I know, that really sounds like clickbait, doesn’t it? But I really am trying to find some good homes for these photos which were part of my Webster on the Web photo exhibit at the Webster Public Library in August.
I chose 24 photos for the exhibit, representing kids, community and events. It was fun having them up, but alas, a few days ago they had to be taken down to make room for September’s installation, featuring the awesome Webster-based nonprofot, Bella’s Bumbas (more on that in another blog).
(P.S., if you didn’t get to visit the library and see it, I’ve posted all the photos on a link you’ll find at the right side of this page.)
So now I have all these photos, most of them 8″ x 8″ or 10″ x 10″, which are going to get tossed if no one wants them. I’ve already delivered a handful of them to some proud parents and grandparents, but there are many more really cute ones that have gone unclaimed.
So, please take a moment and take a close look at all of the following photos and see if you can help me give them good homes. There are even a few which have no human subjects in them, but if you like ’em, they’re yours. If knowing the dates will help identify the children, you’ll find them in the photo link to the right.
I like participating in 5Ks. (You’ll notice I didn’t say “run” 5Ks, because the pace I set cannot actually be called “running.”) So I’m pleased to see that after more than a full year off, in-person races are coming back.
I was especially thrilled to see that the First Responders 5K is not only returning later this week, but will offer both in-person and virtual options.
This is one of my favorite races for a few reasons. First, it’s in the Village of Webster. I can walk to the start line AND it runs right by my house. Second, SO MANY of my Webster friends also run. And finally, a portion of the proceeds benefit a great cause.
The race website explains,
The First Responders 5K presented by L3Harris recognizes the strength, perseverance, and courage of police officers, firefighters, EMTs, 911 operators and their families in our local community.
First responders put their lives on the line for us every day as they face hardships that most of us will never know. The repetitive negative experience of stressful and potentially traumatic events that first responders face on a daily basis leaves them particularly vulnerable to post-traumatic stress disorder. We hope that this event can raise awareness for PTSD in first responders, and raise funds for a local charity, FRST Agency, that will provide support, awareness, assets, and services to first responders seeking assistance in dealing with the effects of PTSD.
The in-person race is scheduled for Friday Sept. 3 at 6:30 p.m. It will begin and end at the south side of Fireman’s Field on Sanford St., and take racers through east-side village neighborhoods. Cost is $30, or $15 for active first responders. Each racer will also receive a t-shirt and grab-and-go snack bag after the race.
My family will once again be setting up our “refreshment” stop on Fuller Ave., with water — or beer if you’re a first responder — so watch for our signs (“Running in gear? Have a beer!” “In turnout gear? We’ll turnout beer!”).
The virtual race, by the way, can be run any day between Sept. 3 and 12. Cost is $20, and you’ll also get a t-shirt.
To register for either option, and for more information including a course map, click here .
I wanted to send you this heartfelt congratulations and thank you for your wonderful Irish Festival yesterday.
Jack and I got there right when the gates opened to catch the early entertainment and right away were very impressed by what we saw. There were food vendors, the beer truck (of course), plenty of tables to sit at or hay bales to perch on, and lots more room to set up your chairs and blankets.
The entertainment line-up was packed with many of the pub’s most popular entertainers, and the Irish dance schools were a special treat.
I LOVED the kids’ lemonade stand (and Mom’s homemade cookies) and kids’ activity area. I didn’t try them out for myself, but I was tempted by the lawn games (giant Jenga, cornhole, and I even saw some hurling and Kan Jam in the back). And the vendors! So many of them with some really neat stuff. We were especially pleased to be able to reconnect with and support our old Irish Import Shop friends. (And I got some Christmas shopping done!)
Seeing old friends like that was one of the best things about the day. Of course all of the Barry’s regulars were there, but so were members of the Rochester Irish community whom we hadn’t seen in forever.
This day drew the Irish community together like no other I’ve seen in years. It had the comfortable, welcoming feel of the original Rochester Irish Festival back in the 1990s, and is something our community has needed for a long time. That was easy to see by scanning the crowd. Green t-shirts, dresses and leggings were clearly the uniform of the day as festival attendees proudly put their Irish heritage on display.
By the way, I don’t know how you did it, but you dialed up some ideal weather. Earlier in the week the weatherdudes said there was a possibility of thunderstorms, but clearly Irish eyes were smiling on you. Sure, the heat was a little oppressive when you were sitting out in the sun (can you work on that next year?) but all you had to do was keep moving your hay bale or quad chair a little more to the east to stay in the shade.
Thank you also to all the volunteers who helped set up, man the parking lot in stifling heat, provided security, checked guests in, handled concessions and managed a hundred other tasks. As far as I could see, there was nary a glitch in the planning.
Basically — and I steal this thought from a friend — the Barry’s Old School Irish Festival pretty much was Barry’s West for a day. All of the friends, community, good food, good drink and good music we have come to expect from Barry’s were there, just like we find every week at the pub … just more spread out.
I know that was the vibe you were going for. So basically, you nailed it.
It’s no coincidence that as we turned off of 260 and followed the line of cars past the corn fields to your farm, the first thing I thought of was that scene from Field of Dreams. “If you build it, they will come.”
Well, you did, they did, and it was definitely a dream come true.
Well done, my friends. We’re already looking forward to next year’s festival, and hope to become more involved, with an eye perhaps to turning it into a two-day event?
Not only did I get a proclamation from the Town for outstanding community service (and had a day named after me!), I was honored to be the featured artist on the Webster Public Library’s Artist’s Wall for the entire month.
Well, today, those photos are coming down, and being replaced with photos highlighting the work of Bella’s Bumbas, an amazing Webster grassroots organization. (Click here to read more about them.)
Have no fear, however! If you didn’t have a chance to see my photos at the library, all is not lost. I’ve posted them all, complete with captions, to this blog page. You’ll find the link in two places: at the very top of this page, and in the gutter on the right. (Or you can click here.)
So, if you haven’t seen them yet, enjoy! If you DID stop by the library, here’s your chance as well to see all the photos again.
And, by the way, if you have a personal connection to any one of them and would like to have it for yourself, drop me an email.
I know that yesterday’s blog about The Music Store closing hit some people hard. So perhaps this might soften the blow a bit:
Just across the street from The Music Store, Village HandWorks will finally open on Saturday Aug. 28 at 10 a.m.
This brand new shop, at 19 East Main St., will feature original hand-crafted goods, and supplies for weaving, knitting, sewing, and other handicrafts. Owner Jenn Ratcliffe will also be offering classes for anyone wanting to learn a new craft or practice their skills. A large comfy counch at the back of the shop will also welcome crafters who just want to sit and stitch and share their projects.
Even if you’re not a crafter yourself, how about poping in and saying hi to the Village’s newest small business owner, and welcome her to the Village family.
Village HandWorks is located at 19 East Main, right next door to the Village Quilt Shoppe.
While you’re out and about on Saturday, be sure to stop by the Webster Public Library for the Friends’ final Summer Pop Up Book Sale.
Weather permitting, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., the Friends will have tables in the library parking lot filled with all kinds of books for the entire family. This will be a Bring Your Own Bag Sale — fill your bag with gently used books for just $3, or two bags for $5. (Cash or check only please.) They REALLY need to get rid of these books to make room for more, so bring several bags!
BLOG UPDATE! Because the weather looks a little iffy on Saturday, the book sale has been moved inside the library. So do not worry if it’s a little rainy … the sale WILL GO ON!
The Friends of the Public Library would like to thank the community for their amazing support over this past summer. All funds raised from the sale will support library initiatives.
The Music Store is located at 18 East Main St., Webster
After 32 years anchoring the Village of Webster’s East Main Street business scene, The Music Store is closing.
Owner John Bucci announced the news on his Facebook page last weekend. Every day since, he’s been fielding comments and customers who are surprised and saddened by the news. But everyone can take some consolation from the fact that neither Covid nor slow sales has driven John’s decision. Instead, he said, “It’s time, just plain and simple.”
“It’s hard to do retail all these years,” he said. “I’ve been thinking about it, thinking of an exit plan, which means I was halfway out the door anyway.”
“I’m going out on my terms.”
John doesn’t know yet what life has in store for him next, but he definitely wants to move on from the day-to-day grind of retail. One thing he’s especially looking forward to is being “excited about playing my instruments again.”
The enjoyment part gets burned out from the business part. I’m looking forward to wanting to pick up my instruments again. To go downstairs and an hour and a half goes by, practicing, playing for enjoyment, getting my chops back im looking forward to that inspiration again.
I’m surrounded by (music) every day, 12 hours a day, so to continue to go home and play for two hours is just an extension of the job. That’s not enjoyable.
He does know that he won’t be selling the business; it would be too difficult to find someone to buy into all the inventory and long hours. That means everything has to go, and he’s already started marking prices down. Students who need to rent an instrument for school will find some especially good deals.
“All those rental instruments have to go,” John said, and he has a lot of them. Parents will be able to pick one up for less than what they would have paid for a year-long rental.
Like the long-time customers who are stopping by to pay their respects, John has fond memories from his history in the village. Like when the village held its first White Christmas celebration many years ago.
“We had a huge snowstorm…I built a snowman out front, I used a guitar speaker for a hat. That seems like it happened last year.”
When pressed about how it feels to have been such an integral part of the Village business scene for so long, John was at a loss for words. On his Facebook page, however, customers and friends are having no problem expressing exactly what his store has meant for Webster:
“John is hands down one of the nicest and honest people I have ever dealt with. He and his store will be greatly missed.”
“John, you have put your heart and soul into the Music Store. You have touched so many people with your passion for music.”
“You met all of our kids’ musical needs from preschool through senior year.”
“The store has been a musical cornerstone of mine for the better part of 30 years.”
“John has been great to work with and I will treasure the guitars I bought there as well as his friendly support.”
But perhaps this comment sums it up best:
“This is one of the only cool places left in the area.”
Thank you for being such an integral part of the Village of Webster family for so long, John. We will miss you , but we all wish you the best in the next chapter of your life.
The Music Store is located at 18 E. Main St. in the Village of Webster. Stop by, say hi to John and get some great deals.
The St. Rita Fiesta is back! It’s a bit smaller and later in the summer than in previous years, but definitely still packed with a lot of free family fun and great entertainment.
The 66th annual Fiesta is scheduled for Saturday Aug. 28 from 3 to 8 p.m. on the church grounds, 1008 Maple Dr. in West Webster.
The event will feature a nice variety of carnival games with prizes, a 9-hole miniature golf course, four food trucks, and live music. You can take a chance on winning $5,000 ($25 a ticket, and only 600 are being sold!) or win one of more than 20 gorgeous gift baskets.
Basically, it’s going to be an outstanding afternoon filled with family fun. Plan on heading on over and letting those folks know that we’re happy to see the Fiesta again.
Several weeks ago I devoted an entire blog to the beautiful gardens crafted by Maria Blanco all around her home at the corner of Phillips and Ridge Rd.
It struck me recently that Maria’s gardens, while spectacular, are not the only ones I admire on my daily walks. One of my regular walking routes takes me into the village, up North Ave. to the bike path, to Phillips, back into the village, and through neighborhood streets home. And all along the way, Rose of Sharon bushes, bursts of flowers and flowering shrubs, annuals and perennials, sunflowers, black-eyed Susans and whimsical signs cheer me and help quicken my step.
Yesterday, however, I slowed my step long enough to take photos of many of the gardens I see along the way. Perhaps yours is among them. If so, thank you for all your hard work and for brightening my mornings.
Danny and Jessica Barry — owners of Barry’s Old School Irish in the Village of Webster and two of my favorit-est people ever — have been working for months with a dedicated team of volunteers, pulling together a thousand little details in preparation for this second-annual event (if you don’t count last Covid year).
Organizing an Irish Festival was a dream of theirs since Danny and Jess opened their little pub 10 years ago. Just before their first festival in 2019, Jess told me (and I’m sure the sentiment hasn’t changed):
This has been a goal/dream of ours … having a fun-filled day celebrating our proud Irish heritage. A day where families can bond, kids can learn about Irish culture in an interactive setting, where friends can gather, where everyone can come away with new friends and make great memories together.
“Our most important goal,” she added, “is to take the warmth and love of our little Irish Pub on 2 West Main Street and bring it to our farm/our home for the day.”
Barry’s Old School Irish Festival 2021 is scheduled for Saturday Aug. 28 from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., on the Barry family farm out in Hilton, 2668 Brick Schoolhouse Rd., which they call the “Barry Patch.” Highlights include arts and crafts vendors, food and beer trucks, and live music all day long.
True to its family-friendly nature, there will also be a great kids’ area, with farm animals, something which Jess is really looking forward to.
Click here for lots more details, but on Saturday you can expect:
entertainment from Kevin Reynolds, Himself, Dave North, Everheart, Celtic Cross, 1916 and a live Irish jam session
dancers from the Jamieson School of Irish Dance and the Young School of Irish Dance
food trucks and ice cream
an Irish beer truck, bottled beers and wine
kids’ activities
lawn games
Irish whiskey samples
giveaways and other specials
Tickets are $17 in advance and $20 at the gate (children 15 and under are free). Presale tickets can be purchased at the pub, 2 West Main Street in the Village of Webster. You can also purchase tickets online here. (Use the promo code “pints” for a special discount!)
A portion of the proceeds will be donated to the Webster Volunteer Fire Dept. and the future Rochester Irish Community Center.
Summer in the Village of Webster is really ending on a high note.
Tonight, Friday Aug. 20, the Gazebo Concert series continues with a performance by Grammy-nominated smooth jazz artist Jimmie Highsmith Jr. and his band.
The concert begins at 7 p.m., and audience members are encouraged to bring their chairs, blankets, and coolers for two hours of fine music. There’s no charge.
Saturday afternoon Aug. 21, the Village Wine Walks return. These are always very popular events, where participants stroll through the village, stopping at several businesses along the way and sampling a nice variety of wines. This year’s event should be even better attended as it begins in the afternoon for the first time. Partticipants can pick up their wine glasses and begin their mini-wine tour at Finn’s Automotive, 45 East Main Street, beginning at 3:30 p.m.
Tickets are $15 and can be purchased here. A portion of the proceeds will benefit the Webster Special Police.
Looking forward to next week, Movies in the Park return on Tuesday Aug. 24, with a showing of Honey I Shrunk the Kids Gazebo Park. The movie will begin around 8:15.
All of these events are brought to you by the Webster BID. Visit their website for more details about all of these and sign up for the BID newsletter so you’ll stay informed about all upcoming events. (Like the Jazz Fest in September!)
I feature the people and places and events that make Webster the wonderful community it is — and throw in some totally-not-Webster-related personal ramblings every once in a while as well.
I love it when readers send me news about the great things happening in their schools or the community, so please email me anytime at missyblog@gmail.com
webster on the web 