By Mike Farmer
Old Forge will host the inaugural Red, White and Blue “Spring Into Summer” family festival Memorial Day Weekend, May 22 through 25.
Friday, Saturday and Sunday will be filled with activities and entertainment for the entire family, while Monday will be the traditional observance of fallen veterans.
A local committee has partnered with the Town of Webb and the Central Adirondack Association to build a blockbuster weekend festival.
Traditionally, Memorial Day weekend is the official launch of the summer season, with many seasonal residents in the area to open their camps.
Thousands more visit Old Forge for this opening weekend, and all will find enjoyment in the festival’s wide variety of things to do and see. Maps and schedules will be available throughout the town.
The town-wide festival will begin Friday throughout the village with gallery openings and exhibits at VIEW, as well as the annual community-wide garage sales, which continue all weekend.
The local arts community is working with local business owners to feature a sidewalk chalk art version of the Art Walk.
Many businesses which host the First Friday Artwalks will display art exhibits, and others will provide free chalk for kids to create their own art on Main Street sidewalks.
Families are key, and this festival was created to celebrate and appreciate the generations of families who have adopted Old Forge, as well as to welcome families who are new visitors.
A free bus service, courtesy of Enchanted Forest Water Safari, will shuttle folks around town all day Saturday.
Saturday’s activities include family workshops at VIEW and a free Kiwanis Car Wash at Calypso’s Cove, which will celebrate the opening weekend of its Family Fun Center.
An information booth at Point Park will be open from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. to provide festival tickets, maps and schedules.
The booth will be easy to find, as CAP-21 will be there to host CAP-PY Duck and the Soak-A-Duck Challenge.
Syracuse University mascot Otto the Orange will be on-hand for photo ops at Souvenir Village from noon to 1 p.m., and then will lead folks to the festival at the George T. Hiltebrant Recreation Center on North Street.
There they will find games, a bouncy house, and the Utica ZooMobile.
Saturday evening, VIEW will host a Wine and Cheese Reception and open the galleries for free, and at 7 p.m., renowned ventriloquist Sylvia Fletcher will present “Ventastic—The Show.”
Sunday the fun continues with fishing derbies and clinics at Old Forge Lakefront Park, more boat and train rides, a free lakefront concert featuring the Fulton Chain Gang, and fireworks over Old Forge Pond.
With the great weather recently, the community is filling more each weekend with folks opening their camps and enjoying the area.
Everyone is busting to ‘Spring into Summer’, and this family festival will satisfy all.
Monday is reserved for the solemn observance of Memorial Day, also a time-honored family tradition.
MemorialDayOldForge.com and OldForgeNY.com is where schedules and more details can be found.