Ten Ugly Men Festival Continues to Support Golisano Children’s Hospital

One of the most wildly anticipated events of the summer, the Ten Ugly Men Festival, will take place from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., Saturday, July 27, at Genesee Valley Park. The all-day event is aimed at having fun while supporting great causes across Rochester, including Golisano Children’s Hospital’s Bright Eyes Pediatric Brain Tumor Research Fund.

The festival, organized by the “Uglies,” a group of friends and local businessmen, features unlimited food, live music and fun sporting events, including a 5k, volleyball tournament, slip-n-slide, and much more. Much like the festival’s volleyball tournament that attracts hundreds of players, this year’s kickball tournament, hosted by the Kickball League of Rochester, will bring an estimated 500 players to the park.  

Advance-sale tickets for the event are $40 and can be purchased at area Wegmans or through Ticketmaster. $50 tickets will be available at the door. Guests, ages 13 to 20, will also be able to purchase tickets for $10 the day of.

The Ten Ugly Men Festival has supported the Bright Eyes Fund for the past eight years. Established to help fund educational and research efforts and to enhance diagnostic treatment options for patients with cancerous brain tumors, the fund was chosen in memory of “Ugly” John Fitzsimmons’ first wife, Kim Fitzsimmons. Kim was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor in May 2000 and passed away in February 2003. Her love of children inspired John and the Ugly team to support Golisano Children’s Hospital at the University of Rochester Medical Center.

“While we always strive to have fun at the festival, our main goal is to raise money for causes in the Rochester community,” said Alan Wood, partner at RE/MAX Plus and one of the Uglies. “The influential work the Bright Eyes Fund has done for Golisano Children’s Hospital patients and pediatric cancer research demonstrates why supporting the cause is so important to the Uglies.”

The idea of the festival started back in 1989 between friends at a block party. They decided to throw a similar community-based party and have all the proceeds go to a local charity. The first Ten Ugly Men event was in Mendon Ponds Park in 1990 with a crowd of 200 people and two bands. The festival has grown to attract nearly 5,000 people and has raised nearly $240,000 for Golisano Children’s Hospital.