by Grace Scism
for Spencerport Canal Days
Bring your appetite to Spencerport Canal Days
Walking around Canal Days and seeing all the great arts and crafts, listening to the bands, and watching the Canaligator Race is bound to make one super hungry for some delicious food. Bill Everett, who organizes the food trucks, has it covered again this year. With eight food vendors, there will be plenty of variety, including wraps, sandwiches (chicken and roast beef), mac and cheese, arancini, fried dough, kettle corn, pastries, cheesecake, ice cream, shaved ice, and nachos and cheese as well as water and soft drinks. The following food trucks will be along the south fence of Firemen’s Field, the same as last year:
•Agatina’s Italian Eats
•Kettle Corn Shoppe
•Mayer’s Concessions
•R & R Ice Cream Café
•Red Osier & Cheesy Eddie’s
•Rob’s Sweet Tooth
•Whacky Waffles House of Whacks
•Wraps on Wheels
Everett began volunteering about five years ago when he and his wife, Pat, along with Denise and Greg Schweers started the wine tasting tent. “I keep coming back so that we can continue to have Spencerport Canal Days,” he said. “I feel it is important to continue to promote Spencerport through this festival.”
Local restaurants, such as Clutch on the Canal, McColleys, Slayton Place, Texas Bar-B-Q Joint and Union Street Coffee House, will all be open for business as well.
Spencerport Canal Days runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, July 29, and Sunday, July 30.
Spencerport Canal Days Car Show
Car enthusiasts from all around flock to the Spencerport Canal Days Car Show to see hundreds of the area’s best cars and to visit with their owners who have made their vehicles a labor of love. In its 34th year, the show takes place rain or shine Sunday, July 30, at the Ferris-Goodridge American Legion Post #330 at 691 Trimmer Road. Shuttle buses will run from Spencerport High School from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Registration is from 9 a.m. to noon with no one entering the field before 9 a.m. The registration fee is $20 July 24 or later with no refunds. The first 200 registrants receive a dash plaque and there are plenty of door prizes, plus a 50/50 raffle. Awards are presented at 3 p.m.
As in past years, breakfast is available from 8 to 11 a.m. inside the American Legion. Barton’s Parkside Hots and LuGia’s Ice Cream will be on hand for lunch from 11 a.m. until the end of the show. Music will be provided by Bobby “Rocker” Fredericks – The Music Man.
2022 Best in Show winner. Provided photo
Cars, which generally range from the early 1900s through the present, are judged by a panel using a point system based on criteria such as cleanliness, paint, and engine condition. A Best in Show, the top 40 and 20 specialty trophies are awarded. Last year, 328 cars were on display.
Proceeds from the Spencerport Car Show go back to the community. Last year, a donation was made to the Ogden Auxiliary Police for a protective vest and to the American Legion for paving their driveway. The proceeds are also used to purchase between 60 and 65 trophies, plus dash plaques and hats for the volunteers, all of which are purchased locally.
Many volunteers are needed to make such a large car show possible and successful. John Krywy, who has volunteered since 2004 and overseen organizing the show since 2011, said that around 30 to 35 volunteers are needed to park cars, direct traffic, and handle registrations. Those interested in volunteering may contact John Krywy at pjkrywy59@gmail.com or 585-352-3872.
First Congregational Church to host Children’s Activity Tent
For a second year, volunteers from the First Congregational Church of Spencerport UCC have stepped up to host the Children’s Activity Tent at Spencerport Canal Days. “We were very excited to have this opportunity this year,” said Sue Bagley, who is coordinating the event. “Working with the kids was so much fun last year. They were all so sweet and had lots of fun choosing their craft and then making it. So many smiles and giggles!”
Located in the southwest corner of the Firemen’s Field near the food trucks, the Children’s Activity Tent will have an assortment of crafts available for kids of all ages, including decorating superhero masks and princess crowns; bumble bee clothes pins; a mermaid craft; boondoggle and bead necklaces; a dinosaur craft; and a paper ice cream cone craft.
There is a nominal charge for some activities and donations are gladly accepted. Children of all ages are welcome. Parents/guardians are asked to accompany their children while they work on their projects.
“All of us who worked the tent had such a great experience that we decided at the end of Canal Days to ask to do it again this year,” added Bagley.
Head to Canal Days…for gem mining!
Uncover the excitement of gem mining and add a little sparkle to your Spencerport Canal Days visit. Fun for all ages, this hands-on experience is a treasure hunting adventure where you can sift through mining rough to reveal colorful gems.
“The gem mining is something new for us, but our love for doing fairs and festivals goes back a long way,” said Raymond Conti with NY Fun Foods. “Don Mack, owner of NY Fun Foods, has been serving and putting smiles on fairgoers’ faces since the 70s.” Gem mining is a new opportunity that was presented to the company. Mack always loved rocks and gems as a kid. His grandfather even called him “little nugget.” So, he decided the fun activity was a good fit for their festival offerings.
Miners can purchase a fossil find bag for $18, a paydirt bag for $18, or a smaller gem bag for $12 – all of which they can fill with their treasures.
Have a question?
Stop by the Information Booth!
Don’t know where to find your favorite festival treat? Looking to buy some Canaligator Race tickets? Need to find a restroom? Head over to the Information Booths located on Union Street and in front of the Firemen’s Field. Volunteers are there to hand out maps with all the vendors listed, sell Canaligator Race tickets, and answer any questions festival goers may have.
Information booths will be located on Union Street and at the start of the Firemen’s Field. The booths are manned with two volunteers from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. both Saturday and Sunday. “The volunteers work in three shifts, so that’s 12 spots I have to fill every year,” said Peggy Jongsma, who oversees the Information Booths. “A few teachers and principals have signed up to volunteer. It’s great to see hugs from former students and surprised faces when current students see teachers and principals outside of the school setting.”
Music lovers will love the entertainment at Spencerport Canal Days
Jazz, funk, rock, pop, country – no matter what your music preference, the entertainment at Spencerport Canal Days is sure to please.
All performances are in the Fireman’s Field Entertainment Tent with plenty of chairs for visitors to relax in and enjoy the entertainment.
Pick up that unique gift or home accent at Spencerport Canal Days
It’s never too early to begin your holiday shopping and Spencerport Canal Days is the perfect place to find unique handmade gifts for your family and friends, including your fur babies.
Check out Nicole McKinney’s Pawsome Treatery for dog treats with ingredients you can feel good about giving your favorite canine. A little over a year ago, she adopted a husky/boxer mix named Milo from Second Hand Dog Rescue in Rochester and he became her inspiration for creating delicious dog treats. “When I was looking at treats for him, they all had this huge list of ingredients that I didn’t even recognize and long expiration dates,” said McKinney. “It got me to wondering what’s really in these treats.”
McKinney’s first endeavor was a peanut butter and banana crunchy treat, which she now offers in four different flavors and several shapes. But she knew that not all dogs can have crunchy treats, so she started making pupcakes and doggy donuts decorated with carob frosting. She also sells carob chip and peanut butter dog cookies. All the treats are made with human grade ingredients like wheat flour, eggs, bananas, peanut butter, and oats. She dehydrates the crunchy treat so they last up to six months, and the softer treats can be frozen. “They look like people food and yes, you could eat them too if you wanted!” said McKinney.
One of Canal Days’ youngest crafters is Abby Raccuia, who is only 18, but has been selling her crafts since age 15. “I couldn’t get a job at 15, so I started making and selling jewelry at the Batavia Farmers’ Market,” she said. Then about a year ago, she decided to learn a new skill. “I live on a farm and thought it would be helpful to learn welding, so my brother Alex taught me,” said Raccuia. She also took a high school welding class followed by a 30-hour TIG welding class at Rochester Arc & Flame Center. “I decided that there was bigger potential with the horseshoes and had learned a few things about how to run a business, so now I’ve started doing some of the major craft shows in the area.”
Check out her Iron Hooves Welding booth where you can pick up yard decorations, crosses, towel racks, napkin holders and paper towel holders made from horseshoes.
In addition to McKinney and Raccuia, many new crafters will be displaying their work at Canal Days this year. Local vendors and some from around the country will travel to Spencerport with items such as jewelry; canvas/wood signs; t-shirts; laser-cut vinyl records; wooden toys, puzzles and clocks made with reclaimed wood; and much more.
Take the shuttle – save the trouble!
Spencerport Canal Days will again offer free shuttle buses to and from Spencerport High School, 2707 Spencerport Road, to Key Bank in the village of Spencerport. Plenty of free parking is available at the High School. On Sunday, July 30, buses will also shuttle visitors to and from the Car Show at the American Legion on Trimmer Road from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Handicap accessible buses are available, and the buses can also accommodate strollers.
For the past 12 years, the shuttle buses and drivers have been provided by Spencerport School District. “Many thanks to the school district and their drivers for helping us make the festival an easy outing for all,” said Pat Everett, who volunteers to coordinate the shuttles. She rides the buses for the first few runs to make sure everything is going as planned and to listen to any suggestions for improvement. The festival profits pay for the bus rental and drivers.
“I look forward every year to passing along information about Canal Days and hearing from folks about treasures they’ve purchased or music they’ve heard or just the ability to get out and visit with their neighbors and friends at a family friendly outing,” said Everett.
Canal Days Tasting Tent returns for eighth year
2013 when volunteers Greg and Denise Schweers, and Bill and Pat Everett decided to pursue the idea of a wine tent. This year, in addition to wineries, the Tasting Tent will feature a meadery and distillery.
Three wineries will be on hand: Main Street Winery from Arcade, Thousand Island Winery from Alexandria Bay, and Victorianbourg Wine Estate from Wilson.
New this year is Queen City Meadery in West Seneca. “The four of us sampled their meads at a local event and enjoyed them a great deal,” said Denise Schweers. “So, we’re hoping that people will visit the tent and give them a try too.”
What is a mead? According to Queen City, mead is an alcoholic beverage created by fermenting honey with water, sometimes with various fruits, spices, or hops. The alcohol content ranges from about 7.2 percent alcohol to more than 13 percent. The defining characteristic of mead is that most of the beverage is derived from honey. Meads may be still, carbonated, or naturally sparkling; dry, semi-sweet, or sweet.
Festival goers also will have the opportunity to taste products from Four Fights Distilling, Corning’s oldest distillery, featuring vodka, moonshine, whiskeys, bourbon, gin, and apple pie distilled spirits.
In their eight years of working together to make the Tasting Tent possible, the Everetts and the Schweers said they come back every year because they believe Spencerport is a wonderful community and they want others to enjoy the area as much as they do. “There are great people who work on this event, and we enjoy working with them and enjoy their company and friendship,” said Denise Schweers. “It is important to do your part to help your community shine and we believe we are helping Spencerport shine by helping with Canal Days.”
The Tasting Tent will be open from 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. both days of the festival in the Firemen’s Field on the southwest side of the canal bridge. Admission is $5 per person and ID (valid driver’s license) will be checked at the door. All the vendors will have products for sale and customers can request that their purchases be held until the end of the day, so they don’t have to carry them as they enjoy the festival.
The Canaligator Race is back!
The popular Canaligator Race is back after a two-year hiatus and will take place on Sunday, July 30, at 4:30 p.m. So be sure to purchase your tickets during Spencerport Canal Days at either of two Information Booths on Saturday, July 29, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday, July 30, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tickets are $5 each or five tickets for $20. You do not need to be present to win.
For those who have never experienced a Canaligator Race before, the event involves dumping over 900 little green canaligators off the Union Street Bridge into the Erie Canal to see which make it to the finish line first…and last. The Spencerport Rangers Robotics Team will dump the canaligators and 13WHAM Meteorologist Mark McLean will provide the play by play. Newly appointed Spencerport School District Superintendent Ty Zinkiewich and Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources Jamie Lissow will announce the winners.
Each one of the little green canaligators has a number on his tummy and if your number is a winner, you are a winner. Prizes include generous Wegmans and Tops gift cards, RMSC passes, a wine basket, nail salon gift cards, and gift certificates for local restaurants, such as Brindle Haus Brewing Company, Mangia Mangia, Spencerport Hots, Texas Bar-B-Q Joint, and Union Street Coffee House.
The Spencerport Teaching Assistant Association (STAA) stepped up to organize the Canaligator Race this year. “I work as a teaching assistant at Munn Elementary School,” said Rachel Baldwin, who is overseeing the event. “We were looking to do some community outreach this year and since we all missed the Canaligator Race, we were excited for the opportunity to bring it back.”
Proceeds from this year’s race will be donated to Aurora House, a two-bed comfort care home (or hospice home) for the dying in Spencerport.
Volunteers needed to make Canal Days 2024 possible
The engine that runs Spencerport Canal Days is a group of dedicated volunteers. Unfortunately, the volunteer pool is running dry and new faces are needed to step up to make Spencerport Canal Days 2024 a reality. Many volunteer positions need to be filled:
•Information Booth – 2.5-hour commitment
•Tasting Tent – 2.5-hour shifts
•Advertising – attend a few meetings to gather information that needs advertising; contract with advertising agencies.
•Car Show – park cars, direct traffic, and handle registrations
•Children’s Activities – 2- to 3-hour shifts
•Canaligator Race – planning throughout the year and helping during the race.
•Arts and Crafts – help review applications, check in vendors; serve as goodwill ambassador to listen to crafter suggestions, needs, etc.
•Solicitations – research and contact sponsors to help fund event.
•Entertainment Committee – overseeing the days of event.
•Setup/teardown – 1.5 hours at beginning and end of event
•Garbage detail – 1.5 hours twice daily
•Co-coordinator for event – share job of overseeing the event. Plan general meeting agendas and lead approximately 10 meetings per year.
This does not count the over 50 volunteers needed for the two days of the event. “Canal Days brings people to the area and thus benefits our community, and many come back throughout the year to support our local businesses,” said Ginny Swarthout, the tireless chairperson for Spencerport Canal Days. “People have even moved here after attending Canal Days. They comment on the friendly atmosphere and small-town quaintness and want to be a part of it.”
Anyone with a few spare hours, a penchant for organization, a talent for mobilizing volunteers or just a love for the Village of Spencerport and this community event, please stop by one of the Information Booths where there will be signup sheets, contact Ginny Swarthout at Spencerportcanaldays35@gmail.com or call 585-352-1350 to learn how you can help make Spencerport Canal Days 2024 a reality.
