Walkabout focuses on living,
playing, shopping in Churchville

Everyone's invited to hit the streets of Churchville Thursday evening to sample products and services from local businesses and visit three special events planned for the Second Annual Churchville Walkabout.

Village Trustee Scott Cullen organized the walkabout again this year and said it will be bigger and better than last year. "The majority of businesses in the village will open late to invite people in to browse around," he said. It will be go from 5 to 9 p.m. June 13 throughout the village of Churchville.

Walkers will be able to pick up freebies again this year, such as a free carnation from A Touch of Country Class on South Main Street, or sample services, like a free chair massage at Body Harmony, inside Babe's Unisex Hair Salon on Fitch Street. Churchville Farm and Home, on South Main Street, will hand out popcorn, and the village physician, Henry Paszko, M.D., will keep his office open late to introduce his new partner to the public.

New participants include Star of the West flour mill, which will be giving out Dunkin' Donuts, one of the major purchasers of its flour, and Krony's, where walkers can pick up a free treat. These are just a few of the participating businesses and services.

Cullen worked with village and town leaders to coordinate several events into Thursday's celebration of living, playing and shopping locally. The United Congregational Church will host its annual strawberry social that night, from 4 to 7 p.m., where the RG&E Band will play.
Village officials will hold the official ribbon cutting and dedication of the new Village Hall at 23 East Buffalo Street at 5:30 p.m. A reception and open house, with free refreshments, will go on from 5 to 9 p.m. "People can come in and tour the new building, and see where their tax dollars went," said Cullen.

At 7 p.m. everyone is invited to the dedication of the Ray Adams Cobblestone Hall at 22 West Buffalo Street. The town has renovated the building, which was built in 1843 as a school and has served as a school gymnasium, a Grange Hall, a theater and a church building. Now it will be put to use as a meeting hall and museum.

Riga officials plan music by The Fiddlers of the Genesee, to begin at 6:30 p.m., and will display historical photos all evening. The joint Town/Village Comprehensive Plan Committee will also have a display.

"We planned everything one night, instead of having lots of events with a few people at each one," Cullen said.

Also new this year, booths will be set up in the Newman Riga Library to promote town organizations such as the American Legion and Riga Recreation. Cullen said getting the town involved is one step in expanding the event.

"We would like to build this into something more," he said. Cullen, owner of Air Affair and Videos Plus, two village businesses, started the walkabout last year as a way to let locals know what they have available to them right at home, and to encourage support of local business. Now, he says, town and village leaders think it could grow into a homegrown street festival.