Ou on pipa and Libby Du on guzheng
Alan Simon – tabala solo
Chinese Music Ensemble of Rochester

M&T BANK BALLROOM
3:30-4:30 pm | Grand Finale
ABCD Group Dwanshi – Bollywood
Bharata Parvatha – Karthikeya the God of Beauty
Myanmar Hkadin – Jinghpaw Kachin
Filipino American Association of Rochester – Kuratsa
Philippine Dance Company of Rochester – Subli
Chinese School of Rochester – Chopstick Dance

Black History Month Celebration Day 2023 ★ Sunday, February 19

Join us for our Black History Month Celebration Day! With something for everyone, come enjoy storytelling, music, performances, art, fashion, and more!

Schedule of Events

M&T BANK BALLROOM
12-3 pm | Community Display Tables
12:30-12:45 pm | Donna Beaty
12:45-1:45 pm | Community Organization Representatives
1:45-2 pm | Kassie – “Healing in Motion”
2-2:15 pm | Dunwoody Dance 5678
2:15-2:30 pm | Jermaine Barber
2:30-2:45 pm | Borinquen Dance Theatre
2:45-3 pm | Royal D’or Dance Team
3-3:15 pm| Michael Peace & Bethel Express Drum Team

VANDEN BRUL PAVILION
12-3:30 pm | Art Displays by Prince Will Star as ProartCreate & Debra Aaron
12:15-12:30 pm | Gospel, Old School RnB & Hip-Hop w/ DJ Andre AGONY
12:30-12:45 pm | Nicolette Ferguson of Garth Fagan Dance
12:45-1 pm | Gospel, Old School RnB & Hip-Hop w/ DJ Andre AGONY
1-1:15 pm | Poetry w/ Lavonne Barfield of LoveOn Artwork & Ca Tyra Polland of Love for Words
2-2:30 pm | Saxophonist Jimmie Highsmith
2:30-2:45 pm | Gospel, Old School RnB & Hip-Hop w/ DJ Andre AGONY
2:45-3 pm | ROC City Line Dance Express
3:30-4:30 pm | Fashion show w/ MansaWear & Carlton Wilcox Band

AUDITORIUM
12:30-1 pm | Hatshepsut: She Wears the Beard, She says I’m King
1:45-2:45 pm | Health and Wellness Panel discussion
2:30-3 pm | Hatshepsut: She Wears the Beard, She says I’m King

BAUSCH & LOMB PARLOR
 12-3 pm | Make-it-and-take it 

Native American Heritage Celebration Day ★ Sunday, November 13, 2022

Join us for Native American Heritage Celebration Day at MAG in collaboration with Friends of Ganondagan Program Director Jeanette Jemison (Mohawk, Snipe Clan)! Enjoy free museum admission, live dances and demonstrations with Bill Crouse (Seneca, Hawk Clan), storytelling with Perry Ground (Turtle Clan member of the Onondaga Nation), display tables, history, culture, celebration, and more.

Schedule of Events

M&T BANK BALLROOM
12-12:45 pm | Storytelling with Perry Ground
1-1:45 pm | Haudenosaunee music & instruments
2-2:45 pm | Hoop Dance participatory demonstration
3-3:45 pm | Haudenosaunee Social Dance Performance

VANDEN BRUL PAVILION
12-3 pm | Wampum Belt and Deer Parts Displays

Hispanic Heritage Celebration Day ★ Sunday, September 25, 2022

Join us for Hispanic Heritage Celebration Day! Enjoy free museum admission, community and cultural tables, live dances and music, performances and presentations centered on this year’s spotlight country (Mexico), storytelling, arts & crafts, a youth talent show, and more. This year’s theme is How Great Our Tomorrow Can Be | Qué tan grande puede ser nuestro mañana. Check out the events photos!

Schedule of Events

VANDEN BRUL PAVILION
12-2 pm | Cultural Organization Display Tables
12:20 pm | Opening Remarks Featuring Mayor Malik Evans, County Executive Adam Bello
12:30 pm | Performances
          Alexandra Solei Perea  Infant Queen of Carnival 2022
          Brianna Angelica Perea  Infant Queen of Carnival Barranquilla 2023
          School #9 Bilingual Students
          Byron Noble
1 pm | Reina Infantil Gabriela Acevedo
1:15 pm | Next Generation – Fenix Artistic Development

AUDITORIUM
12:50 pm | Byron Noble
1-2 pm | Spotlight Country Performance: Mexico

M&T BANK BALLROOM
12-2 pm | International Display Tables
12-12:30 pm | Trio Los Arpegios
12:45-1:25 pm | Freddy C and The Latin Jazz Quartet
1:30-2 pm | Borinquen Dance Theatre
2:25 pm | Validy La Mejor
2:30-4 pm | “How Great Our Tomorrow Can Be” Youth Talent Show

BAUSCH & LOMB PARLOR
12:30-2 pm | “History of Guitars Used in Spanish Museum of Puerto Rico” by Marcos Santiago

LYNNE LOVEJOY PARLOR
12-4 pm | Monroe County COVID-19 Vaccine Station

CREATIVE WORKSHOP
12:30-2:30 pm | Storytelling (room #7)
12:30-2:30 pm | Make-It & Take-Its (room #8, room #10)

IN THE MUSEUM
1 pm | MAGconnect Tour Led by Delores Jackson Radney (Bus pickup time is 4 pm)

Sponsored by the Gallery Council of the Memorial Art Gallery and Poder 97.1 FM with support from the City of Rochester Mayor Malik D. Evans, City of Rochester Hispanic Heritage Committee, and Rochester Latino Theatre Company, Inc.

Pride Celebration Day ★ Thursday, July 7, 2022
Pride Celebration Day Banner

Join us for our annual celebration of acceptance, community, diversity, learning, and love! Enjoy free museum admission, a unicorn photo op, drag storytime with Vanessa LeRoux, workshop performances by Frazee Feet Dance, and more all-ages fun. Dress in your favorite fabulous Pride look or rainbow colors outfit, pack some snacks for dinner in the Centennial Sculpture Park, or bring a blanket to picnic on the MAG lawn! Download the event poster, and view photos on Flickr!

Schedule of Events

CHECK-IN, FREE MUSEUM ADMISSION | 5-9 pm

COMMUNITY DISPLAY TABLES  | 5:30-8:30 pm

  • American Foundation for Suicide Prevention – Rochester Chapter
  • The Avenue Blackbox Theatre
  • The Center for Youth 
  • Monroe County Department of Human Services
  • PFLAG Rochester 
  • Rochester LGBTQ+ Together 

ARTS & CRAFTS | 5:30-8 pm

  • Rainbow ribbon decorating
  • Watercolor painting
  • LGBTQ+ history coloring pages
  • Construction paper flowers
  • Bubble & sidewalk chalk

PERFORMANCES | 6-8:30 pm

  • Drag Queen Storytime with Vanessa LeRoux (6-6:30 pm & 7-7:30 pm)
  • Drag Queen Photo Op with Vanessa LeRoux (6:30-7 pm & 7:30-8 pm)
  • Group Dance Demonstration/Workshop by Frazee Feet Dance (8-8:30 pm)

Interested in participating in a Celebration Day? Send us an Email and describe your talent!