Lights and music on a midsummer’s eve make for a glorious garden experience as Sonnenberg Gardens & Mansion State Historic Park kicks off its popular Moonlight Stroll Concert Series on Friday, July 4. The concerts in the series will take place each Friday night in July as well as the first Friday in August from 8:00 PM – 10:00 PM. Guests are encouraged to bring lawn chairs and blankets as well as family, friends or that special someone for an evening out under the stars as the gardens are lit once again.
Sonnenberg will be bringing a variety of talented musical performers to its grounds and concert goers will be able to enjoy the 2-hour concert as well as partaking of the beauty of Sonnenberg’s gardens for this is the one time each year that the gardens are lit and showcased at night. A romantic evening garden stroll is a rare treat, for the gardens take on a completely different demeanor – shadows grow long, hues deepen, and the fragrance of roses and other blooms become more pronounced as the evening air cools and gets heavy.
The series begins with the country band Flint Creek, on July 4th. Celebrate the Fourth of July with Flint Creek - music that is sure to get people wanting to dance and sing along. The second concert on July 11th promises to be a magical evening with the Tullamore Celtic Band accompanied by the Young School of Irish Dance. The traditional tunes and dance will make guests feel as though they’ve been transported across the ocean to the Emerald Isle herself. On July 18th, enjoy the Rochester Metropolitan Jazz Orchestra, a 19-piece orchestra performing jazz in the tradition of the Count Basie Orchestra. The Riddim Posse, a reggae band with a music style originating in Jamaica that blends elements of R&B, calypso, and rock, will be performing on July 25th. The concert series finishes on August 1st with the 4-piece, female fronted rock band, The Fools. With a variety of musical genres, there’s sure to be something for everyone at Sonnenberg this summer!
Sonnenberg’s own Finger Lakes Wine Center will offer wine by the glass for sale each evening. Light refreshments will also be available from the Friends of Sonnenberg. This year’s performance venue is the veranda of the Mansion and guests will be able to spread out blankets and set up seats on the lawn.
Admission at the door for each Moonlight Series concert will be $9 adults, $7 for Sonnenberg members, $4 for youth 6-17, while those 5 and under are free. Reservations are not necessary for all admission will be at the gate. The gates will open at 7:30 PM and all concerts will be held rain or shine.
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Sonnenberg Gardens & Mansion State Historic Park is one of America’s longest surviving estates from the Victorian Era. The elegant Queen Anne-style mansion was built in 1887 in Canandaigua by New York City financier Frederick Ferris Thompson, and his wife, Mary Clark Thompson, as a summer home. Between 1901 and 1920, the widowed Mrs. Thompson and her staff created the nine formal gardens seen today. The grounds are open to the public from May 1 through October 31 each year. Sonnenberg is a non-profit organization dependent upon the support of members and sponsors and its dedicated corps of volunteers. For more information on the revival of the grand estate on the “sunny hill,” contact Marketing Coordinator Kimberly Burkard or Executive Director David Hutchings at 585-394-4922.
Deborah J.C. Kelly, Program Manager 585-919-0087 events@sonnenberg.org