Sousa marches, brass-forward anthems, and a sky full of fireworks — the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra brings its Red, White & Boom! program to CMAC on Thursday, July 2, 2026, and this year the patriotic pops staple lands on a milestone: America’s 250th birthday. It’s the kind of repertoire that only fully works outdoors, on a summer night, with a lawn full of blankets and the finale lit up overhead.
About the Show
This isn’t patriotic filler played by a pickup band. The RPO — founded in 1922 and presenting around 150 concerts and broadcasts a year — is a full professional orchestra, and it brings real craft to a community concert. The program leans into “stirring Sousa spectaculars, favorite toe-tappers, and inspiring anthems,” the red-white-and-blue melodies the occasion practically demands. Music Director Andreas Delfs is on the podium, with the orchestra’s long-tenured Principal Pops Conductor Jeff Tyzik — now in his 32nd season — part of the pops legacy that makes nights like this feel effortless.
The evening closes with a big end-of-concert fireworks display, weather permitting, best taken in from the lawn with a blanket and a clear view of the sky.
Venue & Logistics
The Constellation Brands–Marvin Sands Performing Arts Center — CMAC — sits at 3355 Marvin Sands Drive in Canandaigua, in the heart of the Rochester / Finger Lakes region. It’s one of the better outdoor rooms in the area: a covered pavilion up front, a wide-open lawn behind it, and exactly the kind of setting an orchestral pops night calls for. Doors open at 6:30 PM; the performance runs 8:00 to 9:30 PM. Bring blankets and lawn chairs and stake out a spot — the lawn is the place to be when the fireworks go up.
Tickets & Pricing
This is one of the best deals on the summer calendar: general admission is just $10 per person, and a family four-pack runs $30 (additional tickets beyond the pack are $7.50 each). Buy Tickets via Ticketmaster.