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Barry’s Old School Irish anniversary draws near!

4 Nov

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Do you remember this corner?

If you lived in Webster, say, 9 or 10 years ago, you might remember this unusual garden, complete with a mini-waterfall. It stood  at the the village’s four corners, welcoming visitors to our main business corridor.

It adorned the storefront of the Living Plumber at 2 West Main St., and it stood for as long as I can remember.

That is, until the Living Plumber’s owner passed away, the village cleaned it up, Danny and Jessica Barry moved in, and committed to turning that corner into something really special: a friendly little Irish pub.

This weekend, on the occasion of the pub’s 8th anniversary, it’s clear that the Barry’s have done that — and so much more. They’ve created a super friendly, welcoming pub for the whole family. A place where you can set up your computer in the middle of the day to work while listening to live Irish music by musicians jamming in the corner.  Where everyone who comes in is immediately considered part of the family.

Barry’s Old School Irish has not only changed that corner for the better, it has changed our village.

Help them celebrate this Saturday Nov. 9 when Danny and Jessica host Barry’s Old School Irish’s 8th anniversary party.

Here’s a quick rundown of what’s in the works:

  • 7:30 to 11 p.m.: Live Irish music by Billy Herring
  • 7:30 to 10:30 p.m.: Tullamore Dew and Jameson Irish whiskey reps will be handing out samples and giveaways
  • 10 p.m.: The official anniversary toast with whiskey on the house

Plus, watch for Irish dancers and a bagpiper to make an appearance. You’ll find more details here.

9232011 dan and jessI’m pleased and proud to say I’ve been an extended member of the Barry’s Pub family since before they even opened, when I popped in to interview the new owners for this blog and took that iconic picture of them holding the sign that would soon adorn the outside of their pub. There were no pictures on the walls, no musicians in the corner, no hamburgers on the grill.  Just two young kids with a dream which they continue to expand upon every single day. (Check out a few other photos from that day below.)

If you STILL haven’t stopped by this little Irish corner of the world, at 2 West Main Street right smack in the middle of the village, you’re missing something special.

 

 

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Photos of this year’s pet costume winners

3 Nov

 

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Better late than never, I present today photos of this year’s pet costume contest winners!

This contest has been run for the last few years during the village’s Trick-or-Treat Trail, but it’s been difficult to get the word out and actually get people and their dogs to meet up at the appointed time and place. So this year, Peter Elder — who organizes the contest every year — came up with a creative solution.

He wrote,

My son and I served as judges for the dog costume contest and since we could not find anyone gathered in front of Village Hall, we spread out through the (very large) crowd and found several dogs and their owners in costumes. After passing through once, we went back and awarded them first second and third prizes.

Peter added that this was “an excellent strategy for making the people and the dogs happy. … People loved being stopped and given gift cards.”

The three lucky winners this year are included here.

Make sure to get out there and trick or treat with your pup next year, ’cause you never know…you might get a treat yourself!

Also, we’re hoping to resurrect the business-sponsored scarecrow contest next year as well, so watch for more news about that!

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Hiking and hot cocoa and bourbon!

1 Nov

As a cold, miserable November dawns, allow me to tell you about a few events that will definitely warm your whole body.

The first is the annual Hot Cocoa Hike sponsored by the Friends of Webster Trails. This year’s hike will take place at Gosnell Big Woods Preserve, 680 Vosburg Rd., on Saturday Nov. 9 beginning at 7 p.m.

hot chocolateThis is a fun, free, self-guided hike under the (almost) full moon! The route is approximately 1 mile (one way), up to two miles total and will be marked with lights for you to follow, starting at the parking lot. This will not be a guided event, so you are responsible for finding your way by following the marked path. When you arrive at the final destination you’ll be rewarded with free hot chocolate.

So that everyone can enjoy this event please leave your dog home and bring them back to enjoy the trail another time. Please also bring a flashlight and your own travel mug as cups will not be provided.

If you plan on attending, please sign up here and provide an email address so that you can be reached in case of changes. An email will be sent by 3 p.m. that day if there is extreme weather that requires the hike to be rescheduled.

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The Village of Webster’s Bourbon Bash will return on Saturday Nov. 16, from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Harmony House, 58 E. Main St.

Sample bourbons and whiskey from local distilleries and Webster Wine and Spirits, complemented by food samples from local restaurants.

Participants will be provided bottled water to enhance their sampling experience, and the opportunity to purchase a raffle ticket for a bourbon basket donated by Webster Rotary. proceeds of the event will benefit Webster Local Charities.

Tickets are limited and can be purchased online here or at websterbid.com. Cash sale tickets are also available at Hegedorns.

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Looking ahead, make sure to mark your calendars for White Christmas in the Village, this year on Saturday Dec. 7 from 3 to 6 p.m. An entire afternoon of holiday activities in the village concludes with the ever-popular Holiday Electric Parade. Check back on the BID website for more details.

electric parade

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Another successful Trick or Treat Trail!

26 Oct

Wow! This year’s Trick or Treat Trail in the village was AMAZING! The weather couldn’t have been much better, there were more businesses participating than ever, and more kids and adults on the streets than I can every remember seeing for this event.

As usual, I took a ton of photos (literally a gallery of 249), which I have posted here, and if you were out there today, chances are good you and your kids will be in one of them.

But this year I also asked a guest blogger, brand new Eagle Scout (an budding journalist) Justin Karnisky, to help me out in covering this event, and he took a bunch more. I am pleased to post his report — and his photos — for you here.

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Webster Trick or Treat Trail 2019
By Justin Karnisky, Troop 110 Eagle Scout

The annual Webster Village Trick or Treat Trail event was held on October 26. Fifty-two local businesses participated, including The Garage Sale Store, Barry’s Irish Pub, Coach, Lala, Carl’s Pizza Kitchen, The Music Store, and more. Residents could even trick-or-treat at the Village Hall.

Donna Rickard, from the Garage Sale Store, explained that her business has participated in the Trick or Treat Trail every year since its inception. She said, “Even the adults participate, with their dogs. It’s a lot of fun to participate, and the adults can see the local businesses.” She had so many trick-or-treaters, she ran out of candy and had to go get more!

Popular costumes included bananas, Pokemon characters, emojis, inflatable t-rexes, and Spider-Man. Some of the more unique costumes included the Statue of Liberty, the Monopoly Man, bacon, and French fries. Some families coordinated their costumes, such as the Oldfield family, who were dressed as Ghost Busters. The Urbanski family dressed up as characters from the children’s story Curious George. This was their first year participating in the event. Dave Urbanski and his sons, Lukas, age 4, and Julian, age 6 months, were happy to be out trick-or-treating.

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The Music Store has participated in the event since it started. John Bucci, owner, said, “I like seeing all the local businesses participating, and seeing the kids and all the costumes.”

There was a steady stream of trick-or-treaters throughout the streets. The streets were closed to traffic and were kept safe by the Webster Police Department.

If they were tired from trick-or-treating, families could also enjoy a hayride throughout the village. Overall, the event had a great turnout and is a welcome opportunity to trick-or-treat safely during the day, for all ages.

A big THANK YOU to Justin for a wonderful report. I’m hoping everyone had a chance to enjoy the day and perhaps visit a few businesses you had never been to before.

Once again, if you’d like to see a few hundred more photos from this year’s Village of Webster Trick or Treat Trail, click here.

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Get your kids’ — and pets’ — costumes ready for Halloween in the Village

24 Oct
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These kids were having fun last year despite the rain.

It looks like the weather is going to be pretty nice this Saturday for the Village of Webster’s annual Trick-or-Treating Trail. Certainly it will be better than last year, when it rained most of the day. But if you look at the photos I took, it’s clear that people were having fun anyway, which is a testament to what a great event this is.

This year, organizers tell me that the Trick or Treat Trail is going to be even bigger than ever. It seems like new businesses are cropping up almost every week, especially on East Main St., so a lot more businesses will be joining the fun and handing out candy.

You can get more information at websterbid.com, but here are some details:

11 a.m.: Costume contest in the Community Meeting Room, 29 South Ave. (right next to the fire department). Prizes will be awarded in several categories.

Noon – 3 p.m.: Trick-or-Treat Trail. Look for the bright orange pumpkins in the front windows of participating businesses. Make sure to work your way into the lower parking lot on East Main to visit the Village Bakery, ROC and Soul and more.

12:30 p.m.: The Howl-o-ween Pet Costume Contest and parade returns so your pet can join in the fun. Meet at Village Hall for judging, and there will be prizes!

Special activities:

Make sure to stop by the Webster Volunteer Fire Department on South Ave., which will be hosting an open house all afternoon.

Firefighters will be on hand to pass out candy, plastic fire hats, give demonstrations, tours of the fire engines, and more. Cider and donuts for everyone!

Also, be sure to walk the short distance down Lapham Park to the Webster Museum, where they always have some special activities planned.

By the way, it’s all FREE!

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It’s the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown! (And some school news)

21 Oct

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I want to pass along a few notes from our schools this morning, but first, this photo to give you a smile to begin your Monday.

Maureen Finn forwarded me this picture of the huge pumpkin her husband Tim grew in their back yard on La Baron Circle. Posing with the mammoth melon are his great grandchildren Emma, Ellie , Ella and Charlotte.

Do you have any fun fall photos you’d like me to share with my readers? Feel free to send them along to missyblog@gmail.com.

AND NOW to some school news.

It’s time to start your holiday shopping!

 Schlegel Elementary School will  host its annual Craft Show on Saturday Nov. 2 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the school, 1548 Schlegel Rd.. The event will feature more than 60 vendors, sweet treats, raffles, concessions and more.

Bailando con sus amigos!

Also on Saturday Nov. 2, the Webster school district will continue its observance of Hispanic Heritage Month with an evening of salsa dancing at Willink Middle School. Entertainment will be provided by Cinco Con Swing.

The event is free and open to the public! Doors open at 6:30 p.m., with salsa and merengue dance lessons from 6:45-7:45 p.m. After the lessons, dancing will be open until 9 p.m.

Honoring our veterans

Veterans and active duty service members and their families are cordially invited to a free dinner on Friday, Nov. 8 from 4 to 6:30 p.m. at Spry Middle School, 119 South Avenue, Webster.

This event is sponsored by Spry Middle School Student Council, Spry Middle School Builders Club, Webster-Fairport B.P.O. Elks #2396, Webster Community Chest, Wegmans, and Hegedorns as a way of showing appreciation for servicemen and women and their families.

Reservations are appreciated; please call Ms. Ritzmann at 216-0093.

New graduation dates

The Webster Central School District has announced an important change regarding graduation ceremonies for Webster Schroeder and Webster Thomas high schools’ class of 2020.

The location will remain the same as in past years (RIT’s Gordon Field House), but the previously scheduled graduation date of Sunday, June 28, 2020, HAS BEEN CHANGED.

The new dates and times for the Class of 2020 graduation are:

  • Webster Tomas High School: Thursday, June 18, 7 p.m.
  • Webster Schroeder High School: Friday, June 19, 7 p.m.

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Webster community mailbag

16 Oct

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There’s still time to get tickets for this Friday’s “Lift Your Spirits” fundraiser for the Webster Comfort Care Home, being held at Artisan Works, 565 Blossom Rd., from 7 to 9:30 p.m.

The event will feature wine and beer tasting from local breweries, music by Andy Calabrese & Chet Catallo, appetizers, full cash bar, silent auction and raffles for great prizes including a balloon ride over Letchworth, a Sabres Suite for their Dec. 27 game against the Bruins, lodging, dinner certificates, rounds of golf, a humidor, jewelry, home decor and more.

Tickets are $50 per person and can be purchased online here or by calling 585-872-5290.

The Webster Comfort Care Home, located at the corner of Holt and Klem roads, provides free hospice care to the terminally ill of our Webster community, and comfort to the patients’ families. The agency is run solely on donations and fundraisers like this.

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The Webster Public Library will present a spooky — and educational — program this Thursday Oct. 17 from 2 to 3:30 p.m. called “The Spiritualist Movement in America.”

Local presenter Jack Kowiak will share the story of the Spiritualist movement which began long before the infamous Fox sisters, and continued long after them. It was the fastest growing belief system in American in the mid-19th century.

Registration is required for this program. To register, call the library at 585-872-7075 (click 3 for the reference desk) or click on “events and classes” on the Webster Public Library website.

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blood dropIf you didn’t get a chance to visit last week’s two-day Webster Community Blood Drive, don’t fret. Your next Webster-based opportunity to save some lives with your donation is coming up soon.

Our very own Webster Volunteer Fire Dept. will host a blood drive next Thursday Oct. 24, from 1 to 7 p.m. at the fire house, 35 South Ave. Click here to schedule an appointment online, or just stop by. It shouldn’t take more than an hour out of your day and will help fill a critical  need.

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Speaking of our local fire departments, the West Webster Fire Dept. will host its annual Fire Prevention Open House this weekend, on Sunday Oct. 20 from 1 to 4 p.m. at the fire house on Gravel Rd.

The event features fire safety and rescue demonstrations, activities for the kids, and the opportunity to see all sorts of emergency equipment and trucks up close! Refreshments will be served, including apple cider, donuts, snow cones, and popcorn.

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Village Trick-or-Treat Trail details

14 Oct

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Now that we’re well into the bewitching-est month of the year, here’s a preview of the Village of Webster’s annual Trick-or-Treat Trail.

It takes place this year on Saturday October 26. It begins, as always, with a costume contest at 11 a.m. in the Community Room at Village Hall, 28 W. Main Street. Prizes are awarded in several categories.

Then, from 11:30 to 2 p.m., kids can wander through the village, trick-or-treating at businesses up and down Main Street and North Ave.

This is a great opportunity to check out some of our village’s newest businesses, including the Village Quilt Shoppe, Jojo Bistro, Lala of Webster, The Pickled Paintbrush and Chandeliers Boutique.

AND AND AND The Webster Fire Department will be hosting an open house during the event, handing out candy and fire hats for the kids, and offering up demonstrations and other fun stuff. Plus, the Webster Museum always has special activities going on, so make sure to pop up to see them on Lapham Park.

This is always a very fun event and well attended, even if it’s rainy and cold, like last year. I always enjoy seeing all of the kids’ costumes (basically they mirror whatever cartoon or video game is popular this year) and especially like seeing when entire families get into the spirit and have group costumes. Click this link to see a whole gallery of photos from last year.

Stay tuned for more details; rumor has it, a new and improved pet costume parade and contest will be back this year. I’ll pass along details as soon as I know more about it.  In the meantime, you can watch websterbid.com for updates.

 

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Make this weekend “family” time

10 Oct

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They’re creepy and they’re kooky
Mysterious and spooky
They’re all together ooky
The Addams Family!

C’mon, admit it. You didn’t just read that last passage. You sang it, because you remember watching the Addams Family television show. And if that’s the case, you definitely want to grab your ticket soon to this weekend’s Webster Theatre Guild production of The Addams Family.

Like the television show, the show is a comedy about a ghoulish American family that enjoys the most macabre things in life and death. Unlike the television show, it’s also a musical, which adds to the fun.

The show originally debuted on Broadway in 2010 with Nathan Lane and Bebe Neuwirth in the lead roles of Gomez and Morticia Addams.

The show will take the stage this Friday Oct. 11 at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday Oct. 12 at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. in the Webster High School auditorium, 800 Five Mile Line Rd. And then it returns NEXT weekend, Oct. 18 and 19.

Tickets can be purchased online in advance (click here), in person the day of the show. Reserve tickets are $15, wit discounts available for groups of 10 or more.

For more information, visit the Webster Theatre Guild website.

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Webster community mailbag

8 Oct

This is a busy week coming up in Webster.

klem northFor starters, I just got a notice this morning from the folks over at Klem North Elementary, asking me to post this notice about an upcoming PTSA meeting.

As you can see, the meeting is scheduled for this Thursday at 6:30 in the library.

Please consider getting involved in your school’s PTSA if you aren’t already. They do so much to support our students and staff members — and as I one of those teachers, I speak from experience. Even if you can give an hour occasionally for a special event, that would be great.

I’m always happy to publicize community events like this, so please remember me when you need help getting the word out. Email your notices to missyblog@gmail.com.

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This Thursday through Saturday (Oct. 10-12), the Friends of the Webster Library will host their fall used book sale at the library, 980 Ridge Rd., off Van Ingen Drive at the back of the plaza.

On Thursday from 10 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., all hardcover books are $1 and paperbacks are 50 cents. Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. AND Saturday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. are Bag Days; $4 fills an entire bag with books.

And get this! You can even use your credit card. So make your way to the sale and stock up on books for the long winter ahead.

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St. Rita School’s 35th annual Craft Sale returns this Saturday Oct. 12 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. It’s time to start thinking about Christmas shopping, and with 100 vendors signed up this year, it’s a perfect opportunity.

There’s plenty of free parking, and there’s no admission. St. Rita School is located at 1008 Maple Drive in W. Webster.

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October is domestic violence awareness month, so proceeds from this month’s Saturday Flapjack Community Breakfast at the First Baptist Church of Penfield will be donated to Resolve, an organization dedicated to intervening and preventing domestic and sexual violence against women.

The breakfast is scheduled for Saturday Oct. 19 from 8 to 10 a.m. at the church, at Penfield’s four corners. For $6 per person, enjoy pancakes, pure maple syrup, scrambled eggs, sausage, and beverages. The church is handicap accessible.

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nick KThe Nick K 5K will be running its 6th annual event this Saturday Oct. 12 beginning at 8 a.m. at Webster Parks and Recreation, 1350 Chiyoda Drive.

Nicholas Kapusniak was killed on March 1, 2014 when a drive-by shooter fired into a group of college students in St. Louis, Missouri. Nick is a former resident of Webster and was attending school at the St. Louis College of Pharmacy.

The Nick K 5K hopes to draw attention to the violence that is becoming commonplace in our schools and cities. Part of the proceeds will go to local Crime Stoppers in Rochester and St. Louis, with the rest being put towards scholarships in his name at his high school in Waukesha, Wisconsin and the St. Louis College of Pharmacy.

Runners and walkers can register by clicking here. Cost is $25, and includes a t-shirt and other giveaways. Walk-up registrations will be accepted the morning of the race beginning at 7:15AM.

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