One of the most colorful signs of summer in Webster is the return of the Joe Obbie Farmers’ Market to Webster Towne Center Plaza on Holt Rd. (in front of Old Navy).
The market opened for the season on Saturday June 8, and will be set up every Saturday at the plaza from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. through October, rain or shine.
If you’ve never been to this market, you should start making it a regular Saturday morning stop. Varying with the season, you’ll find baked goods, pies, meats, poultry, goat cheese and goat cheese products, flavored nuts, herbs, spice blends, honey, maple syrup, cider, soap and body care products, plants and cut flowers, jewelry, crafts, and of course a wide variety of fruits and vegetables.
The very popular Evening in the Park Market will also return in July to Charles Sexton Park (formerly known as North Ponds) on Wednesday evenings.
Starting July 17, the market will be set up at the park from 4 to 8 p.m. every Wednesday through August 28. In addition to the vendors, these events will also have live music and food trucks (including Firefly Nectar mobile bar every week), so remember to pack your quad chairs!
Something new this year is a Music Raffle — a raffle to help support the musical guests — with some great prizes (check out the flyer for details). Tickets will be available from vendors at the Saturday market, and the drawing will be held on July 17.
* * *
email me at missyblog@gmail.com. “Like” this blog on Facebook and follow me on Instagram and Threads (@missyblog)
You can also get email notifications every time I post a new blog by using the “Subscribe” link on the right side of this page (or all the way at the bottom of the page if you’re on your phone).
The band’s first FREE concert is this coming Thursday, June 27 beginning at 7 p.m. at the Village Band Shell at Harmony Park on Phillips Rd. It’s the first of three concerts this summer, the other two scheduled for Thursday July 25 and Thursday Aug. 22.
Directed by Andy Kittleson, the band will be performing a selection of genres at each concert, including pop, jazz, musicals, marches and some instrumental features for various sections of the band.
These concerts are always free and open to the public. 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.
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 57 years now. It’s exactly the kind of thing that makes small-town life so special.
* * *
email me at missyblog@gmail.com. “Like” this blog on Facebook and follow me on Instagram and Threads (@missyblog)
You can also get email notifications every time I post a new blog by using the “Subscribe” link on the right side of this page (or all the way at the bottom of the page if you’re on your phone).
Here’s a short, bonus blog today that will interest anyone who’s into ham radio operation.
About a week ago I posted a blog about the XRX Radio Club and how they’re participating in the annual ARRL Field Day competition, broadcasting from Kent Park. But I recently learned about another group which will also be participating, setting up in Webster Park.
As described on the ARRL website, Field Day, held the fourth weekend in June, is the most popular on-the-air event held annually in the US and Canada. More than 40,000 radio amateurs gather with their clubs, groups or friends across North America to operate from remote locations.
It’s kind of like ham radio’s open house. Community members are encouraged to stop by to learn more about the hobby. It combines science, public service, emergency preparedness, community outreach and technical skills, and all are on display at Field Day.
The 24-hour exercise begins at 2 p.m. Saturday and runs through 2 p.m. Sunday. Visitors are more than welcome.
* * *
email me at missyblog@gmail.com. “Like” this blog on Facebook and follow me on Instagram and Threads (@missyblog)
You can also get email notifications every time I post a new blog by using the “Subscribe” link on the right side of this page (or all the way at the bottom of the page if you’re on your phone).
Mark your calendars now for an amazing opportunity to “meet” some of Webster’s earliest settlers, at the 200th Anniversary Celebration for Webster Union Ceremony on Saturday, Aug. 17.
From 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., visitors are invited to stroll Webster Union Cemetery’s beautiful grounds and chat with some of the people who founded our town. Talk to a suffragette fighting for women’s right to vote, a 1918 Spanish flu victim, Civil War soldiers, shopkeepers, boardinghouse owners, and even a Revolutionary War spy. You’ll also have a chance to learn headstone cleaning and preservation.
Here’s a little about the cemetery’s history to whet your appetite:
Farmland was donated for the first known burial in 1817, when a Webster child needed a place to rest. It was originally called The Burial Ground, Lakeside, Union Cemetery of Webster. Since this caused some confusion between other areas near Webster, especially Union Hill Cemetery, the name was officially changed to Webster Union Cemetery in April 1954.
In 1859, Webster’s first settler, Abram Foster, was buried there at the age of 90. He was the first of many prominent families to come, including the Burnetts, Curtices, Fosters, Pelletts, Woodhulls, Whitings, and Wrights. Veterans from the Revolutionary War, War of 1812, Civil War, World Wars I and II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War are buried there as well.
So plan to take a stroll through history and see why this early burial ground continues to be a significant part of Webster’s past and future.
The 200th Anniversary Celebration will take place Saturday Aug. 17 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Webster Union Cemetery, 345 Webster Rd. (corner of Rt. 250 and Woodhull). Admission is free.
* * *
email me at missyblog@gmail.com. “Like” this blog on Facebook and follow me on Instagram and Threads (@missyblog)
You can also get email notifications every time I post a new blog by using the “Subscribe” link on the right side of this page (or all the way at the bottom of the page if you’re on your phone).
I’d like to begin today’s mailbag with a shout-out to Webster Girl Scout Troop 60617 for their kindness and consideration for our deployed service members.
Troop leaders heard that military families in our area needed baby blankets, so they and their Scouts got to work. They crafted three beautiful blankets, which will be donated to Blue Star Mothers Rochester Chapter NY8, who will distribute them to local military families so they can surround their babies with love.
Many thanks to Troop 60617 and leader Beth Cunico.
And now, details about our upcoming high school graduation ceremonies, courtesy the Webster CSD:
Webster Schroeder Graduation
Rehearsal – Friday, June 21, 9 a.m. Seniors meet in the Webster Schroeder Warrior Stadium, 875 Ridge Road. REHEARSAL ATTENDANCE IS MANDATORY. Commencement – Friday, June 21 at the Webster Schroeder stadium. Seniors line up at 6:30 p.m. in the school auditorium, and procession begins promptly at 7:30 p.m. (Rain date Saturday, June 22, time TBD.) Live stream: The 2024 Warrior Graduation Ceremony will be live streamed here.
Webster Thomas Graduation
Rehearsal – Tuesday, June 25, 10:30 a.m. Seniors meet in the Willink Middle School cafetorium, 900 Publishers Parkway. REHEARSAL ATTENDANCE IS MANDATORY. Commencement – Tuesday, June 25. Seniors line up at 6:45 p.m. in the Willink Middle School cafetorium. Procession begins promptly at 7:30 p.m. to the Webster Thomas Titan Stadium, 800 Five Mile Line Road. (Rain date – Wednesday, June 26, time TBD.) Live stream: The 2024 Titan Graduation Ceremony will be live streamed here.
Both ceremonies will last roughly two hours. No tickets are required. These are open seating events. Gates open to the public approximately one hour before each procession begins. There is ample seating for families and other guests in the stands and on the field. Attendees are encouraged to arrive early because traffic tends to back up.
Geocaching presentation at Webster Public Library
All sorts of fun things are always happening at the library, but I want to highlight this talk today because it’s being presented by my friend Gerry Sander.
On Tuesday July 2 at 6:30 p.m., Gerry will be presenting a talk called Beginner’s Guide to Geocaching.
Embark on a modern-day treasure hunt with Geocaching, the ultimate family-friendly adventure! Imagine setting out on a journey armed with just your GPS-enabled device or smartphone, ready to uncover hidden gems tucked away in both urban jungles and remote wilderness.
The adventure begins with accessing coordinates of hidden caches posted online, each waiting to be discovered by intrepid adventurers like yourself. With coordinates in hand, you embark on a quest to find these cleverly concealed containers, ranging from tiny film canisters to larger, more elaborate boxes. As you navigate your way through diverse landscapes, whether it’s a bustling cityscape, a tranquil forest, or a rocky coastline, you become immersed in the thrill of the hunt. Each step brings you closer to the treasure, requiring keen observation, problem-solving skills, and sometimes a bit of physical prowess, to reach the cache’s hiding spot.
It’s an exciting and interactive way to bond, explore, and make unforgettable experiences together!
Gerry is a veteran geocacher and his presentation will most definitely be interesting and informative. There’s no charge, but registration is required. Click here to do so.
There will be 178 books for sale in various categories including (but not limited to) poetry, war, history, biography and Rochester and Upstate New York, by authors including Carl Sagan, Marc Chagell and Arch Merrill. The sale will also feature authors Pearl S. Buck and A. A. Milne. Prices for some books are as low as $8 and as high as $80 but many are priced in the teens; all prices are fixed and are not negotiable. The Friends will accept major credit cards, checks and (of course) cash. Money raised during the event will benefit the Webster Public Library.
The library is located at 980 Ridge Rd., at the rear of Webster Plaza.
Entry fee is $125 per player and includes golf, gift and lunch. RSVP by July 10. Business sponsorship packages begin at $200 and include perks like sponsorship signs, logo placement, and an opportunity to put your branded item in the gift bags. Click here for more information and to register.
The invitational will benefit St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital and Lollypop Farm Humane Society.
These concerts benefit local nonprofit organizations. The first one, scheduled for WednesdayJuly 10, will feature 8 Days a Week, and proceeds will benefit the Webster Comfort Care Home. (See the flier 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 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.)
For more information about the concerts, click here.
Music, music, music in the Village of Webster
Here’s another look ahead at summer in the village:
Family Game Night and Beer Garden (Saturday July 27 from 4 to 7 p.m.)
Webster Jazz Festival (Aug. 9-10), featuring the New Prime Time Funk, Judah Sealy and more.
Health Fairand Shredding Event (Saturday Oct. 12)
Trick or Treat Trail (Saturday Oct. 26)
Bourbon Bash (Saturday Nov. 2)
Winter Wonderland (Saturday Dec. 7)
* * *
email me at missyblog@gmail.com. “Like” this blog on Facebook and follow me on Instagram and Threads (@missyblog)
You can also get email notifications every time I post a new blog by using the “Subscribe” link on the right side of this page (or all the way at the bottom of the page if you’re on your phone).
Summer is the perfect time to take a walking tour of the Village of Webster and explore its history. The Webster Museum has a fun and interesting way to do that: the Webster Walkabout Adventure Lab. It’s an activity for the whole family that gets everyone outside to learn a little history and get some exercise along the way.
The Webster Walkabout is based on geocaching, the very popular outdoor treasure-hunting activity that uses global positioning system (GPS) coordinates to hide and locate containers called geocaches.
Typically, the hidden geocaches are physical containers containing trinkets to reward the finder. The Webster Walkabout Adventure Lab is different; participants are led to a series of virtual caches; in this case, five sites of historical significance to the founding of the Village of Webster. At each stop, the game prompts you to answer a question by typing in a word that can be found on a sign or plaque nearby. The correct answer unlocks the clue to the next location. Some of the walkabout stops even include videos.
The tour is about a mile and a half long and will take about 90 minutes. When you’re all done, you’ll be given a code to unlock a special bonus puzzle geocache located at the museum.
In order to play the Adventure Lab, you need a smartphone (iOS or Android) with the Adventure Lab mobile app installed, with a data plan and cell service. You’ll also need to sign up for a free account on geocaching.com. To open this Webster Walkabout in the Adventure Lab mobile app, type in labs.geocaching.com/goto/WEBSTER.
Read more about this and other fun ways to learn about Webster history by visiting the Webster Museum website at webstermuseum.com. Better yet, visit the museum any Tuesday, Thursday or Saturday from 2 to 4:30 p.m. It’s located at 18 Lapham Park.
* * *
email me at missyblog@gmail.com. “Like” this blog on Facebook and follow me on Instagram and Threads (@missyblog)
You can also get email notifications every time I post a new blog by using the “Subscribe” link on the right side of this page (or all the way at the bottom of the page if you’re on your phone).
A couple of fun things coming up this weekend are atop my mailbag.
The first is the Webster Recreation Center’s annual Summer Celebration, this Saturday June 8 from 4 to 10 p.m.
This excellent family-friendly event features a bounce house, food trucks, live music, and fireworks at the end of the night. It’s free and no registration is necessary.
The Rec Center’s Music at the Arboretum series continues on Thursday, June 20 with a performance by Jazz Generation, beginning at 6:30 p.m. This is free (but weather-dependent). Bring your lawn chairs and blankets, plus snacks and drinks if you’d like!
Looking ahead at the Rec Center, mark your calendars now for the Summer Splash party on Saturday July 20 from 3 to 5 p.m. at the First Responders Spray Park on Chiyoda Dr. Rich the Magic Man will be there with foam bubble fun, and there’ll be free snow cones for all.
Then on Wednesday July 31, come out and see the beautiful new and improved Sandbar Park during Sandbar Splendor from 5 to 7 p.m. There’ll be lawn games, food trucks, raffles and music.
SPEAKING OF THE SPRAY PARKS…
Webster’s two spray parks are now open for the season, at Ridgecrest Park (off of Ebner Drive) and the beautiful, First Responders Spray Park near the Webster Recreation Center on Chiyoda Dr.
The First Responders Park (pictured here) is especially fun for kids and families. It’s a firefighter-themed playground and splash pad, with a nearby pavilion. The splash pad has all sorts of water-fun features including a fire hydrant, a dalmatian fountain and fire truck slide.
Ridgecrest’s spray park is a smaller facility, but is just a short walk from the center of the village. It also boasts an adjacent playground and skate park.
Also coming up this weekend is a program at the Webster Arboretum especially designed for those of you who love peonies.
The Arboretum will present a Program about peonies, the “queen of flowers,” on Sunday June 9 at 6:30 p.m. Arboretum board member George Riehle will give a tour and present the program, focusing on the care and cultivation of peonies and tree peonies. Please register at theWebster Arboretum website.
The Webster Arboretum is located at 1700 Schlegel Rd.
ALSO on Sunday June 9, the Webster Museum will present what has become one of their most popular programs, the Antiques and Collectibles Roadshow.
If you’re curious about the value or origin of an antique you own, bring it to the museum on June 9 at 2 p.m. and the Palma Brothers will use their expertise to provide some insight. There’s no cost, you don’t need to register, and free refreshments will be provided.
The Webster Museum is located at 18 Lapham Park in the Village of Webster.
Finally, this notice which I actually got in my SNAIL MAIL: the Summer Concert Series at Cherry Ridge is back.
The first concert is scheduled for Wednesday June 19 from 6:30 to 8 p.m., featuring the Rochester Metropolitan Jazz Orchestra. Gates open at 5 p.m., and food will be available for purchase beginning at 5:30 p.m. Bring your own lawn chairs, and make sure to pre-register here so you can skip the line. There’s no cost for this community concert.
Looking ahead, on Tuesday Aug. 6, 8 Days a Week takes steps up on the Cherry Ridge stage, so make sure to mark your calendars now.
Cherry Ridge is located at 900 Cherry Ridge Blvd., across from Webster Schroeder High School. Registration is requested. Click here to do so.
* * *
email me at missyblog@gmail.com. “Like” this blog on Facebook and follow me on Instagram and Threads (@missyblog)
You can also get email notifications every time I post a new blog by using the “Subscribe” link on the right side of this page (or all the way at the bottom of the page if you’re on your phone).
It’s been 40 years since Debbie Tiffany opened Deborah MacKay School of Dance, tucked into a one-room dance studio in Baytowne Plaza. She, and her school, have come a long way since.
Anyone who knows even a little about Debbie’s early years isn’t the least bit surprised that she became a successful dance teacher. She started dancing herself when she was just 5 years old, under the tutelage of Donna Throumoulos. She went on to get professional training in Toronto, New York City and Miami under mentors Judy Bassing and Brian and Faye Foley. It was then that she realized her passion was not just performance.
“One day in a dance class I was so intrigued with the choreography that I realized I wanted to teach and pass on my knowledge more than perform it,” she wrote. “That decided my future of opening my own school.”
When she opened that small studio in 1984, she had only 54 students and a limited number of classes in ballet, tap and jazz. It didn’t take long, however, before she outgrew that space, and Deborah MacKay Dance moved to the Village of Webster, where it would remain for 26 years. As more classes were added and more students signed up, it became clear that more parking and classrooms were desperately needed. So in 2015 Debbie purchased the old Webster Inn building at 1695 Ridge Rd. (just east of Salt), where the studio now boasts three classrooms and lots more private parking. The classes, too, have expanded, and now include pointe, contemporary, theater, hip hop, conditioning, and kindergarten development.
Classes are offered for children as young as 3 years old, and most students continue to train at the school through their high school graduation. Many have been awarded college scholarships for dance, and several have turned professional, dancing for companies including the Carolina Ballet Theater, Paul Taylor II and the Rochester City Ballet.
A few photos from a recent rehearsal
Deborah MacKay School of Dance’s continued success can be attributed in large part to Debbie’s philosophy.
“Every student counts, whether they dance one day a week or five,” she wrote. What we do at the studio goes far beyond dance education and technique; we strive to inspire students to be successful and the best people they can be. Teamwork, dedication and perseverance are qualities we hope to pass on as students graduate from our school.
And while there’s been a lot of dancing and a lot of performances in the last 40 years, for Debbie, the best part about teaching dance is — and always has been — the people.
The relationships you develop over the years are the backbone of the business. My teachers are all alumni and we have many second-generation students. Parents of graduated students still help out in the office, making props, or volunteering at our yearly show. Several of our alumni are still friends to this day, and I hope most people hold onto good memories of their time at the school.
A good example of how committed Debbie is to sharing her passion for dance came from Michelle Gibbs, a parent whose two daughters, Maren and Hollis, have been dancing for seven years. Her son Parker, however, “can’t dance, just like me,” she laughed. “My son has never taken a dance class,” she said, “but he fell in love with theater in school. I asked Debbie if there was a class he could take.”
So Debbie created a brand new theater dance class for Parker and a bunch of other kids who don’t want, or need, the traditional dance class experience.
Community members are invited to help celebrate the Deborah MacKay Dance School’s 40th anniversary by attending this weekend’s show, Encore ’24! It will feature some of the school’s favorite performances, more than 30 different dances representing the entire gamut of styles. It will be held Saturday June 1 at 6:30 p.m. and Sunday June 2 at 3 p.m., at Webster Schroeder High School, 875 Ridge Rd. Tickets are $16 if purchased before Saturday, when the process goes up to $18. Click here to reserve your seats.
* * *
email me at missyblog@gmail.com. “Like” this blog on Facebook and follow me on Instagram and Threads (@missyblog)
You can also get email notifications every time I post a new blog by using the “Subscribe” link on the right side of this page (or all the way at the bottom of the page if you’re on your phone).
The sun did not shine brightly this year, as it usually does, on the Village of Webster’s annual Memorial Day Parade. For that matter, this was the first year in recent memory that the weather has been anything other than hot, with clear blue skies.
Perhaps due to the threat of rain, this year’s crowds along South Ave. and Main St. seemed rather light, and the parade itself even shorter than before (and it seems that ever since COVID, the parade has been attracting fewer marchers). But that was probably a good thing, given the weather; the last of the marchers had just reached Webster Rural Cemetery as it started to sprinkle, so everyone had a chance to pull out their rain gear and umbrellas before it got too heavy.
The post-parade memorial ceremony was held as scheduled, albeit a bit dampened by the rain. All of the honored veterans and dignitaries huddled under one pop-up canopy, or by the side of the building to stay dry. The marching band members and Scouts weathered the storm, but in smaller numbers. And none of the Scouts chose to place flowers at the base of the crosses when given the opportunity, which is always one of my favorite parts of the ceremony.
It was a very nice ceremony as usual. It’s always the same every year, but the solemn prayers and speeches always manage to remind the assembled crowd what this day is really all about — not barbecues and family gatherings and a three-day weekend, but to honor those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our country.
Thank you to all who organized and participated in today’s events.
Click here to see pictures from the parade and memorial ceremony.
* * *
email me at missyblog@gmail.com. “Like” this blog on Facebook and follow me on Instagram and Threads (@missyblog)
You can also get email notifications every time I post a new blog by using the “Subscribe” link on the right side of this page (or all the way at the bottom of the page if you’re on your phone).
Heritage Square Museum is a 19th-century living history museum, located just 12 minutes east of the Village of Webster on Ontario Center Rd. It features ten individual buildings spread across 13 beautiful acres, which illuminate what life was like for many of the Town of Ontario’s earliest settlers.
I only really discovered the museum myself last September when I accepted an invitation to stop by during one of their community open house days and see what it was all about.
It’s a pretty cool place, offering a very educational and entertaining experience for the entire family. (Here’s theblog I wrote about my visit.) It’s really a hidden gem, which is why I’m happy to pass along news of some of their upcoming events.
The museum is opening for the season next weekend, with guided tours on Saturday June 1 from 1:30 to 4 p.m., and an ice cream social on Sunday June 2, also from 1:30 to 4 p.m., featuring live oldies music by Patrick Runne and Cheap Datez.
Opening weekend is a great chance to check out the museum, maybe absorb some history, and sit outside eating an ice cream while enjoying good music.
Can’t make it on opening weekend? The museum is open every weekend through Sept. 29, offering guided tours from 1:30 to 4 p.m. for a small fee. (Last tour starts at 3 p.m.)
If you like what you see, consider signing the kids up for one of Heritage Square Museum’s Stepping Back in Time children’s programs:
Thursday June 27, 10 to 11:30 a.m.: Games and Toys of the 1860s (register by June 13)
Thursday July 25, 10 to 11:30 a.m.: School Fun in the 1860s (register by July 11)
Thursday August 22, 10 to 11 a.m.: Daily Life in the 1860s (register by Aug. 8)
The programs are designed for children ages 5-10, and all three programs are free, but registration is required by calling Judy at 585-271-4925.
Each child may be registered for one or more programs, and each child must be accompanied by an adult. Children are encouraged (but not required) to dress like a child of the 1860s.
Heritage Square Museum is located at 7147 Ontario Center Rd., Ontario.
* * *
email me at missyblog@gmail.com. “Like” this blog on Facebook and follow me on Instagram and Threads (@missyblog)
You can also get email notifications every time I post a new blog by using the “Subscribe” link on the right side of this page (or all the way at the bottom of the page if you’re on your phone).
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 