Times are sweet at Maple Festival
FRANKLINVILLE — In these uncertain times when change is the only constant, there are plenty of reasons to tap into tradition at the 47th annual Western New York Maple Festival in Franklinville on Saturday and Sunday.
This free festival is a truly local phenomenon. It was started by some area farmers and community leaders, some of whose ancestors helped settle the area and made syrup using relatively primitive methods, crystallizing their own sugar before the days of supermarkets.
In partnership with the now-defunct JayCee’s, these industrious folks cooked up the first few annual events as a low-overhead way to raise money for local charities and provide a direct-market outlet for their maple products. The festival caught on and is still going strong.
Besides the usual offerings of maple syrup ($45 a gallon, same as 2008), maple cream, maple candy, maple suckers and cotton candy, the Western New York Maple Producers will be selling glasses of maple pop for about $2.
This new cream soda-like drink was taste-tested with rave reviews at the 2008 festival and this year will be sold at an old-fashioned soda fountain in the Maple Producers’ booth at the entrance to Franklinville Elementary School. Nearby will be an educational and historic demonstration “sugar shanty” where the syrup-making process can be seen.
All-you-can-eat pancakes and sausage will be served up for $6 in the elementary school cafeteria from 7:30 a. m. to 2 p. m. both days, by the maple king and queen, chosen from a lineup of contestants from the high school Thursday night. Other food can be found at an outdoor food court, but you’ll want to arrive early for the ham and leek dinner at noon Saturday in the Fire Hall at Route 16 and Green Street. There, a chicken barbecue will begin at noon Sunday.
The Ten Broeck Academy Marching Band will perform in the festival parade, which steps off at 11 a. m. Saturday, marching north on Main Street to the school.
As usual, the Ischua Valley Historical Society will open the doors to the Miner’s Cabin on Pine Street from 1 to 3 p. m. both days, more than 120 crafters and vendors will be displaying wares for sale inside and outside the school throughout the weekend, and community groups and businesses will hold fundraisers in the elementary school classrooms.
There will be plenty of free activities lending a special atmosphere to this country event. The Creekside Roundup Horse Plowing Demonstrations will literally tear up the field from 10 a. m. to 3 p. m. Sunday. Round and square dancing and country music will fill the Elementary School cafeteria beginning at 3 p. m. Saturday, and the high school agricultural students will host a petting zoo behind the High School from noon to 5 p. m.
An antique car and auto show will be held from 9 a. m. to 4 p. m. Sunday in the Firemen’s Field on North Main Street, and an antique gas engine show will sputter and spark from 10 a. m. to 4 p. m. Saturday.
For a complete listing of events and other information, visit www.maplefestival.franklinvilleny.org.
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