Calendar of Events
		For detailed information on upcoming special events at Sonnenberg, including ticket pricing and any applicable member discounts, please click here. We invite you to bookmark our calendar and visit this page often for promotional information.

Sonnenberg Dragon Dance for Kids: To coincide with the start of the Summer Olympics in Beijing, China on 8/8/08, join the children of our community in a special event, from 5-7 pm that will delight, inspire and educate the young and young at heart! Children from 8 area art  & summer camps throughout Ontario County will bring handmade 20-foot Chinese Dragons to life in a special ceremony  combining elements of drama, dance and music. Following the performance of the U.S. National Anthem by Canandaigua Academy graduates Christi Drake and Grayson Morley, an introductory drama will set the stage, describing important elements and traditions of the dancing dragons which bow to a Pearl of Wisdom. (Participating camps include: Canandaigua Salvation Army, South Bristol Cultural Center, Canandaigua YMCA, Canandaigua City Parks & Rec at Sonnenberg & Baker Parks, Canandaigua City Schools Compliments Program, Bristol Hills 4-H Camp, Canandaigua’s Homeschooling Network and the Hochstein School of Music. Following the dance of the dragons, Hochstein music students will also perform musical works from their summer series program, and  the winner of Wood Library's "Four Freedoms" essay contest for middle school students will read his or her prize-winning essay (centered around the themes presented in Norman Rockwell's famous "Four Freedoms" art series.) Click HERE for essay contest details. Following the ceremony, bagpiper Andrew Duncan will lead the Dragons and children to the base of Sonnenberg's Japanese Garden for a special reception, with refreshments compliments of Sonnenberg and underwritten through an educational grant provided by Wal-Mart. Activities will include a hands-on musical "petting zoo" where kids can see and touch musical instruments, wide-mouth puppets shared by master puppeteer Deb Poplaski, make-your-own dragon masks, origami and other crafts. For example, children can help create an American Flag, sculpted from paper get-well notes, for national soccer player, Abby Wambach, a Mercy High School graduate who is recovering from an injury. Another flag will be created for the U.S. Army Reserve Center near Sonnenerg. The event will conclude with the release of six frogs (symbolic of good luck in Chinese culture) into the waterways of the Japanese Garden, courtesy Willow Pond Aqua Farms. Sponsored in part by South Bristol Cultural Center, the Dragon Dance will delight the young and the young at heart. Entry is  free for children and just $3 for adults.  

Moonlight Stroll Series: The Gardens are Lit Again! Enjoy gardens aglow with lights and luminaries and a selection of musical entertainment Friday nights, 8-10 pm, through Aug. 15 for our Moonlight Stroll Music Series. Wine-by-the-glass and refreshments are available for purchase during each performance, with the Mansion, conservatories and gardens open to stroll. No reservations are required! Bring your lawn chair or picnic blanket and lots of friends and family! Admission at the door is just $8 for adults, $6 for members (with buy one, get one benefits to another '08 Stroll), $4 for youth 6-17, while kids 5 and under are free. The 2008 Concert series continues Aug. 8 with Bristol Mountain Bluegrass and concludes Aug. 15 with the Rochester Metropolitan Jazz Orchestra. As the light displays are primarily electric, performances will be held rain or shine. Horse & Carriage rides are also available for a nominal fee,  ($5 adults, $3 kids) courtesy of Granger Homestead.

Thursday Teas Start Again in August! Make your reservations today for tea on the Mansion Veranda, served by costumed Victorian maids each Thursday in August, at 1 p.m. or 3 p.m. seatings. You and your friends will be seated by butler to enjoy tea, sandwiches, scones and an array of sweets, while enjoying the lovely views of the Thompson estate. Tea will be served Aug. 7, 14, 21 and 28, but due to the popularity of this event, the 1 pm seating Aug. 14 has already sold out and reservations for all other seatings are strongly recommended. The cost is just $20 for adults, $15 for Sonnenberg members or youth 12 -18, $17.50 each for groups of 10 or more, or $6 for children 11 and under. Reserve your table by phone at (585) 394-4922.

Featured Winery Fridays: On select Fridays, the Finger Lakes Wine Center hosts an area winery at the Tasting Room. From 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. guests can sample selections served by a winery representative, ask questions and learn more about wine-making in the Finger Lakes. For a listing of the wineries that will be featured on upcoming Fridays, click here.

YMCA Classes Continuing: Enjoy weekly workout classes in the park with a $35  Individual Level 2008 Garden Season Membership. YMCA Instructor Nadine Colbert leads the "Sonnenberg Stretch" classes Mondays & Wednesdays, from 8 -9 a.m. in the Rock Garden, while Friday mornings are reserved for the ever-changing "Walk in the Park" from 8:45 - 9:30 a.m. Pick up an application at the Canandaigua YMCA to join. Those already current members of Sonnenberg are also eligible to join with proof of membership. In addition, new registrants for the workout classes will also enjoy all the benefits of membership including unlimited regular season daytime admittance, 10% discounts on purchases at Sonnenberg's Gift Shop and the Finger Lakes Wine Center, member-only discounts for special events, a bi-annual newsletter and reciprocal benefits at over 100 public gardens in the U.S. & Canada. For more information, call the YMCA at (585) 394-6866. 

Plan Your Private Event: Whether it’s a wedding, a family celebration or remembrance ceremony, a business seminar or a function for a non-profit organization, Sonnenberg wants to welcome you! Please follow the links below for more information on private rental options and pricing, or contact our Events Manager for further details or to check site availability.