Festivals! Local Flavor Along The Trail
by Monica Fischer

Each spring, fans from across the United States travel to Chautaqua County to pay tribute to the first couple of comedy, Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz. Just a few weeks later, Orleans County celebrates summer’s favorite fruit at the Albion Strawberry Festival. And in mid-July, a cadre of pirates invades Niagara County and battles Civil War troops for possession of Olcott, New York. Family festivals like these flourish in communities across the country.

Though they must often compete with better-known events, tourist boards and chambers of commerce along the Seaway Trail have done a fantastic job of creating unique festivals that are a hit with both residents and visitors. Simply follow the trail to find a variety of spring and summer events bursting with local flavor.

Come on along!

Erie County, PA
Discover Presque Isle Days
July 28–30, 2000

Presque Isle State Park, a 3,200-acre sandy peninsula that arches lakeward into Lake Erie, is Erie County’s most cherished natural and recreational resource. Discover Presque Isle Days are held each year to celebrate the park’s beautiful coastline, ecological diversity and rich recreational opportunities. There’s something for everyone at this harborside festival, whether you’re interested in ecology, sports, crafts or just having fun! 

The event features a craft show and sale, aquatic and recreational exhibits, athletic contests, live music, boat rides and sand sculptures. Whether you come to enjoy the sandy beaches or the fierce volleyball competition, you’ll have a great time—and learn a great deal about a prized natural resource.

Chautauqua County
Lucy-Desi Hometown 
Celebration
May 26–28, 2000
Lucy’s Birthday Celebration
August 4-6, 2000

Jamestown, New York is the hometown of America’s favorite redhead, and the site of a museum dedicated to the first couple of comedy, Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz. Each year, the museum salutes Lucy and Desi with a fabulous celebration of the comedians’ accomplishments, memories and fans.

This year’s festival will include a Lucy-Desi fan talent show, a fan reunion, a film festival and live entertainment that the Cuban bandleader would be proud of. So head to Jamestown and belt out a hearty, “Looo-seee, I’m ho-ome!” You’ll be welcomed with open arms.

Erie County, NY
Taste of Buffalo
July 10 & 11, 2000

Founded in 1984, the Taste of Buffalo attracts almost half a million visitors and was voted Western New York’s premier outdoor festival. It is a food and entertainment extravaganza for the whole family. The exclusive children’s area features an interactive playground, clowns and special entertainment sure to bring out the kid in everyone.

Hungry for music? Get your fill with continuous jazz, blues and Top 40s from your favorite local, regional and national artists. Then head to the food booths for more than 150 culinary specialties from some of the region’s best restaurants. Bite into something new, like ostrich or alligator, and sample tried and true favorites from pizza to pasta. The Taste of Buffalo has it all!

Niagara County
Niagara’s Pirate Fest
July 15 & 16, 2000

When the pirates come to town, you can bet that festive mayhem is sure to follow. At the annual festival in Olcott, New York, a parade of pirates marches to the shore of Lake Ontario and engages the town’s boaters in a wild water war. Water-filled balloons are hurled from shore and back, with the losing team facing the seafaring fate of walking the plank. But the pirates don’t stop there. They also attack a Civil War encampment in Krull Park, forcing hundreds of “soldiers” to defend the village.

The festival also features volleyball, volleyball and more volleyball, as teams from throughout New York and eastern Canada set and spike along the sand. Other highlights include an antique car show, highland games, a psychic fair and a spectacular fireworks display.

Orleans County
Albion Strawberry Festival
June 9 & 10, 2000

Nothing says summer like a ripe, red strawberry. And in Orleans County, nothing heralds the season of sun like the Albion Strawberry Festival. In celebration of summer’s favorite fruit, Albion hosts a two-day event that features arts and crafts, an antique car show, carriage rides and a parade.

In addition to traditional fair fare, like hamburgers, hot dogs and funnel cakes, event organizers have lined up a delectable array of berry desserts. Continuous free entertainment, plus 5K and 8K races round out the festival schedule, with all events taking place in and around the historic courthouse square.

Monroe County
2000 Lilac Festival
May 12 – 21, 2000

Since 1892, when the first lilacs were planted at the corner of Highland Park by horticulturist John Dunbar, visitors from around the world have traveled to Monroe County to savor the delicate fragrances and visual splendor of one of the world’s first municipal arboretums. 

Selected by the American Bus Association as a Top 100 event in North America for 2000, Rochester’s famous Lilac Festival is a lavish array of flowers, attractions and special events that signal the arrival of spring. The 1,200-plus lilac bushes create a floral rainbow ranging from the deepest of purples to the purest of whites. This year, the highlight of the festival will be the grand parade, featuring marching bands, mummers and floats adorned with lovely lilacs.

Wayne County
Pultneyville Homecoming
July 15, 2000

Established in 1957 to mark the 100th anniversary of the arrival of the post office to Pultneyville, the Pultneyville Homecoming is held each year on the third Saturday in July. The centerpiece of the festival is an antique show and sale of more than 40 dealers in Centennial Park. Other event highlights include a country parade, historic walking tours, a sumptuous chicken barbecue feast, and performances of a Gilbert & Sullivan operetta throughout the weekend. Be sure to stop by the Pultneyville Historical Booth for a free Homecoming booklet outlining the various events and food concessions.

Cayuga County
Sterling Renaissance Festival
Saturday & Sunday
July-August 13, 2000

Mirth and merriment reign supreme at this Elizabethan festival, with live theater and music, jousting, food and drink, and arts and crafts in a lovely wooded setting. More than 700 professional actors and stagehands bring the festivities to life. Meet them as you stroll through the Festival’s town of Warwick and take in one of the more than 80 stage and street performances.

Bow to the Queen as she leads two parades daily, complete with her entourage of ladies, knights, jesters and minstrels. Join the outrageous fun at the wench auction or taste Elizabethan delicacies—like legendary turkey legs so big you’ll have to share. Whatever you do, don’t miss the authentic joust. Three times daily, knights charge into battle, shields glimmering and broadswords clashing.

Oswego County
Harborfest
July 27–30, 2000

The organizers of Harborfest take great pride in being one of New York’s premier family festivals. Also designated as an American Bus Association Top 100 festival, the event annually attracts more than 250,000 visitors to picturesque Oswego Harbor. This year, the festival’s cultural component is Africa. In a related county-wide school program on Ghana, children are creating colorful banners that reflect the country’s cultural heritage. The fruits of their labors will be displayed in the children’s park throughout the festival.

For adults and seniors, the festival provides seven music venues featuring the best in rock, blues, jazz, country and polka. The grand jewel of the event is the show-stopping Saturday night fireworks extravaganza; and on Sunday, which is designated “Senior Day,” tall ships will battle on Lake Ontario.

Jefferson County
36th Annual Antique 
Boat Show and Auction
August 3–6, 2000

The nation’s oldest continuous antique boat show, the Clayton Antique Boat Show and Auction brings together more than 100 of the finest examples of classic freshwater boats and marine engines in existence. Bid on a boat at the auction, cruise the commercial marketplace and flea market, sit in on an educational seafaring forum, sample excellent fare or take advantage of some of the marvelous children’s activities. Don’t miss the Grand Parade of Boats, which includes antique cruisers, runabouts and St. Lawrence skiffs. Last but not least, soak up the spectacular scenery of the Thousand Islands.

St. Lawrence County
Festival of North Country Folklife 
August 12, 2000

The Festival of North Country Folklife celebrates a time when the items used in our homes, in the field and at play were made by hand, using materials provided by Mother Nature—a time when rural residents used traditional instruments and tales to pass on their cultural heritage and traditions.

It is a wonderful family festival that mixes traditional folk arts, storytelling, regional foods and old-time music to commemorate the bygone days before computers, CD players and cellular phones. In addition to ethnic foods and traditional music, the festival educates visitors about the artisanship of the past, including woodcarving, basket weaving, rug making and boat building.

Monica Fischer is senior editor at Festivals.com, the premiere Internet resource for festivals and events worldwide. For information on everything from the Running of the Bulls in Pamplona, Spain to the Bull Run County Jamboree in Centreville, Virginia, visit Festivals.com online at http://www.festivals.com.