The Fairy Houses Tour is an exhibit of whimsical habitats crafted from natural materials for the fairies. Inspired by the popular Fairy Houses Series^® of books by Tracy Kane, building fairy houses encourages kids of all ages to be creative and interact with nature.

The Tour—sponsored by KidsOutandAbout.com, WROC TV8, Fox Rochester, The National Museum of Play at The Strong, and Genesee Valley Parent—will mark the first Fairy Houses Tour in Rochester.

Anyone and everyone is welcome to build fairy houses to showcase at the event. Entries will be split into three categories: children 0-10 and their family, public aged 10+, and groups. Registration is free and can be completed at CornHillArtsFestival.com.

Prizes will be awarded in each category based on three criteria: Best Use of Natural Materials, Most Whimsical, and Most Unique. The public will choose one overall winner as the People’s Choice selection. The ten chosen Fairy Houses will be displayed at The National Museum of Play at The Strong starting July 15^th.

Corn Hill Arts Festival visitors will also have the opportunity to enjoy this unique and imaginative activity by building their own fairy house at the Festival in a grassy area beside the Fairy Houses Tour.

Rochester native Tracy Kane, author and illustrator of the Fairy Houses Series^®, will appear at the Corn Hill Arts Festival on Saturday and Sunday. At the festival Tracy will read from her stories, chat with visitors, and autograph books.

Tracy will also make a pre-festival appearance at the National Museum of Play at The Strong on June 8th. At this event, she will teach children how to build Fairy Houses and give readings from her books. The event is included with general museum admission fees. For more information, please visit http://www.museumofplay.org/see-do/events.

To learn more about the 45^th Annual Corn Hill Arts Festival and register to enter a Fairy House please visit- http://cornhillartsfestival.com/.

Lisa Robinson

The 2012 commemorative image featuring Lisa Robinson’s original design is available on posters, shirts, and specially labeled bottles of wine from the Casa Larga Vineyards.  Add to your collection at the Festival’s sales booth, located on Adams Street across from Avery Mall.

Lisa Robinson

The Labatt Blue Beer Garden and the Wine Travel Card, “Sippin’ the Lakes Wine Tasting” event will return to the Gazebo Stage at Lunsford Circle this year. Labatt Blue will be serving Labatt and craft beers for your enjoyment!

The popular “Sippin’ the Lakes” Wine Garden, presented by The Wine Travel Card.com, will be offering samples, tastings and bottles for purchase of over 75 wines from throughout the Finger Lakes and Niagara wine regions.

A $1 tasting ticket will allow you to sample 2 wines from any one of the wineries. Bottled wines will be available for purchase and a multi-bottle purchase (3 or more) will include a complimentary Wine Travel Card (a $15 value).

Participating wineries include:

•    Arrowhead Spring Vineyards
•    Atwater Estate Vineyards
•    Casa Larga Vineyards
•    Fulkerson Winery
•    Hector Wine Company
•    JD Wine Cellars
•    Three Brothers Wineries
•    Young Sommer Winery
•    Zugibe Vineyards

Enjoy refreshments, food and relax as you listen to music during this wonderful event at the Gazebo Stage.

The 2012 Corn Hill Arts Festival is proud to be hosting this year’s annual “Remembering Ralph” concert and fund raiser.

This annual musical tribute will take place at The Main Stage on Saturday July 7 and will feature international, sacred steel gospel superstars, The Campbell Brothers and Prime Time Funk.

In February of 2009, Prime Time Funk co founder and bassist Ralph Ortiz died suddenly from pancreatic cancer. Shortly after Ralph’s untimely death his devastated, grieving band orchestrated the first “Remembering Ralph” concert. The 9 hour show was held at The Water Street Music Hall and it featured over 70 musicians from the Rochester music community.

The funds that were raised at that show helped to pay for all of Ralph’s medical and funeral expenses, as well as travel expenses to bring his mother, Josefina Ortiz, from Puerto Rico to Rochester for this first moving musical tribute. The event also funded the first scholarships given by “The Ralph Ortiz Memorial Fund”. The scholarships awarded in 2009 included one for $500.00 of music lessons at Northfield Music in Pittsford where Mr. Ortiz taught for 20 years.

There was also a $1000.00 scholarship awarded to a graduating senior from Ralph’s alma mater, Newark High School. The student who received the award went on to pursue music studies as a major at a college or university.

In 2010 and 2011, The annual Lilac Festival has been the host for this annual scholarship fund raising event. For this year’s event, the bands have donated their performance time and The Corn Hill Arts Festival will award a check for $2500.00 to The Ralph Ortiz Memorial Fund.

Ralph Ortiz was born in Newark, New York in 1956 and was a great friend to the Rochester music community as a music teacher and as a musician for many local and regional acts. Those bands included Chet Catallo and The Cats, Mother Freedom, Saratoga, and Cabo Frio just to name a few.
At one point Ralph was called “The King Of Groove” by 2012 Rochester Music Hall Of Fame inductee and Grammy award winning producer Jeff Tyzik.
Ralph was an extremely versatile musician having performed with such notables as Texas blues guitarist Sherman Robertson, Peter Noone from Herman’s Hermit’s, to The Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra.

He appeared on the Arsenio Hall show with Cabo Frio and played at The Bravo Music Festival in Vail, Colorado. He performed at The Lionel Hampton Jazz club in Paris, France with Francine Reed and Sherman Robertson. He can be heard on soundtracks for HBO sports as well as on Donny Gerrard”s album entitled “The Romantic”

Undoubtedly, Ralph was most at home playing ‘thump to the bone” funk with Prime Time Funk.

Prime Time Funk has just released it’s second recording, entitled “Hear and Now” as a tribute to Ralph Ortiz. This recording will be available at this years “Remembering Ralph” celebration.

www.cutoffacappella.com

This group of accomplished musicians blossomed from the roots of the popular band PAYDIRT, one of Rochester’s best Top 40 contemporary country bands from 1990 – 2000. String of Pearls unique sound features a wide range of musical styles. From Bluegrass to Rock, Country to Folk, their delightful vocal harmonies, and rousing stage performance, give audiences of All ages a lively, toe-tapping, good time.

Nancy Drum: Nancy began playing the Rochester club scene and events at the age of 14. She is versatile on the delta blues bottleneck slide guitar, 5-string banjo, guitar and mandolin. Her vocal style has been called a cross between Bonnie Raitt and Patsy Cline.

Jerry Curry: Jerry transforms his powerful electric lead guitar work to acoustic guitar when performing with String of Pearls. Jerry also sings strong lead vocals and provides a wide range of harmonies. In addition to his amazing lead guitar work and vocal styles, Jerry adds Dobro and Harmonica parts to enhance the band’s unique sound.

Dave Santa Maria: Dave is a smooth and seasoned acoustic and bass guitarist who has been performing for years. He is a phenomenal lead vocalist and has a vast repertoire of tunes from different genres – rock, pop, country, folk, swing and blues.

www.stringofpearlsofrochester.com

www.facebook.com/emmett.tross

Josh studied voice at the Hochstein Music School, RAPPA and the Eastman School of Music. His Christmas album, “Thankful” was sold this past holiday season at all the Wegmans stores in Rochester. Josh is very grateful to Danny Wegman for all his support. You may have seen Josh promoting his album on Channal 8 and 10 and heard him on the radio stations WBEE and The Wease Show. Josh sang at the Park Avenue Festival last summer and sang at Midtown Athletic Club the past two holiday seasons. He will also be singing there this June. Recently Josh performed at Rivers Run, sang the Star Spangled Banner to open a Redwings game at Frontier Field, and performed at a black tie Wegman’s corporate fund raiser for Hillside. This July Josh will be performing at Oakhill Country Club. Josh is currently working with a producer in NYC on a three track demo disc which will be used to shop around at major record labels. He is also wrapping up his second album, “Destiny”, which will be completed this summer.

www.Joshshapiromusic.com

www.nickyoungonline.com