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The Webster Museum has been quiet — but busy

4 Feb

It’s been a long time since we’ve heard anything from the Webster Museum. Being such a small space, there’s really been no way to safely accommodate vistors during the pandemic, so their doors have been shuttered for months.

But don’t you believe for a minute that those museum folks have just been sitting back, twiddling their thumbs. They’ve been taking advantage of this time to make the museum better than ever before. In a recent email, museum president Tom Pellett outlined more than a dozen projects that have been keeping the museum board members busy, from changing up the displays and improving signage to adding new programs and expanding their educational offerings.

Here are some of the highlights:

  • Changes are being considered in some of the main exhibit areas, specifically, moving the automotive, bakery and dairy artifacts so the “Main Street” theme can be expanded. The very popular prehistoric artifacts might be consolidated to provide more room for a display on our early founders.
  • The main entryway, which you may remember looks like a barn, will be decluttered and some new items moved in.
  • Even though the museum hasn’t been able to accommodate school groups, the Education Committee continues to discuss ways to expand the programs and even offer the tours to additional grade levels — when everything gets back to normal again.
  • The Historic Properties Committee is trying to figure out a way to present the 2020 Historic Home plaques this coming May during Historic Properies Month.
  • Plans are proceeding for the popular “History and a Cup” program and annual Barn Sale and Vintage Sale. They’re also looking to host another cemetery tour and the Sunken Ship program.
  • Work continues on updating the Webster Through the Years book, originally published in 1970.
  • Discussions with the Village Board are ongoing regarding how to improve external signage to direct more visitors to the museum.

Naturally, there are still a lot of unknowns, especially when they’ll actually be able to open again. But clearly, when that happens, the Webster Museum is going to hit the ground running.

The Webster Museum is located at 18 Lapham Park, in the Village of Webster. If you haven’t stopped by their website recently, pop in to read about their new “Websterscapes” photo gallery, then submit your own favorite Webster photo.

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A few village business notes

19 Aug

Did you have a chance to stop by The Village Quilt Shoppe a little while ago for the anniversary celebration?

Owners Vanetta and Monique have a lot to celebrate, having weathered more than their share of first-year difficulties. Given what they’ve been through, it was perfectly ironic that the cake experienced its own mini-disaster on the way to the party.

So now they’re charging ahead full speed into their second year and already have tons of classes and special events on the books. They’d also like to get a handle on what their customers would really like to see in the shop. So if you have a few minutes, please help them out by filling out their on-line survey.

The Quilt Shoppe is also offering curbside pickup or postal mail if you’re not comfortable coming into the store, or you can schedule a private appointment during their off hours. Visit the shop’s webpage for more information.

The Filling Station Pub & Grill, 77 East Main, is adding a big new patio.

The beautiful new space will eventually be used for outdoor seating, adding to the existing outdoor dining space under the drive-through. But manager Wendy Antes can’t pinpoint when that might be, saying it is “a work in progress.”

Stay tuned.

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Movies in the Park are back!

29 Jul

The Village of Webster is trying its best to give our community something resembling a normal summer.

So in a few weeks, the Movies in the Gazebo Park series will return for kind of like a trial run. in Veterans Memorial Park on North Ave.

Monsters uniMonsters University will be shown on Tuesday Aug. 11, and Charlie Wilson’s War with Tom Hanks, Julia Roberts and Philip Seymour Hoffman on Saturday Aug. 15.

Both movies will begin around 9 p.m. To encourage social distancing, the park will be marked off with specific “family areas” spaced six feet apart in the grass. There will be plenty of room for chairs and/or blankets within each spot and facial masks must be worn when outside your family space. There will be room for about 60 family spaces and are first-come, first-served.

No popcorn will be served so feel free to bring your own snacks and drinks. For more information visit websterbid.com.

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Veterans Memorial Park will also be host to a return engagement by comic Rudolph Valentino this Friday July 31.  He’ll be joined by his co-host and funny friend Kevin Markman.

gazeboThis is a family-friendly show. There’s no admission, and water and snacks can be purchased, if this show will be anything like the last. And you’ll laugh a lot.

Bring your quad chairs and a cooler if you like, and bring a mask in case you have to sit too close to anyone or want to hit up the vendors. But it’s a spacious area, so there shouldn’t be any problem social distancing. The show is slated to start at 7 p.m. But it started late last time so don’t worry if you’re running late.

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The Webster Community Ice Rink warming shed is officially open

23 Feb

 

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Last Saturday Feb. 15 was a sunny, yet very cold, 14 degree day in Webster. But the chill temperatures did not stop several hardy souls from officially dedicating the brand new warming hut at the Webster Community Ice Rink, located at the Webster Recreation Center.

The ribbon-cutting was conducted by Webster Town Supervisor Tom Flaherty, supported by members of the Webster Parks and Recreation staff and employees as well as several members of the Webster Rotary.

In October 2018 the Webster Rotary Club donated the funds for the Parks and Rec to purchase the liner and walls for the rink, and procured additional funding in 2019 to build the changing hut for the skaters. The new shelter measures 16 ft. by 10 ft., has two benches and thick rubber flooring to prevent damage to skates. It’s enclosed on three sides and open to the ice.

The shelter was designed by Rotarian Rich Comins and constructed by the Parks and Recreation employees.

The community ice rink is located in front of the Webster Recreation Center, 1350 Chiyoda Drive, off of Phillips Rd. just north of the village. It’s a nice size, 52 ft. by 104 ft., and is totally FREE for anyone to use. You don’t even have to be a member of the Rec Center. As far as I know, it’s the only outdoor public ice surface in town, and thanks to the new warming shed, it’s even better than ever.

For updated ice conditions, call 872-7103, option 3.

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The Rec Center ice rink is open — and better than ever

25 Jan

IMG_2606Good news for ice skaters! It’s finally been cold enough for long enough this winter for the Webster Recreation Center to open its ice rink.

As far as I know, it’s the only outdoor public ice surface in town, and since it opened several years ago, it’s been very popular with families and hockey players. And this season, I’m happy to report, it’s even better than ever.

Thanks to the efforts of the Webster Rotary, this season the rink — which measures 52 ft. x 104 ft. — has a brand new liner AND a spacious warming hut where skaters can sit and put on their skates while protected from the weather.

The hut itself measures 16 ft. x 10 ft. Inside are two benches and thick rubber flooring to prevent damage to skates. There’s also a window in one side which allows for what meager sunlight we get in the winter months. 

As for the new liner, Mark Yaeger, Webster’s Commissioner of Parks and Recreation, calls it a “great addition in this climate when we have a thaw.”

He explained,

In the past we would lose the water seeping into the ground and we would have to start from scratch. With the liner the water stays and refreezes within a day or two. Building the ice rink from scratch takes about 4 or 5 days. 

The Webster Rotary Club purchased the new liner and sidewalls in 2018, and last year purchased the materials for the warming hut. Rotarian Rich Comins designed the building and enlisted support from Yeager and his Parks and Rec employees to construct the building.

The Rotary and Rec Center hope to have an official grand opening ceremony for the hut in the next few weeks. Watch for news of that!

The Webster Recreation Center is located at 1350 Chiyoda Drive, just north of the Village of Webster. For updated ice conditions, call 872-7103, option 3.

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Weekend reminders and 9/11 photos

12 Sep

garlic fest logo

A couple of reminders about a few events coming up this weekend you won’t want to miss.

The first is the return of the Webster Garlic Festival — now called the Rochester Garlic Festival — on Saturday and Sunday at the Webster Recreation Center.

This is a great family-friendly event with a lot of entertainment, food, vendors and, of course, garlic. But you don’t have to like garlic to enjoy the festival, because most of the vendors are non-garlic ones.

Click here to read a column I wrote about the festival for more details, or visit their website here.

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quilt shoppe logo

This Friday and Saturday, make sure to pop into the Village Quilt Shoppe at 21 E. Main Street in the Webster, as this brand new business celebrates its grand opening.

Owners Monique Liberti and Vanetta Parshall opened their new shop in August and have already been warmly welcomed to the village by seamstresses who love having a convenient local source for quality fabrics and notions.

The grand opening is scheduled for Friday and Saturday Sept. 13 and 14 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. with food, door prizes, gifts for everyone and scissor sharpening on Saturday.

Whether you’re a quilter or not, why not stop in and say hi.

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Last night’s Village of Webster 9/11 remembrance ceremony was a very nice affair once again. The approximately hour-long ceremony was well represented by first responders and local and regional politicians. The speeches were quite moving, and the late-summer temperatures very comfortable.

This year’s musical selections were presented by the Webster Village Band, which was a change from past ceremonies, at which the Chorus of the Genesee performed. The band did a nice job, but I was disappointed to not see some of my Chorus friends and hear their sweet harmonies.

The attendance by community members was also rather disappointing, numbering about 65. There were more musicians and official ceremony participants than there were audience members. And aside from a few little girls who had come with their firefighter father, I didn’t see any young children.

That’s too bad. I think it’s important that the younger generation know about and learn about what happened on 9/11/2001. No matter that the world it created is the only one they will ever know. They need to hear about the thousands who died, the heroic first responders, and to see how our country persevered, and became stronger.

They need to never forget, too.

Click here to see more photos.

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An invitation for park lovers

30 Aug

I’d like to extend an invitation today to anyone who loves — and appreciates — our Village of Webster parks.

tree marker

Expanding the village’s tree marker program is one goal of the Village Board’s Parks and Recreation Committee. 

First, a little background. Only a month or so after I became a new village resident, I was approached and asked if I would like to join the Village of Webster Parks and Recreation Committee. Apparently, the new village bike racks which I’ve been pushing for also fall under the purview of the Parks and Rec Committee. Since I seemed so invested in that issue, joining the committee itself seemed a natural next step.

I figured I should try to get more involved in my new hometown, so I accepted the appointment. Now I’d like to invite others to join the committee as well.

Many village residents are surprised to learn that our little village actually has FIVE different parks within its boundaries:

  • Harmony Park on Phillips Rd., which features the Village Band bandshell
  • Veterans Memorial Park on North Ave. with the gazebo
  • Wilmorite Park on Iroquois St., with a playground, picnic table and basketball court
  • Schantz Park on State Rd., with tennis courts, a rock wall and playground
  • Milton Case Park, behind Spry Middle School, with 14 acres of woods and several trails.

One of the primary goals of our committee is to bring more awareness to these natural resources. We’ll also work to see that they are maintained and — hopefully — improved, and encourage development of new parks. To that end, at our most recent meeting, we discussed tentative plans for

  • a “discover your parks” scavenger hunt
  • creating a survey about park usage
  • distributing an informational brochure describing the parks
  • updating and expanding the tree marker program
  • visiting each park to inventory their condition, and more.

Thing is, counting me, there are only two people on the committee right now. We could use two or three more to help us implement all of our great ideas, and come up with new ones.

We meet once a month, on the fourth Thursday at 7 p.m. in the community meeting room at Village Hall. Our last two meetings have lasted less than 45 minutes, so it’s not a huge time commitment.

If you’re interested at all, or would like to find out more information, please email me at missyblog@gmail.com and I’ll be happy to answer any of your questions.

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Big Webster weekend coming up

17 Jul

Summer events will heat up big time this weekend, and I’m not just talking about the weather.

jazz fest 1

For starters, the Webster Jazz Fest returns for two nights, filling our pubs and streets with music.

It starts Friday night with Jazz in the Pubs. Basically, music begins at 6:30 p.m., with overlapping performances in six different pubs through 9 p.m. It all begins with a performance by Peter Chwazik and Shark Riot at Coach Sports Bar, while Mel Henderson and Gerry Youngman set up at 6:45 at Good Smoke BBQ. Music will continue through the night at Brimont Bistro, Barry’s Old School Irish, Ploty’s Hometown Tavern and Pub 235, concluding back at the Coach.

Jazz on the Street on Saturday will begin at 4 p.m. with performances by Jimmie Highsmith Jr., the Walter Chatman Joyful Music Experience, the Bill Tiberio Band and Prime Time Funk.

West Main Street will be closed by mid-morning to set up for this awesome afternoon and evening of music. Organizers will have several cafe tables available, on a first-come, first-served basis. Otherwise, bring your quad chairs and set up shop with your own food and snacks. Village restaurants will be serving food, with wait staff bringing it right to you, so don’t worry about going hungry.

The weather looks good (although hot) and the music will be awesome. It’s one of Webster’s best events, and the village will look spectacular.

For more details about the bands and when and where they’ll be playing, click here.

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As long as we’re talking about good food if you’d like to grab dinner before heading out to the pubs Friday night, make sure to stop by Webster Schroeder High School between 5 and 9 p.m. for a huge Food Truck Rodeo.

This year’s fourth annual rodeo will feature 13 trucks, including Macarollin’, Tuscan Wood Fired Pizza Catering, Craft Crepes, The Meatball Truck Co., Roc City Sammich,  Smoothies Plus Ice Cream, Sweet Sammie Jane’s Pastry Shop, Rob’s Kabobs, Al Dente, Abbott’s Frozen Custard, Kona Ice, Eat Greek and Bay Vista Taqueria.

There will also be firetrucks and face painting for the kids, live entertainment and a car show. Admission is free. Bring your chairs, blankets, and plenty of cash! A portion of the food sales benefits the Webster Marching Band.

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Joe obbie logoSo they say it might be one of the hottest days in Rochester history this Saturday. What a perfect day to have a Christmas in July party at the Joe Obbie Farmer’s Market!

Santa will be on hand to take some early Christmas gift requests from the kids, and the Webster Village Band will be playing holiday music.

If you’ve never been to this market, this is a great time to visit. 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 market runs from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. every Saturday through October 27, rain or shine. Check out the Joe Obbie Farmer’s Market website and Facebook page for details.

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2019 Fireman’s Parade in photos

11 Jul

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It was nip and tuck for a while, but the rain did hold off long enough Thursday night for the almost 90-minute Fireman’s Parade to wind its way completely down Webster’s Main Street. It was a little warm, but that didn’t seem to keep many people away; as usual, the parade route was lined with children and families from start to finish.

For those of us who have seen it before, there wasn’t much new this year. There were LOTS of fire trucks and ambulances (it always amazes me how far away these rigs come from to participate), a lot of businesses, a few politicians, dance groups, and community agencies. Much candy was thrown and many children were able to fill their collection bags rather full with dum-dums and tootsie rolls.

As usual, I took a lot of photos, trying to highlight not only the parade participants, but also the children, families and pets who lined the street. It’s really a party atmosphere every year for the Fireman’s Parade — literally, as evidenced by the many house parties being held along the route.

Click here to see my photos. If you took any of your own which you would like me to add to my gallery, please feel free to email them to me!

The annual Kiddie Parade happens Saturday at noon, and I’ll be taking a lot of photos of that as well, so watch for those!

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Baseball and carnival news

9 Jul

boys

A couple of quick notes this morning. First, this photo sent to me by Melissa Bolton with happy news about some of our local athletes.

Last weekend, the Webster Warthogs 15U Baseball team competed in PBR East West Battle Championship in Cortland and brought home the title. Congratulations for another job well done, and for continuing to make Webster proud!

Next. I grabbed these photos this morning from the Firemen’s Field, where the carnies are setting up shop.

The annual Firemen’s Carnival begins tomorrow (Wednesday) at 6 p.m., featuring craft beer and entertainment by Claudia Hoyser, in addition to the ever-present rids, games, food and drink.

The HUGE parade begins at 6:30 on Thursday, kicking off from Phillips Rd. and heading west along Main Street to the carnival site. Thanks to my friend Sarah, I got a sneak peak at this year’s parade line-up, and all I gotta say is … wow.

There are no fewer than 90 units marching this year, and I counted 25 different fire departments, from as far away as Canada, many of whom are also bringing representatives from their ambulance corps. So if your kids like fire trucks, lights and sirens, get a seat early.

No, really. People start setting up their chairs along Main Street early in the morning for this parade. It’s THAT good.

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

You can also get email notifications every time I post a new blog by using the “Follow Me” link on the right side of this page.

 

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