Sonnenberg Gardens & Mansion State Historic Park, at 250 Gibson Street in Canandaigua, is usually closed on Wednesdays.
But on August 3, the 50-acre estate featuring a 40-room mansion and nine formal gardens, will be open and admission will be free for everyone who visits that day thanks to Rochester Area Community Foundation.
The Community Foundation is marking its 50th anniversary year by underwriting free tickets or admission to a wide range of arts and cultural sites and performances throughout the Greater Rochester-Finger Lakes region. Free admission day at Sonnenberg is one of 24 free opportunities through March 2023.
“We hope that providing free admission and tickets will help to showcase all that our regional arts and cultural attractions have to offer and, in the long run, will attract new patrons who will come back again in the future,” says Jennifer Leonard, the Foundation’s president and CEO.
This yearlong program of free opportunities, which started in April and runs through March 2023, is called “Gifts for Good: Sampling Cultural Gems Across Our Region.”
Other Ontario County events that will provide free tickets or admission include:
- Finger Lakes Opera on Sunday, August 7: This organization, based in Canandaigua, is holding a special 10th anniversary concert at 3 p.m. at Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre, 60 Gibbs Street, Rochester. The Foundation is making 200 free tickets available. Order online at esm.rochester.edu/theatre/events and use the code RACF50.
- Cobblestone Arts Center on Saturday, December 3: Based in Farmington, this center will provide an evening of a cappella music featuring the University of Rochester’s Yellow Jackets and Vocal Point. The performances start at 7 p.m. and 100 free tickets are being offered, but not yet available to reserve.
- Fort Hill Performing Arts Center on Friday, February 24: “Makin’ Cake” is a one-woman show that slices into American history by exploring race, culture, and class in a fun and inspirational way. Tickets for 120 free orchestra seats for the 7:30 p.m. performance are now available to reserve online and use the code RACF50. Call the box office at 585-412-6043 if you have any questions.
Details on all events and how to reserve tickets can be found here. Check back often for updated information and ticket availability.
