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The Caring Community Concerts are back!

1 Jul

The Caring Community Concert series at the United Church of Christ (570 Klem Rd.) is back, and this summer’s lineup is a great one.

These concerts benefit local nonprofit organizations through free-will donations. The first one, scheduled for Wednesday July 8, will feature Allegro, and proceeds will benefit the Webster Comfort Care Home. (See below for the whole schedule.)

There’s no admission, but each week the church collects a free-will offering benefiting that week’s chosen non-profit organization.

The UCC has been sponsoring these concerts for 20 years, and through free-will offerings have raised tons of money for local non-profit organizations. People are invited to bring lawn chairs or blankets and a picnic if they wish. There’s also a concession stand selling soda, hot dogs, hamburgers, pulled pork, and a weekly “special.”

The concerts all begin at 6:30 p.m., and food concessions begin at 6. The concerts are held on the United Church of Christ front lawn, at 570 Klem Rd. (In case of rain it’s moved indoors.) So put these concerts on your calendar now and plan to enjoy some great music for a good cause.

Here’s the rest of the schedule:

  • July 15: ACME R&B to benefit the Webster Public Library BookBox for Kids and Teens.
    • ACME R&B are a Rochester-based quintet who play classic R&B, rock covers and original tunes.

For more information about the concerts, click here.

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(posted 7/1/2026)

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Light up the night at Party in the Park

29 Jun

You know those Family Game Nights the Webster Business Improvement District (BID) folks would have occasionally on Main Street? They had music and dancing and snacks and games, and sometimes beer.

Well, there hasn’t been one of those in a while, but the BID is kind of bringing it back in a few weeks with their brand new family event, “Party in the Park.” It takes place Saturday night, July 11 from 6 to 10 p.m. at Veterans Memorial Park, and it’s a little bit different — and I think better — than the Family Game Nights.

For starters, the BID organizers will be providing glow sticks, so the kids can light up the night as the sun sets. There’ll be games, food provided by Webster Hots, ice cream treats from Sips & Scoops, DJ music from Cassano Studios, and lots and lots of dancing.

This is going to be a great family-fun event, and a really nice way to enjoy a warm summer evening. It’s totally free and all ages are encouraged to attend. It’s Saturday, July 11 from 6 to 10 p.m. at the gazebo, 28 North Ave. in the Village of Webster.

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(posted 6/30/2026)

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America’s 250th Celebration at the Arboretum was a great success

28 Jun
Michael Grenier’s flint and steel demonstration was a hit with the kids
Even the adults got into the dance party spirit

You know how those nostalgic movies like Tom Sawyer and The Music Man often feature idyllic, turn-of-the-century scenes of Fourth-of-July celebrations? They’re sun-drenched settings with brass bands, ice cream, bustling town squares (complete with gazebos), kids playing lawn games, neighbors visiting with neighbors, and plenty of red, white and blue bunting.

That is exactly what it felt like to be part of the Webster Arboretum’s huge America’s 250th Celebration last Wednesday, June 24. It had all those elements, and many more, including kids’ crafts, food trucks, a duck race, musket firing, honor guard, story telling, a dance party, dulcimers, a barbershop chorus, and guided tours of the Arboretum grounds. It was even sun-drenched. The whole afternoon had a classic Americana vibe, a wonderful celebration of our country’s rich history, while also highlighting our area’s own cultural and educational groups.

Organizers estimate that more than 1000 community members attended the four-hour celebration, and that’s on top of the representatives from the two dozen community groups which had set up information tables.

It all took a ton of planning, and reflected the efforts of a dedicated team of volunteers.

Wendy Mendola from the Arboretum wrote,

Jason Poole from the Webster Library, Sharon Pratt from the Webster Museum, Lisa Schlonski from Lala’s and Ginny Nguyen all worked with the board members of The Webster Arboretum to bring this event to fruition. Our planning began months ago and we met regularly to bring our community together to celebrate America’s 250th and bring the Webster Arboretum to the forefront. We would like to thank the volunteers, sponsors and the members of the community for making this event a rocking success.

This was our first BIG event and we feel it went very well. We brought the community together for some good family fun.

Striking Strings Dulcimer Group

I spent the entire afternoon at the event. For much of the time I was hanging out at our Women’s Club of Webster display, but I made sure to regularly walk around the grounds, stopping by all of the information tables, chatting with the organization representatives, listening to the bands and watching the kids laughing and having fun. It was delightful to see entire families out in the field playing Cornhole together, or at the craft table painting flower pots. Watching Michael Grenier — decked out in his all-wool Revolutionary War uniform — whip a batch of young, raw recruits into shape was absolutely charming. Standing face-to-snout with a huge snapping turtle was less so.

It was all extremely well organized and so much fun, the perfect way to celebrate our nation’s birthday. Congratulations to everyone who helped pull it together, and many thanks to all of the organizations who set up tables and community members who came out to have some good old-fashioned family fun. It’s really a shame we can’t do it all again next year.

… or can we?

A thousand thank yous to Joe Altieri for most of these photos! Here’s a gallery with a few more:

  • The Webster Kidets Junior Marching Band helped open the event
  • The Webster Kidets Junior Marching Band helped open the festivities

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(posted 6/28/2026)

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Radio Club Field Day will broadcast again from Kent Park

23 Jun

Several days ago I wrote about an extra-special Field Day event hosted at Webster Schroeder High School for some preschoolers. Today I want to remind you about a completely different Field Day, the XRX Radio Club Amateur Field Day, taking place next Saturday and Sunday June 27 and 28.

This Field Day does not have popsicles or hoop games, a huge parachute or bubbles. Instead, its main attractions are antennae, laptops, solar power stations and radio contact with people from around the world.

On Field Day, operators are challenged to transport their equipment away from their homes, set up in a park or remote area, rebuild their stations, put up antennas and broadcast in quasi-emergency conditions, “off the grid,” without drawing electricity from RG&E or using the internet or cell phones. Operators use generators, batteries, or solar cells for power, along with temporary antennas to simulate emergency conditions. (Last year’s effort even featured a completely solar-powered station and antenna held aloft with a kite.) They communicate via voice, Morse code and computers connected to transmitters. The goal is simply to contact as many other stations as possible during a 24-hour window, overcoming any challenges thrown by weather or technical problems along the way.

Last year, in addition to the operators’ usual communications with stations across the US and Canada, they also made contact with several European stations, demonstrating their ability to “get through” in the event of a real emergency.

Visitors making their own contacts
GOTA kite antenna

Field Day takes place every year on the fourth weekend of June at more than 1,000 parks and publicly accessible sites across the country, and involves more than 30,000 radio amateurs. It’s part competition — to see who can make the most contacts — but also an educational opportunity, a chance for the amateur radio operators to showcase their equipment and skills to the general public.

Visitors are welcome and encouraged, so if you’re even a little bit interested in amateur radio, you should stop by. You’ll probably even get a chance to go on the air.

It all happens in the soccer field area at Kent Park, 1700 Schlegel Rd., at the end of the long driveway. Set up begins on Saturday June 27 at 10:30 a.m. The exercise officially starts at 2 p.m. and runs through 2 p.m. on Sunday. Visitors can stop by anytime.

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(posted 6/23/2026)

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Webster Village Band summer concerts begin soon

20 Jun

The Webster Village Band concert season is just about upon us.

The band’s first FREE concert is Wednesday, June 24, held in conjunction with the Webster Arboretum’s 250th Anniversary Celebration. It will begin at 6 p.m. (STay tuned for more information about this huge party.)

The special Arboretum event is just the first of four concerts the Village Band will be presenting this summer, the other three scheduled for Thursday July 2, Thursday July 23 and Thursday Aug. 27.

Here’s what you can look forward to from this year’s performances:

  • July 2: Patriotic Music Night — Celebrate our nation’s 250th birthday with favorites like “Armed Forces Salute,” “America the Beautiful,” and classic marches.
  • July 23: Great Band Repertoire — Enjoy a wide mix of concert band classics plus music from Billy Joel, Hello, Dolly!, and Ray Charles
  • Aug. 27: Celebration Concert — A fun, upbeat program featuring Hollywood themes, big band tunes, 60’s vibes, and a Disney medley.

The Webster Village Band is directed by Andy Kittleson. The July and August concerts are held at the Harmony Park band shell (Foster Dr. & Phillips Rd.). They always begin at 7 p.m. and audience members are encouraged to bring a blanket, lawn chairs and a cooler, and stretch out on the spacious lawn area in front of the band shell to enjoy some beautiful music under the evening summer sky. If the weather doesn’t cooperate, they’ll move inside to the Cherry Ridge chapel at 900 Cherry Ridge Blvd.

These concerts are always free and open to the public.

I’ve always thought of the Webster Village Band as a hidden gem in our community. These musicians have been performing and providing free concerts for our village for 59 years now. It’s exactly the kind of thing that makes small-town life so special.

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(posted 6/20/2026)

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Celebrate our nation’s birthday at the Arboretum

15 Jun

Our country is marking a HUGE birthday this year, and the Webster Arboretum’s planning an equally huge party to celebrate.

For four hours on Wednesday afternoon, June 24, the Arboretum will be filled with music, dance, storytellers, games, food trucks, kids’ activities, information tables from two dozen community organizations, and much more.

It all happens from 3 to 7 p.m. on Wednesday June 24 at the Arboretum, 1700 Schlegel Rd. A very entertaining variety of activities are scheduled all afternoon, so bring a folding chair for the music, and try to be there for as long as you can.

Here’s the whole schedule:

  • 2:45 p.m.: Kidet Marching Band (WCSD’s elementary school marching band)
  • 3 p.m.: VFW Patriot Guard
  • 3 to 4 p.m.: Continental Army Tent with Michael Grenier
  • 3:30 to 4:30 p.m.: Fathers’ Night Out in the gazebo (Dixieland band)
  • 3:30 to 4 p.m.: Storytelling Circle with Ganondagan (traditional Haudenosaunee stories)
  • 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. Striking Strings dulcimer group (including harp, penny whistle, flute, guitar and marimba)
  • 3:30 to 6:30 p.m.: Uncle Bucks food truck
  • 4 to 4:30 p.m.: Life of the Seneca with Ganondagan, a talk about the daily life of the Seneca
  • 4 to 4:30 p.m. and 4:30 to 5 p.m.: Children’s Militia Program
  • 4 to 5 p.m.: Paint-a-pot activity for kids
  • 4 to 5:30 pm.: Guided tours of the Arboretum
  • 4:30 to 5:30 p.m.: Dance Party with Dancing with Denise
  • 4:30 to 6:30 p.m.: Poetry Trail guided tours
  • 5 to 5:30 p.m.: Wildlife Rock Stars, exotic animals show-and-tell
  • 5 to 6 p.m.: Story time with Nancy Nesbitt of the Webster Museum
  • 5:30 to 6 p.m.: Flint and Steel presentation
  • 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.: Flower-seed paper cutouts at the craft table
  • 5:30 to 7 p.m.: Scoops ice cream truck
  • 6 to 6:30 p.m.: Duck Derby! Purchase a duck and race them in the pond
  • 6 to 6:45 p.m.: Webster Village Band
  • 6 to 7 p.m.: Chorus of the Genesee, barbershop harmony
  • 6:30 to 7 p.m.: Story time for kids with the Webster Public Library
  • 6:45 p.m.: Firing of the musket

Plus, all afternoon, you can check out incredible art displays with Joe Altieri, play lawn games with the kids, stop by the Patriotic coloring table, and try your hand at a scavenger hunt and history trivia quiz.

See? You’re not going to want to miss a minute of this event, so plan to come early and have dinner and dessert there. (P.S. make sure to stop by the Women’s Club of Webster information table and say hi to me!)

This amazing event is being presented as a collaboration of the Webster Arboretum with the Webster Public Library (Jason Poole), the Webster Community Chest (Ginny Nguyen), the Webster Museum (Sharon Pratt) and Lala’s Gift Shop & Boutique (Lisa Schlonski).

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(posted 6/15/2026)

email me  at missyblog@gmail.com. “Like” this blog on Facebook and follow me on Instagram and Threads (@missyblog)

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Cross-district collaboration sparks young artists and authors

11 Jun

A unique exhibit on display now at the Webster Public Library showcases the artistic and writing talents of 71 of our Webster CSD elementary school students.

The project is called “Spark, Jr.: Art From Writing, Writing From Art,” and it’s a creative blend of imagination and words, where paintings inspired stories, and stories inspired art.

Four classes across the district participated: Jamie Palmer’s preschoolers at Schroeder High School; Leslie Ambler’s first graders at Klem North Elementary; and from Schlegel Elementary, Kathleen Hall’s second graders and Becky Margiotta’s third graders.

The project unfolded in two creative waves. First, students in the four classrooms each created an original work of art and a piece of writing. These were then shuffled and passed along to other classrooms, where students used them as a springboard, creating new art sparked by the other student’s written words, and new writing sparked by another student’s artwork.

The idea for the “Spark, Jr.” project has been percolating in Jamie Palmer’s head for about 15 years, ever since she was a fifth grade teacher at Klem South Elementary, and through her years as the librarian at Schlegel Rd. Now, as a preschool teacher at Schroeder High School, she was finally able to make it happen.

“I was working with (author) Amy Ludwig VanDerwater in my fifth grade classroom,” Palmer said. “She shared that she was taking part in this experience. I thought it was a really cool idea and wanted to see what would happen if we tried it out with students in multiple grade levels, and possibly across our district. This was finally the year to try it out with three amazing teachers.”

The students and their families were invited to an artists’ reception (complete with refreshments) at the library on Wednesday evening to see their own work on display and how other students had been sparked by their artwork and writing. It was delightful to see how proud the young authors and artists were to show off their work, and how excited they were to see the results. But it was especially touching when actual connections were made between writers and artists from different classrooms.

The project sparked the teachers as much as the students. Kathleen Hall perhaps said it best when she told Palmer, “This is literally the best thing I’ve ever done as a teacher.”

More than 280 individual pieces of art and writing were created, and they’re all on display at the Webster Public Library through June 19. You’ll find them spread between two locations: under the huge feathers in the main lobby, and in (and on) the display case near the information desk. The library is located at 980 Ridge Rd., at the back of Webster Plaza.

Meet some of the artists/authors:

  • PreK student Mila Levy reading everyone’s written pieces
  • Emerson Cocquyt, 2nd grade
  • 2nd grader Benjamin Popielarz with Leslie Ambler
  • PreK student Peyton Mahns with her bubble gum portrait
  • Writer/artist connection: Emma Fischer (2nd grade) and Jaxson Williams (preK)

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(posted 6/11/2026)

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Summer Celebration returns this weekend

9 Jun

Here’s a quick, bonus blog today about an event that totally snuck up on me.

It’s the annual Summer Celebration at the Webster Recreation Center. It takes place this Saturday, June 13 from 4 to 10 p.m. at the Rec Center, 1350 Chiyoda Drive (off of Phillips).

This is an evening of family-friendly fun, bounce houses, LOTS of food trucks, live music and fireworks. Dr. Jem takes the stage from 6 to 7:15 p.m., followed by ZBTB from 7:45 to 10 p.m.. And at the end of it all (did I mention?) there’s a huge fireworks display.

The event is free and open to the community. Parking will be available in the Xerox parking lots directly south of the Recreation Center. Handicap parking will be available closer to the festivities.

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(posted 6/7/2026)

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Outdoor concerts at the middle schools will welcome summer

7 Jun

Next Thursday and Friday, June 11 and 12, Webster’s two middle schools will host some musical treats for the entire community, to bid goodbye to another school year and welcome summer.

On Thursday June 11, Spry Middle School and Webster Schroeder High School will team up to present their Summer Sendoff concert from 6 to 8 p.m. Students, families, and community members are invited to gather outside the Cafetorium doors near the southernmost parking lot, for an evening of music and treats. The concert will feature performances by student musicians from each school’s band, choir, and orchestra.

Spry Middle School is located at 119 South Ave.

On Friday June 12, from 6 p.m.until sundown, Willink Middle School will host their Third Annual Concert on the Lawn. I’m not certain what musical ensembles will be performing, but I imagine you can expect to see a variety of Willink M.S. and Thomas H.S. bad, chorus and orchestra groups as well.

I DO know that the Willink event will include community and craft vendors. Plus, please bring your gently used sporting equipment and musical instruments to donate to students in need, and/or an item for the Willink Food Pantry.

Willink Middle School is located at 900 Publishers Parkway.

Attendees for both events are encouraged to bring lawn chairs or blankets to sit on. Food trucks will be on hand at both venues. Let’s hope for good weather and welcome summer with music!

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(posted 6/7/2026)

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St. Martin Garage Sale returns this week

1 Jun

Shoppers looking for bargains while supporting a good cause will want to mark their calendars for the annual St. Martin ELCA Church Garage Sale, taking place Thursday, June 4 through Saturday, June 6 at St. Martin ELCA Church, 813 Bay Road in Webster.

The three-day sale will feature a wide variety of items, including household goods, kitchenware, home décor, toys, collectibles, books, jewelry, framed artwork, seasonal decorations, and much more. Organizers say there will truly be something for everyone.

Sale hours are:

  • Thursday, June 4: 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
  • Friday, June 5: 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
  • Saturday, June 6: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Proceeds from the garage sale will support two important community outreach efforts: St. Martin’s Little Food Pantry and Santa’s Stocking Project.

The Little Food Pantry provides food and essential items to individuals and families experiencing food insecurity in the Webster area. Santa’s Stocking Project, coordinated by church member Jim Lockwood, provides small gifts, toiletries, hats, gloves, and other necessities to people in need throughout Webster and surrounding communities during the holiday season.

“This sale is about neighbors helping neighbors,” said organizer and longtime church member, Mary Lou Alexander. “Every item purchased helps us continue supporting people in our community who may be struggling to make ends meet. It’s amazing to see how generous our donors, volunteers, and shoppers are year after year.”

Alexander said thousands of donated items have been collected over the last month and are carefully organized for the event.

“We have a tremendous selection this year,” she said. “Whether you’re looking for household items, collectibles, gifts, or something unique, there’s a good chance you’ll find it. The best part is knowing that your purchase directly benefits local outreach programs.”

The sale has become a community tradition, drawing bargain hunters from throughout Webster and the surrounding area while raising funds for important local causes.

Admission is free, and all are welcome to attend.

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(posted 6/1/2026)

email me  at missyblog@gmail.com. “Like” this blog on Facebook and follow me on Instagram and Threads (@missyblog)

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