ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Rochester Police are planning to shut down part of North Clinton Avenue on Saturday night, the final night of the 56th annual Puerto Rican Festival at Parcel 5.
Although the festival is in a different part of the city, Rochester leaders have been concerned about violence around North Clinton Avenue from gatherings after the festival finishes. Early Friday morning, gunfire broke out among a crowd of at least 100 people who gathered on Remington Street, a block from North Clinton Avenue, after the festival’s first night. In 2023, four people were wounded, and one person was killed after overnight shootings on North Clinton Avenue, after the festival’s second night.
Last year, businesses on North Clinton Avenue got letters ordering them to close early on the final Saturday of the festival to “ensure neighborhood safety and security,” and so police could better secure the area. This year, business owners didn’t get those letters. Instead, the city plans to shut down North Clinton Avenue starting at 6 p.m. on Saturday. News10NBC’s Garrett Chan asked business owners to share their thoughts on the city’s response.
Response from business owners
Business owners said they’re not happy with the city’s decision to close the street, because they lost businesses last year when they were forced to close early. Most businesses on North Clinton Avenue stay open to 11 p.m. In 2025, the city forced businesses to close at 4 p.m.
Super Patel, owner of Michaels Liquor Store, says he recognizes the importance of safety, but also wants the city to recognize the importance of small businesses.
“Closing for a few hours may not seem a big loss of business, but it’s giving those same customers opportunities to go elsewhere, and we’re losing several customers over time,” he said.
Albert Algarin, president of the North Clinton Avenue Business Association, said many businesses struggled last year with missing out on nearly half a day’s worth of customers during a busy season.
He’s trying to get city leaders to sit down with him and consider other ways to keep people safe without compromising traffic. Algarin also plans to file a petition to push the time of the street closure to 9 p.m. instead of 6 p.m. Algarin said business owners were highly against last year’s closure order.
“It was kind of messed up. We had employees that didn’t like it. Our employees didn’t like it. People were really protesting against it. It was really, really uncalled for,” Algarin said.
Tony Aminm, the owner of Convenience Food Market, said they lost thousands in revenue because of last year’s closure.
“We are taxpayers. We are residents of here. We’re not going to allow you to close the streets at 6 p.m. because we lost 78,000 last year,” he said.
An employee at a laundromat said the business plans to close at 5 p.m. on Saturday so employees and customers can leave before the road gets shut down. News10NBC will continue to track the city’s plans for the street closure and how businesses respond.
Business owners react to city’s plans to shut down North Clinton Avenue on final night of Puerto Rican Festival WHEC.com.
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