The Lilac Festival is the long-running and arguably most prominent festival, typically drawing more than 500,000 people over the course of 10 days. While it originally began in 1898 as a spontaneous gathering to admire the flowers that give it its name, the celebration has since developed into an artistic extravaganza, featuring live music and vendors offering everything from local wines to handcrafted leather bracelets. Now, festival organizers have announced that it is adding two new events to the festival line-up, significantly expanding the event’s footprint.

The 2015 Lilac Festival is set to run from May 8 to 17. However, on Tuesday, April 7, festival organizers announced that they would be making a few changes for the celebration’s 117th anniversary. Firstly, the event will expand to Reservoir Avenue, which will become the site of its well-known arts and craft show. Secondly, the festival will feature a new Lilac Brew Fest and a Home & Garden Show, which will both be held in a recently-added Big Top Tent on the corner of South and Highland avenues.

The Brew Fest will be held in the evening of May 14 and 15 and will showcase 100 types of craft beer from over 25 brewers. Meanwhile, the Home & Garden Show will display home and garden wares from more than 30 businesses on both festival weekends. Other events will include the Lilac Parade on May 9, wine and chocolate tastings held twice a day from May 11 to 13, and two road races on May 17.

The 2015 Lilac Festival will also feature a number of live performers: for example, The Psychedelic Furs will perform on May 10, followed by New York festival favorite Rusted Root on May 14. The music will begin at 10:30 a.m. on weekdays and 12:30 p.m. on weekends. The entire schedule can be found at www.lilacfestival.com.

The festival organizers and local authorities seem confident that their new changes will help continue the Lilac Festival’s usual pattern of success.

“Not only is the Lilac Festival one of Monroe County’s most celebrated events, it also attracts thousands of out-of-town guests and contributes millions into our local economy,” Monroe County Executive Maggie Brooks stated in a news release.

She isn’t wrong: the event is not only hugely popular with locals and tourists alike, but also draws a significant number of local businesses and artisans. These vendors often rely on events like the Lilac Festival to connect with new customers and sell their goods. While it might seem like an uncertain business model, studies show that these specialty craftsmen are responsible for 43% of the jewelry sales in the United States. In an industry that generates several billion dollars every year, this is an excellent opportunity for individuals and Monroe County alike.

Despite the recent changes and potential economic benefit, however, the flowers that give the festival its name are still the true star of the show. Highland Park boasts 500 varieties of lilac bushes on its 150 acres, for a total of around 1,200 plants. With the winning combination of these famous flowers, a well-known arts and craft fair, and the new Brew Fest and Home & Garden Show, the Lilac Festival is sure to be as successful as ever.