Canandaigua Art & Music Festival – July 17-19, 2009

From Friday, July 17th through Sunday, July 19th, Canandaigua will bustle as thousands of festivalgoers and over 100 exhibitors throng through town for the annual Canandaigua Art & Music Festival.

Discover some of the region's most talented artists and musicians at the Canandaigua Art & Music Festival

The festival was re-energized when Canandaigua’s Business Improvement District took it over and hired seasoned festival organizer Nicole Mahoney to run the show.  The Art portion of the festival is now juried and the musical talent is hired by Rainbow Talent Agency, so this festival brings together some of the top artistic and musical talent in the region.

The artisans selected for this show were chosen based on quality and diversity of product and price point, so you’ll find a wonderful selection of exhibitors including woodworkers, photographers, painters, sculptors, fiber and leather crafters, jewelers and creators of gourmet food items.  In addition, many of the merchants in town also participate in the festival, bringing the essence of Canandaigua to the Festival.

 
The musical performances run the gamut, including  jazz, blues, big band, new wave, pop, country, rock and more, with many of the groups offering a fascinating crossover between genres.  Each of the groups is extraordinarily talented and you’ll find performances by both emerging musicians who have just cut their first album as well as veteran performers with a number of CDs under their belts and a broad regional following.

Got kids?  Don’t worry!  They’ll enjoy the Kids Korridor where there are plenty of hands on activities and a stage with performances geared toward children, including Wildlife Defenders, Gadgets the Clown, the Hochstein Instrument Petting Zoo, The Boomerang Club.

And with dozens of food vendors, you can graze your way from one end of the festival to the other, enjoying the sights and sounds of this entertaining event.

The Canandaigua Art & Music Festival runs from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday and from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday.  There is no charge to attend and parking is free.  Parking may be tight, but you’ll find spaces on side streets or in the public parking behind the buildings on Main Street.

To discover more about some of the talented artists and musicians participating in this festival, visit the Canandaigua Art & Music Festival blog, written by yours truly!

Photo courtesy of the Canandaigua Art & Music Festival.

 

Great Free or Low Cost Activities in the Finger Lakes – Reader Recommendation

In response to a call for suggestions of things to do and photos taken in the Finger Lakes region in our last post, “25 Free or Low Cost Things to Do this Summer in the Finger Lakes”, reader Juli Klie wrote, “Fun post! I love a long walk on the canal path with a stop for ice cream – at any of a number of places.  You’ve got Bill Wahl’s in Schoen Place and Lickety-Splits in Fairport both right on the canal.”  Juli included the following photos:

Boat on the Erie Canal

Enjoy a walk along the Canal before or after ice cream

Ontario Beach State Park Dentzel Carousel

Thanks for sharing, Juli!

If you have suggestions of things you enjoy doing or photos you’ve taken in the Finger Lakes region that you’d like to share  with Finger Lakes Travel Maven readers, please email them to me at: CWhiteLlewellyn @ msn dot com (use traditional email format, no spaces).

All photos in this post, courtesy of Juli Klie.

 

25 Free or Low Cost Things to Do this Summer

Looking for Fun and Low or No Cost things to do around the Finger Lakes region this summer?  I’ve listed some ideas here.  The last listing I wrote for winter was a list of things that cost $10 or less per person.  I’m going to challenge myself and look for ideas that cost $5 or less per person.  I bet it’ll be a breeze!

Golden Eagles are some of the residents of Wild Wings Birds of Prey Facility

1. Wild Wings Birds of Prey Facility – Visit this Raptor conservation and research facility to learn about how they help injured birds of prey. FREE. In Mendon Ponds Park, Honeoye Falls, NY.  FLTM Post.
2. Ganondagan State Historic Site – Tour a 17th Century bark longhouse , hike miles of trails and learn about Seneca history & culture – Adults $3, Children $2, Members Free. Victor, NY.  FLTM Post.
3. Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge – Visit, hike, photograph or simply observe migratory birds and wildlife at this refuge.  FREE. Seneca Falls, NY.
4. Wegmans Concerts by the Shore - On Wednesday evening from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., catch terrific bands playing at Ontario Beach State Park.  Food available nearby or consider a picnic.  FREE. Rochester, NY.  FLTM Post.
5. Lazy Acre Alpacas – Tour a working alpaca farm and meet its fluffy residents.  Bloomfield, NY. Tours $5/person, reservations requested.FLTM Post. 
6.  Bike or Hike the Erie Canal – If you have the energy, you can bike or hike all the way from Albany to Buffalo along the beatiful Erie Canal. FREE. 

7. Ward W. O’Hara Agricultural Museum – Step back in time and discover how farms ran a hundred years ago.  Auburn, NY. FREE, Donations appreciated. (Photo courtesy Kristian Reynolds and the Cayuga County Office of Tourism)
8. The Windmill Farm & Craft Market – (Saturdays only) Enjoy the sights, sounds and smells of this traditional Amish Market with hundreds of booths. Penn Yan, NY.  FREE.
9. Women’s Rights National Historic Park – Visit the location where the First Women’s Rights Convention took place and tour 4 historical properties.  Seneca Falls, NY.  FREE. FLTM Post.
10. Cornell Lab of Ornithology – If you’re a wildlife and bird lover, don’t miss this sanctuary, dedicated to research, education and conservation.   Ithaca, NY.  FREE, donations appreciated.
11. Sodus Point Lighthouse Museum - Explore maritime history in this authentic 1824 lighthouse that was used up until 1900.  Adults $3, Children $1.  Sodus Point, NY.
12. Download a trail from Let’s Go Hike and Bike and go bicycling or hiking in the Finger Lakes – 66 different trails, including info about, and attractions on those trails.  FREE.  (Fee for some attractions on trails). Finger Lakes region. FLTM Post.
13. Jell-o Museum & Gallery – Visit a museum dedicated to Jell-o and its Founders – Age 12-Adult $4, 6-11 $$1.50, 5 and under Free. LeRoy, NY.
    

    Rochester's Public Market is over 100 years old

14. Rochester Public Market - Visit the oldest regional public market with hundreds of vendors - FREE.  T & Th 6 a.m.. – 1 p.m.  Sat. 5 a.m.-3 p.m. Rochester, NY.
15. Swim at Kershaw Park - Enjoy a refreshing plunge in Canandaigua Lake.  Adults $3, 6-18 $2, under 6 Free. Canandaigua, NY.
16. Willard Memorial Chapel - Visit the only known Chapel in existence created by Louis B. Tiffany & Co.  Suggested donation $3.  Auburn, NY. 
    

    Outdoors Enthusiasts love Letchworth State Park

17.  Letchworth State Park – Explore the Grand Canyon of the East.  $7 fee per vehicle.  Wyoming and Livingston Counties.
18. Cayuga Nature Center - Enjoy an exhibit of 40+ live animals, a butterfly house and a tree-top observational lookout. Adults $3, Srs./Students $2, children $1.  Ithaca, NY.
19. Cornell Plantations – Naturalists will love the arboretum and botanical gardens!  FREE.  Ithaca, NY.
20. Johnson Museum of Art – Discover a world of Art at Cornell’s Art Museum. FREE.  Ithaca, NY.
21. Go Geocaching along Routes 5 & 20 - If you own or can borrow a geocache, you can spend the day “hunting for treasures.  FREE. Across Routes 5 & 20.
22. Stony Brook Park - Enjoy swimming, hiking, a Picnic  and viewing a waterfalls in this lovely State Park.  FREE. Dansville, NY.
23. Weaver View Farms - Discover Amish furniture, quilting, handwork and canned goods at this Amish emporium, located on a working Amish farm.  FREE. Penn Yan, NY.
24. Ride the 1905 Dentzel Carousel at Ontario Beach Park -Take a picnic and enjoy Ontario Beach State Park and its carousel.  $1 for carousel ride.  Rochester, NY.  FLTM Post.
25. Tour the Pleasant Valley Winery – Visit and tour the oldest winery in the Finger Lakes, established in 1860. FREE. Hammondsport, NY.

 

Let’s Go Hike and Bike, Great Resource for Hiking and Biking Entusiasts

Calling all Hikers and Bikers!  The Finger Lakes Tourism Alliance has developed a great website and set of travel cards specifically designed for hiking and biking afficionados called Let’s Go Hike and Bike.

Order this set or use the online trail listings

You’ll find 66 different trails throughout the Finger Lakes region that are great for hiking and biking.  The trails also include a couple of great paddle trails.  For each of the trails, the listings:

• Show a map with GPS coordinates
• Give Level of Difficulty
• Tell the Distance of the Trail
• Show Attractions, services and restaurants nearTrail
• Tell how to get there
• Give resources of where to obtain additional information

In the set of cards, that comes on a caribiner, they have 46 trails, but since the set was printed, there are an additional 20 trails available online.

Discover 66 trails in the Finger Lakes for Hiking or Biking

If you’re biking, the set of cards gives an overview of the different regions,  detailing the level of difficulty and the kind of terrain you’ll discover:

• Conesus Lake – 18 miles of gently rolling countryside with a flat, easy ride
• Canadice Lake – 13 miles, moderate with one aggressive climb
• Hemlock Lake – 27 miles of moderate to difficult, hilly terrain
• Honeoye Lake – 19 miles of gently rolling countryside with a flat, easy ride
• Canandaigua Lake – 44 miles, moderate with three long climbs
• Keuka Lake Bluff - 27 miles of easy to moderate level to slightly undulating trails with one long climb
• Keuka Lake – 45 miles, moderate hills above the east side of the lake, mostly level along the west side
• Seneca Lake - 77 miles, moderate with one long climb leaving Watkins Glen
• Cayuga Lake – 90 miles of easy to moderate cycling with rolling terrain and several long moderate climbs
• Skaneateles Lake – 40 mils of moderately difficult cycling with rolling hills and gradual inclines
• Owasco Lake – 32 miles of easy to moderate cycling with one long incline on the west side
• Cayuga-Seneca Canal – 20 miles; easy, relatively flat, combination of road and grass trails
• Erie Canal – 18 miles from Palmyra to Pittsford; 23 miles from Savannah to Palmyra.  Flat terrain; Roadside and trail between Savannah and Palmyra.

Kudos to the Finger Lakes Tourism Alliance and all  other tourism organizations that assisted in the  development of  this project!

Information and images courtesy of the Finger Lakes Tourism Alliance.

Thanks to Finger Lakes Visitors Connection for Trail Set!

 

Dates of County Fairs in the Finger Lakes Region

Did you know that the very first County Fair in the Country took place almost 200 years ago in Watertown, NY?

Although almost two centuries have passed, a lot about a county fair remains reassuringly the same.  Initially, they were started to gather county residents together to share information on agricultural and horticultural practices, once the mainstay of this country.  Today, these festive annual events still include livestock shows and horticultural exhibits, but have expanded to include such activities as concerts, competitions, car shows, rides and let’s not forget about the food.  I can almost see the lights of the ferris wheel and smell the cotton candy being spun!

A county fair is still an entertaining way for a family to spend a fun and educational day.

If you’re up for a good county fair, mark your calendar now to visit the ones closest to you:

• Cayuga County Fair - July 9-12, 2009 – Weedsport, NY
• Chemung County Fair – August 4-9, 2009 – Horseheads, NY
• Cortland County Junior Fair - July 7-11, 2009 – Cortland, NY
• Livingston County Fair – July 21-25,2009 – Hemlock, NY
• Monroe County Fair - July 15-19, 2009 – Henrietta, NY
• Onondaga County 4-H Youth Fair – July 24-26, 2009 – Syracuse, NY
• Schuyler County Youth Showcase – July 24-25, 2009 – Montour Falls, NY
• Seneca County Fair – July 14-18, 2009 – Waterloo, NY (315)568-9601
• Steuben County Fair - August 18-23, 2009 – Bath, NY
• Tioga County Fair - July 7-11, 2009 – Owego, NY
• Tompkins County Fair – August 25-30, 2009 – Trumansburg, NY (607) 387-6504
• Wayne County Fair - August 10-15, 2009 – Palmyra
• Yates County Fair – July 7-11, 2009 – Penn Yan (315) 536-3830

And of course, although not a County Fair, the biggest Fair of all is the New York State Fair which will be held August 27-September 7, 2009 at the Fair Grounds in Syracuse, NY.  Look for a post later in the Summer on the New York State Fair.

 

Seabreeze Amusement Park, Fun for All!

Are you a lover of amusement parks, rides, rollercoasters and waterparks?  Then put Seabreeze Amusement Park on your agenda for summer fun!

Seabreeze opened in 1879 and is the 4th oldest amusement park in the country.  Although it has the wholesome, family-oriented feel of yesteryear, its rides and safety record are state-of-the-art.

The Whirlwind, Photo courtesy of Seabreeze

Seabreeze is often associated with rollercoasters because it boasts four. Probably its most famous is the classic wooden Jack Rabbit, the oldest continuously-operating coaster in the U.S., installed in 1920.  If you take the popular and fun Bobsled for a spin, you might be interested to know it glides on a tubular steel track and was actually manufactured in Rochester, NY by Seabreeze.  The newest addition to the coaster family is the Whirlwind and its swiveling cars, over-the-edge turns and daredevil drops make it one of the hottest attractions in the park.  Bear Trax is one of the many rides that thrills  the younger set.

There are over 70 rides and attractions at Seabreeze, and you’ll recognize dozens of family classics such as Bumper Cars, the Tilt-a-whirl, the Log Flume, Crazy Cups, the Carousel and the Spring.

Get ready to take off on the Music Express

When my daughters’  band class went earlier this year, the Sea Dragon, the Screamin’ Eagle and the Whirlwind were the high thrill favorites  everyone raved about on the bus ride home.

The Cirque en Vol acrobats perform daily, weather permitting.

Don’t forget your swimsuit!  You’ll want it  for the Raging Rivers Waterpark.  If you’re up for high adventure, check out the four story plunge through a pitch dark tunnel on the Helix or  try body surfing the tubes in the Banzai Pipeline or the Zoom Flume.  Want something more relaxing?  Try the Wave Pool or the Lazy River  instead.  There’s even a mini-waterpark for the youngest crowd.

Hungry? You can either purchase food and beverages in the park or you are welcome to bring a picnic.   This is a great place to hold any group gathering because you can rent a shelter in the picnic grove and bring a picnic or have it catered through Seabreeze.

Bear Trax, one of many rides for the younger set

One great feature of the park is its location.  It overlooks Lake Ontario and even on sweltering days, there’s usually a cooling breeze.  Seabreeze Amusement Park is always clean, safe and family-friendly with free parking, changing facilities, ATMs and rental lockers in the waterpark.  Most attractions are handicap accessible.

Seabreeze Amusement Park is located at 4600 Culver Road in Rochester and beginning June 24, is open 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. every day of the week until September 7th.  After September 7, readers are advised to check the calendar for the schedule.

Pricing:

• Ride & Slide – $23.99
• Under 48″ – $19.99
• Nightrider – $16.99 (after 5 p.m.)
• Spectator – $9.99
• Children under 2 – Free

Purchase your tickets in advance online to save $2 off the gate prices  listed above.

You can also purchase Seabreeze Passports that offer 15 visits per season or group rates for substantially discounted pricing.