Whether it’s attending one of Sonnenberg’s special events or planning a private event of your own to host on the grounds, there’s a multitude of things to do! Host a wine-and-cheese party after-hours in our Finger Lakes Wine Center Tasting Room or come to one of our wine-themed seasonal events, such as the Harvest Crush Party. Make reservations for a tea at our Mansion, or plan one of your own elsewhere on the site. Book a training seminar or class in our Carriage House, or celebrate career achievements with members of your company at a business reception. In addition, we are now offering private rental options in the off-season at select site locations, and there are seasonal special events that enable you to experience Sonnenberg beyond our Garden Season. Take a closer look at everything Sonnenberg has to offer!

     




 




 
 
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.


What’s Coming Around the Corner?
 

Canandaigua Dollar Day: On Friday, July 4th, get in the spirit with a greatly-reduced garden admission for just $1 to all residents of the 14424 ZIP code. Simply present proof of address at the admissions booth (a letter, envelope, or photo ID will do) and garner admission for just $1! Special, narrated walking tours of the gardens and Mansion will be offered at 10 a.m. and at 1 p.m., free of charge to visitors. It's Sonnenberg's holiday gift to our guests!

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, from July 11 - 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. Horse & Carriage rides are also provided for a nominal fee, courtesy of Granger Homestead. No reservations are required! 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 Kickoff Night is July 11 with Nik and the Nice Guys - America's No. 1 Party Band; July 18: Tullamore Celtic Band featuring the
Young School of Irish Dance (A Bit O' Ireland at the Moonlight Stroll); July 25: Music Makers Big Band; Aug. 1: Cross-Eyed Cat (Classic Blues/Rock); Aug. 8: Bristol Mountain Bluegrass; Aug. 15: Rochester Metropolitan Jazz Orchestra. As the light displays are primarily electric, performances will be held rain or shine.

Annual Bridge Party: Card enthusiasts of all ages are invited to reserve seats for a relaxing day of play on the Mansion veranda, Tues. July 15. Seats may be reserved in pairs or tables of four, and if you need more players to fill out your table, we'll be happy to introduce you to some fellow bridge players. The gates will be open for guests to take trams to the Mansion, starting at 9:30 a.m. with play to begin at 10 a.m. Door prizes will be raffled off and a delicious meal served for lunch, catered by the High Noon Cafe'. Consider concluding your visit with a stroll through our Mansion and gardens, included with your $35 ticket. To reserve a spot for you or your friends, call (585) 394-4922. 

Featured Winery Fridays: On select Fridays, the Finger Lakes Wine Center hosts an area winery at the Tasting Room. From 1 – 4 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.

  Private Rental Options for Businesses or Non-Profits
Private Rental Contract
Wedding Ceremonies, Receptions or Photo Shoots


Enter our 2008 Photo Contest! Throughout the duration of our garden season, shutterbugs of all sorts are invited to enter our annual Photo Contest. Submit a photo taken since September 2007 or during our 2008 Garden Season in a .JPG format, at least 300 dpi resolution, to our Events Manager. With the addition of online voting this year, more visitors will see your image(s). Entrants may submit up to three images per contest year. The competition includes the following categories: People, Trees & Flowers, the Mansion, Architectural Art, or the miscellaneous “Views from the Sunny Hill.” (“Sonnenberg” is German for “sunny hill”). Winning photo will be used in a Sonnenberg publication in 2009.

Winning Photos of the 2007 Photo Contest
     
“Yellow and Blue”
“Art in the Garden”
“The Volunteers”
“Pause Along the Path”
(click images to enlarge)


Overall Winner: Linda Murphy, Whitney Point, NY “Art in the Garden” (Also Winner, Architecture)
Categories: Architecture, Portraits of People; Plants, Flowers & Trees
Winner, Portraits of People: Ed Loiuz, Bradford, NY “Pause Along the Path

2nd Place, People: Dory McKenzie Wilson, Rochester, NY “The Volunteers
Winner, Plants, Flowers & Trees: Linda Murphy, Whitney Point, NY “Summer Nectar”

2nd Place, Plants, Flowers & Trees: Stan Zack, Henrietta, NY, “Yellow and Blue

 
Latitude 42.90 ( 42°, 53') - Longitude -77.27 (-77°, 16')

151 Charlotte Street, Canandaigua, NY 14424   (585) 394-4922

© Designs by Bridgette - 2008