New pedestrian plaza for Rochester; here come the festivals; local man stars in new film

·50 min·3 clips

Straight Undercover does not mention Down syndrome; Ben Gagneau says Race Eberhardt is simply the star.

The hour begins with development news from downtown Rochester. Brian Sharpe joins the program to discuss Main Street Commons. The site sits on East Main Street. Planning for the block stretches back at least 20 years. The earlier version of the idea was called Renaissance Square. That proposal included a performing arts center, a bus terminal, and an MCC campus. The current version has moved forward as demolition makes room for a pedestrian plaza. The conversation then turns to festival season in Rochester. City Magazine's Patrick Hoskin comes on to preview what listeners can expect this season. A later exchange focuses on the Lilac Festival and how its music stage is being booked. The lineup includes brass bands, bluegrass, R&B, and pop. The organizers say they want the stage to highlight local original artists. They also want more bands to know about the application process. Headliners are booked first through national agents. After that, the team fills out the bill with local acts and other regional options. The goal is to avoid flattening an entire day around one genre. The hour then shifts to Race Eberhardt. He stars in Straight Undercover, a comedic action film. Eberhardt says the project has been a dream come true. He has traveled to promote the movie, including a stop at the Today Show. The conversation also notes that he is believed to be the first person with Down syndrome to star in an action movie. The segment ends on a playful note as the show jokes about a possible sequel.

As heard by us

A local hour that spans downtown redevelopment, festival season, and Race Eberhardt's film debut.

Connections moves from Main Street Commons redevelopment to festival season and Race Eberhardt's film debut, and that gives the hour a clean local sweep.

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Why you'd press play

If you want one Rochester hour that moves from downtown development to festival season to a local film debut, start here.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

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