The weather couldn't have more perfect for the Lilac Festival's opening day. Organizers say if it stays this nice, they are hoping as many as 500,000 people will turn out to this year's festival.

The event is more than 100 years old and has become a rite of spring. The ten-day free festival is also known to kick off tourism season.

Every day, starting as early as 10:30 a.m., entertainment will hit the stage and bands will play into the late evenings.

More than 1200 Lilac bushes were able to brave this spring’s cold snap and are on display at Highland Park.

Organizers say they expect people to come by the busload to check those out and everything else the fest has to offer.

"It looks like we are going to have a great week this year compared to last year, where we had to cancel four days. Doesn't look like we are going to have to do it this year, but you know what, Rochesterians bear with it,” said Larry Staub, director of parks.

They come out and even with those four days of cancelations they come out and with those weekends last year we made our numbers. So the people in this community support this festival, they love it and they come out every year."

The festival runs until Sunday, May 20th.

The annual Lilac Festival is the only 10-day free festival of its kind in North America. People come by the busload for the arts and crafts, music and entertainment, and the more than 1,200 lilac bushes at Highland Park.

Michael Hardy of VisitRochester says the festival usually draws a dozen or more buses each year. He says a dozen or so buses have already registered this year and he expects another dozen or so to just show up.

Hardy says the American Bus Association has designated the Lilac Festival as one of the top 100 multiple times, which helps promote the festival throughout the country and Canada.

Between 400,000 and 500,000 people attend the festival each year. Hardy says about 10 to 20 percent of that number travel 50 miles or more to get to the festival.

The festival generates millions of dollars each year.

"Many of the vendors here at the festival are local or regional; they're not just going from festival to festival, state to state. So kettle corn or fried dough, Nick Tahou's is here, and some of our local restaurants will come and do very, very well just because they're here at the park," said Michael Hardy, VisitRochester.