Compost from the 2026 Lilac Festival now helps new plantings grow at Highland Park
Evelyn graduated from Bard College with a degree in Art History. She has spent the past three years covering local art events and cultural happenings for Rochester City Newspaper, bringing a unique perspective to the city’s vibrant arts scene.
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Compost from the 2026 Lilac Festival now helps new plantings grow at Highland Park Hunter Wright News10NBC Updated: 17 minutes ago Published: November 12, 2026 - 10:27 PM Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Skip Backward Skip Forward Mute Current Time 0:00 / Duration 0:00 Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 1x Playback Rate Chapters Chapters Descriptions descriptions off , selected Captions captions settings , opens captions settings dialog captions off , selected Audio Track Picture-in-Picture Fullscreen This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Text Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Caption Area Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Drop shadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Lilac festival sustainability effort comes full circle ROCHESTER, N.Y. — A sustainability effort from the 2026 Lilac Festival came full circle at Highland Park on Thursday. Organizers said 10 cubic yards of nutrient-rich soil made from compost collected at the festival were returned to the park. The donated soil will help prepare the ground for the return of the sunflower field after a five-year hiatus and for an honorary lilac planting. Executive Producer Jenny Lomaglio and Monroe County’s horticulture team marked the festival’s first full year of the program, with plans to expand in 2027. For more information about Sustainability at the Lilac Festival, click here.