Brockport’s Signature Event – Low Bridge High Water – is set for May 12 through 14 this year and includes both returning and new events.
The festival is the brainchild of Mayor Margaret Blackman who says the term “signature” means there’s nothing else like it. “Canal communities up and down the Erie Canal have their individual canal-related festivities, but no one else celebrates the opening of the canal season like we do. Waterford is the only other community that has a celebration tied to the opening of the canal and theirs is only one day.”
Mayor Blackman says the festival celebrates the rising waters of the Erie Canal, which is a sure sign of spring. “I love that it has grown bigger every year and keeps changing as it grows,” she says. 2016 marks the fourth annual Low Bridge High Water (LBHW) event.
The idea for the celebration is to have a bit of history, performance, recreation/athletics, food and drink as well as activities that appeal to a wide range of ages, Mayor Blackman explains.
The festival kicks off on Thursday, May 12 at 7 p.m. at the Morgan Manning House with a film screening and discussion of Boom and Bust: America’s Journey on the Erie Canal with Dan Ward, co-producer of the film.
On Friday, May 13, the Local Craft Beer Big Tent Event returns from 5 to 11 p.m. on Water Street.
Jay Nichols of the Stoneyard Brewing Company has worked to organize the event, which he says has changed from last year.
“We have grown to include 40 New York State breweries, showcasing our state’s best craft beer. It’s becoming the signature craft beer festival on the west side,” Nichols says.
Tickets cost $20 in advance, $25 at the door and $10 for a designated driver ticket. Ticket prices include beer sampling and live music. “We will also have some great food like McCann’s Local Meats and 58 Main,” Nichols says.
The Craft Beer Big Tent Event takes place in the Water Street municipal parking lot, and Nichols says he expects as many as 2,000 people to attend. The event raises money for, “two great causes for kids,” Nichols says – Camp Abilities Brockport and the Mary Cariola Children’s Center. It additionally benefits Bring Rowing to Brockport.
Mayor Blackman notes that the Big Tent Craft Beer Event draws people from all over the area. “Reports last year were that it outdrew the Lilac Festival’s craft beer tent,” she says.
An entire slate of events is planned for the final day of the festival, Saturday, May 14. Two events are planned at 10 a.m. – the annual Barge Charge 5K Run, which begins at Corbett Park on Smith Street and the Historic Mural Dedication at Sagawa Park.
Brockport Deputy Mayor and LBHW committee member Bill Andrews says the mural will have the theme of “Portraits of the Past” and includes images of people, buildings and objects that have been important in Brockport history against a canal themed background. It will be installed on the wooden wall on the west side of the park located at Main and Erie Streets.
“It is being created by Rick Muto, who may be the area’s leading muralist,” Andrews says. “Among his work is the mural in the lobby of the Bausch-Lomb building.”
An interpretive sign identifying the images will be placed in front of the mural, Andrews says, but explains that the sign will not be ready for the May 14 mural dedication. It will be dedicated in September to coincide with a trip to Brockport by attendees of the World Mural Conference, which is being held in Fairport at that time.
Following the mural dedication, a parade led by Mark Ketchum on the sax will make its way to the Welcome Center on Water Street for the remainder of the day’s activities, says Archie Kutz, also a member of the LBHW organizing committee. At 11 a.m. the Golden Eagle String Band will play Erie Canal music with a break at 11:30 a.m. for awards for the 4th/5th grade poster contest and the Barge Charge 2016.
Music then continues until 1 p.m. when storytelling by Erie Canal Sal is planned.
At noon there is a free “Pizza Picnic.” “That means free, while asking for a donation to ‘Bring Rowing to Brockport,’” Kutz explains. Arts for Children tables will be set up with crafts and fun activities until 2 p.m.
More music is planned from 2 to 4 p.m. with the Brockport Buskers – a Village Music project – debuting at 2 p.m. and Thicker than Water performing at 3 p.m.
Kutz says new events include the “Pizza Picnic” with pizza donated by local pizza places and lemonade from Wegmans. Erie Canal Sal, Brockport Buskers and Arts for Children activities are also new.
“Parking will be catch as catch can,” Kutz says.
Additionally, there will be rowing demonstrations, kayak rentals and conference bike rides, Kutz says.
Brockport was recently awarded a $50,000 SAM (State and Municipal Facilities Program) grant for the Corbett Park Boathouse project and Mayor Blackman says that will facilitate more events for LBHW in the future.
“One of the reasons the regatta had to be canceled this year was because of a lack of sufficient floating docking and resultant liability issues,” she says. “With the new boathouse and dock there will be a location to haul boats out at the end of the race.”
