Puerto Rican Festival

Organizers of Rochester’s Puerto Rican festival are taking steps to make sure past problems tied to the event don't happen again.

They believe the festival has a bad reputation because of post-fest disturbances that have happened. Police in riot gear responded to after-festival disturbances in the North Clinton Avenue neighborhood a few years ago. Some Hispanics believe they were being singled out.

“I personally feel there was an overkill with the presence of the police and the way that they came on and I think it did become challenging," said festival organizer Ida Perez.

“In the past we have had some problems on the Avenue. We've dealt with them appropriately. We will continue to do that," said Carlos Garcia of the Rochester Police Department.

The festival moves to a parking lot by Frontier Field from the Civic Center Plaza.

A parade is also scheduled for the Saturday, August 4. The festival runs August 3 through August 5.

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