Archive | Village events RSS feed for this section

A fond farewell to Nest Things

30 Aug

We’ve been seeing a lot of business news from the Village of Webster these last several months. New businesses opening, others leaving the village. But through all those comings and goings, one business closing has been kind of flying under the radar.

Nest Things, that adorable little second-hand boutique at 11 East Main St., is on its way out. For many months now, owner Gail Maier has been trying to sell the shop, and when that happens, Nest Things will close after almost 20 years in business. 

Gail and her husband Bob bought the historic storefront in 2004, and opened Nest Things the following year. From the very beginning, the shop reflected Gail’s love of second-hand items. She only dresses in second-hand clothes, and only sells previously-loved clothing and housewares, most of which she discovered at garage sales. 

But not just anything made it onto her shelves. 

When she was still on the lookout for items to sell, she said “I would go between here and Honeoye Falls every Thursday, Friday and Saturday and purchase for the store,” stopping at garage sales in every town in between. “I like only things that I think are perfect and wonderful. … They had to be beautiful or very useful and perfect.” The result, for almost 20 years, has been a shop that feels more like a beloved grandmother’s attic than a store. 

Bob passed away in 2013, but Gail has kept the shop running since, driven by her passion for beautiful things and her love for the village and the people in it. But the time has finally come to take a step back. 

So Gail is looking for a serious buyer for the 1906-era building, which includes a two-bedroom, two-bath apartment which has been beautifully renovated but still reflects the building’s rich history.  

To reduce her inventory while she looks for a buyer, everything in the store is 50% off. There’s still plenty to choose from, and Gail is regularly pulling new items up from her basement or down from her apartment, “Things that I’ve loved and cherished but know I can’t use.” 

Rest assured they’re all perfect and wonderful. 

Nest Things is located at 11 East Main St. in the Village of Webster. For more information, check out their Facebook page here or call 585-265-9240.

Here’s a look inside the store and second-floor apartment:

* * *

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 “Follow Me” link on the right side of this page.

(posted 8/30/2023)

Tags: , , , ,

Calling all beds (again)!

28 Aug

I’ve got good news and bad news about the return of the Webster Community Bed Races on Sept. 16.

The GOOD news is the races are only a few weeks away, and it should be a really fun and entertaining event. The BAD news is that they might not be happening.

The organizers tell me that only two teams have officially signed up, despite the fact that several other teams have expressed interest. As you can imagine, it won’t be much of an event if only two teams are racing (if there even is one). However, that leads me to more GOOD NEWS: it doesn’t look like there will be a lot of competition, so there’s a really good chance your team will be victorious.

So c’mon all you bed racers. Get those teams together, get started on building your beds, and MAKE SURE TO REGISTER!

Click here to get all the details and a registration link.

* * *

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 “Follow Me” link on the right side of this page.

(posted 8/28/2023)

Tags: , , ,

Foley Agency named August Historic Site of the Month

27 Aug

As we walk or drive through the Village of Webster, we often — well, usually — fail to notice and appreciate the history that surrounds us.

The Village of Webster’s Historic Preservation Commission has made it their goal to shine a spotlight on some of these historical treasures. One way they’re doing that is with their recognition of Historic Sites of the Month. In August, that distinction was awarded to the Foley Insurance Agency.

The frame building at 9 East Main St. which we now know as Foley Insurance was built about 1898, and served as a post office until 1914. Inside, there are still several design elements from its days as a post office, including mail slots for letters and packages.

After the post office closed, the building housed several other businesses, including a cigar store, law offices and a construction agency. During that time, in 1921, Harold K. Foley began his career in real estate. With a partner, he purchased the insurance business of Jayne and Mason, later buying out the partner and operating under his own name out of offices on the second floor.

In 1940 Foley purchased the building, did some remodeling and moved his business to the main floor, where Foley Insurance remains today.

When Harold died suddenly in 1949, the business was handed to his wife Dorothea and their son Tom. Today, her great-granddaughters Sheila Foley Hanna and Meghan Foley Bloom run the business and are continuing the legacy. In 2021 the Foley Agency, family-owned since day one, was recognized by the Webster Chamber of Commerce for its 100th anniversary in the community of Webster, truly an amazing achievement, and perhaps the only business in town to achieve that milestone.

To read more about the history of Foley Agency Insurance, visit their website, and to see a list of previous Webster Historic Preservation Commission Historic Site of the Month honorees, click here.

Photo circa 1900
Photo circa 1920s (courtesy Foley Agency)

* * *

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 “Follow Me” link on the right side of this page.

(posted 8/27/2023)

Tags: , , , ,

Bed races, wellness fair, trick-or-treating and more

23 Aug

Lots of exciting events are coming down the pike in the next few months, courtesy the Webster Business Improvement District (BID), and I picked up a few more details about many of them at the most recent BID meeting.

Registrations are beginning to come in for Webster Community Bed Races, scheduled for Saturday Sept. 16. This should be a tremendously fun event and a great chance for local businesses and organizations to get a little publicity. It’d kind of be like building a parade float. But with wheels. And you have to push it. But otherwise, JUST like a parade float, fancy and creative and fun. I’d love to see beds from organizations like the school district, service clubs, maybe Miracle Field and the Friends of Webster Trails. The more the merrier!

Click here to see the previous blog I wrote for more details.

A brand-new Webster Health and Wellness Fair will be coming to the village on Saturday Oct. 21, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

It will be held at Village Hall on West Main St., and showcase many of the health and wellness businesses and professionals from our community. More details to come.

The annual Trick or Treat Trail is on the books, scheduled for Saturday Oct. 28 from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., so stay tuned for more about that. Also, the Bourbon Bash will be taking place again this year, and there’s still talk about squeezing in a Beer Walk soon, but I didn’t get a set date for that. And of course, the village’s Winter Wonderland will be back the first Saturday in December, so get that on your calendar.

As details are finalized for these events, they’ll be posted at websterbid.com, so check back there frequently.

By the way, the BID logos I’ve posted here are brand new. They;ve just been introduced, and I think they’re quite attractive. Look for them everywhere you read about the Webster BID and the great events they sponsor in our village.

* * *

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 “Follow Me” link on the right side of this page.

(posted 8/23/2023)

Tags: , , ,

Photos from the Jazz Festival

20 Aug

Another excellent Webster Jazz Festival is in the books.

The weather could not have cooperated any better Saturday night when thousands of jazz lovers filled West Main Street to enjoy an afternoon and evening of great music, presented by some very talented musicians. The food and beverage vendors lining the street were kept busy all night, and the pubs and restaurants that stayed open during the festivities definitely saw increased traffic. And I have to say, the village never looks more beautiful than on Jazz Festival night, with the white lights twinkling in the trees and stretched across West Main.

It was especially nice to see so many children in the audience, dancing to the music along with their parents and grandparents, clearly having the time of their lives.

A lot of effort goes into this annual festival, and we have Tom Spoonhower and the Webster Business Improvement District to thank for that. They do a great job every year showing the entire Rochester area how vibrant — and charming — the Village of Webster is.

Click here to check out my gallery of photos from Saturday night.

* * *

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 “Follow Me” link on the right side of this page.

(posted 8/20/2023)

Tags: , , , ,

Webster community mailbag

17 Aug

Summer is quickly winding down, but the number of special events happening in these last weeks of the season have not slowed one bit.

Of course, one of the biggest events of the Webster year takes place this weekend, Friday and Saturday Aug. 18 and 19. It’s the Webster Jazz Festival, which for the last 17 years has brought some amazing jazz musicians to entertain us in the pubs and on West Main St.

The event kicks off with Music in the Pubs on Friday evening when six different bands are scheduled to perform at six different village pubs and restaurants, with staggered start times, so you can visit visit several (or all) of the venues for a drink and a bite to eat, and enjoy as many bands as you like.

The music continues Saturday night when jazz takes to the street. Beginning at 4 p.m., an outstanding lineup of entertainers will take to the big West Main Street stage, featuring musicians from around Rochester and Upstate. Bring some folding chairs and enjoy music all evening long. It looks like the weather will be perfect.

Click here to see my previous blog which includes the complete line-up of entertainers, or visit websterbid.com. You can also see a whole gallery of photos from last year’s Jazz Festival here.

The Webster Marching Band Boosters’ next Food Truck Rodeo is scheduled for Friday August 25 from 4 to 8 p.m at Webster Fireman’s Field.

The Marching Band Boosters sponsor various fundraising events throughout the year to help pay for the Webster Marching Band’s equipment, show productions, and competition-related trip expenses.

More than a dozen food trucks will be on hand, including The Meatball Truck, Roc City Sammich, Rob’s Kabobs, Kona Ice, Eat Greek, Chefs, ROCDilla, The Beer Wagon, Al Dente, Bay Vista Taqueria, Bruster’s, Mr. Squeeze and the Melt Truck.

There will also be face painting for the kids. (Clip the coupon from the poster.) Admittance to the rodeo is FREE, and all proceeds from the food trucks will benefit the Marching Band Boosters and Webster Marching Band members.

Webster NY Hope, in partnership with the Webster Public Library, is hosting a school-supply drive to help our local students have what they need to start the school year off strong.

Supplies are being collected at the Webster Public Library, 980 Ridge Rd., and will be distributed at Webster Hope’s Back-to-School Night on Tuesday Aug. 29.

Enlarge the flyer to see what supplies are being requested.

Also happening soon at Webster Hope: their annual garage sale, scheduled for Sept. 13 to 16 at 1450 Ridge Rd. This is always a huge sale, so make sure to put it on your calendar.

Speaking of garage sales, here’s a final reminder to drop off your donations for the upcoming Webster Museum Barn Sale, scheduled for Sept. 14 to 16 at 394 Phillips Rd.

The barn doors are open, and community members are invited to stop by anytime to drop off donations. Just head down the driveway to the barns, and donations can be left inside. Donation receipts are on the table. Although you can donate any day, museum volunteers are on site Monday mornings if you would like assistance unloading your donations.

Donations will only be accepted through Monday Sept. 4 (Labor Day) so museum volunteers will have plenty of time to get everything ready for the 14th.

Acceptable items include antiques, collections and collectibles, kitchen and household items, décor, small appliances, toys, tools, and small furniture. What CANNOT be accepted include books or magazines, computers, clothing, linens, baby cribs or car seats, large furniture, snow skis or water skis, large exercise equipment, audio or video tapes (VHS tapes, music cassettes, etc), or entertainment electronics, (TVs, stereos, DVD players, etc).  

I’ll be highlighting the barn sale again as it draws closer. But in the meantime, get those donations … un … donated!

Looking forward to September, the annual Webster Rocks ALS music festival is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 9 at Firemen’s Field.

The festival is held to raise awareness for ALS in memory of Kacie Jones, a longtime employee of the Coach/Rubino’s, who passed away from ALS at 31 years old, less than two years after he was diagnosed. Proceeds will benefit organizations that fight to change the standard of case and empower people with ALS. (Visit www.healingals.org or www.teamgleason.org for more information.)

The festival will be held on Saturday Sept. 9 at the Webster Firemen’s Field on Ridge Rd. There’ll be food trucks and plenty of liquid refreshment. Doors open at 2 p.m. and an incredible music line-up starts at 3 p.m., featuring Anthony Blood, State Line, Brass Taxi, Dial Up and M80s. (Check the Facebook event page for more details about the schedule.)

Tickets are $20 in advance (available from the Coach Sports Bar, 19 W. Main in Webster) and at Eventbrite (but they charge fees, so stop by the Coach to save money). Cost is $25 the day of the festival. Admission is free for ages 12 and under.

If you can’t get enough music, here’s another FREE concert taking place that same day, Saturday Sept. 9 at Gazebo Park on North Ave.

It’s the second annual RHB St. Jude Benefit Concert, which this year features not just your hosts, the Red Hot and Blue Band, but also Sarah De Vallière, The M-T-V Jam Band (Moore Tyrrel and Vaughan) and The Tug Hill Band. Pub 235, Guida’s Pizza and Terry’s Tips And Beef will also be there with some great food.

This concert is becoming an annual event to benefit St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, in honor of September being Child Cancer Awareness Month. The bands start performing at 1 p.m., and admission is free, but donations in any amount will be gratefully accepted throughout the show.

Those special events are just the tip of the September-entertainment iceberg. Here’s a quick look at several other events you’ll want to get on your calendar. I’ll provide more details in future blogs, so stay tuned.

  • Saturday and Sunday Sept. 9 and 10: Webster Garlic Fest at the Webster Recreation Center. Click here for more information.
  • Monday Sept. 11: Village of Webster 9/11 ceremony, featuring the Webster Village Band. Ceremony begins at 6 p.m. at Gazebo Park on North Ave.
  • Friday and Saturday Sept. 15 and 16: Oktoberfest to benefit Challenger Miracle Field. Click here for more information.
  • Sept. 16 to 24: Miracle Field Week, with several events to benefit Challenger Miracle Field, including the Oktoberfest (see above), a concert by the Zac Brown Tribute Band, a corn hole tournament, and more. Details here.
  • Saturday, Sept. 16: The Webster Community Bed Races. Click here for more information.
  • Saturday Sept. 23: Third annual Mud Run at the Webster Recreation Center. Read more about it in this blog. I WILL be there.

* * *

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 “Follow Me” link on the right side of this page.

(posted 8/17/2023)

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Ladies and gentlemen, start your beds!

15 Aug

Registrations are now being taken for the Webster Community Bed Races, which are returning to the village on Sept. 16 after a many-year absence.

Teams of four bed pushers and one “sleeper” will navigate an obstacle course down East Main St., cheered on by crowds lining the sidewalks. The beds must be non-motorized, and the “sleeper” must wear some kind of sleepwear. Races will be held in two-bed heats, with a final elimination race. Creativity is greatly encouraged!

Complete rules, bed design specifications and registration links can be found on the Webster BID website, but here are a few highlights:

  • Beds can be no larger than a standard double bed
  • Wheels must be NO larger than 8 inches
  • There are five people per team, four pushers and one sleeper
  • Each race will include one challenge stop

It’ll be a great event to watch from the sidelines, but definitely more fun to be a participant. Sign-up is happening now, and racers are encouraged to register soon before the race card fills up. Cost is $25 per team for ages 14-19, $50 for ages 20 and over. Deadline for entries is August 31.

This is a great chance to advertise a business, collaborate on a fun family activity, or get some neighbors together for an unforgettable morning. You can even use the opportunity as a fundraiser for your favorite charity, asking friends and neighbors to pledge money, and post signs on your bed to raise awareness. For more details about bed specifications and to register, visit the Webster BID website.

I’m really looking forward to the creativity on display that day!

The 2023 Webster Bed Races will be held Saturday Sept. 16 at 10 a.m. on East Main St. in the Village of Webster. The event is sponsored by the Business Improvement District along with Webster Rotary, Webster Lions Club and Webster Kiwanis, and proceeds will benefit the Webster Community Chest.

* * *

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 “Follow Me” link on the right side of this page.

(posted 8/15/2023)

Tags: , , ,

Enjoying one last Family Games Night

12 Aug

Dozens of families enjoyed the last Family Games Night of the 2023 summer season on Friday night at Gazebo Park.

Children young and old bopped between Giant Jenga, corn hole, giant Connect Four and other games. There were balloons and snacks, and Dancing With Denise kept everyone hopping to a beat — when they weren’t twirling hula hoops.

Thank you Webster BID for a fun evening. Moving these events off of Main Street to Gazebo Park was a great decision, and I know these family-friendly events will continue to be popular in the coming years.

Here are a few more photos from the evening:

* * *

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 “Follow Me” link on the right side of this page.

(posted 8/12/2023)

Tags: , , , ,

First Responders 5K returns to village streets in three weeks

10 Aug

I like participating in 5Ks. (You’ll notice I didn’t say “run” 5Ks, because the pace I set cannot actually be called “running.”) So I’m really looking forward to one of my favorite 5Ks ever, the First Responders 5K.

This is a favorite for a few reasons. First, it’s in the Village of Webster. I can walk to the start line AND it runs right by my house. Second, SO MANY of my Webster friends also run. And finally, some of the proceeds benefit a great cause.

The race website explains,

The First Responders 5K recognizes the strength, perseverance, and courage of police officers, firefighters, EMTs, 911 operators and their families in our local community.

First responders put their lives on the line for us every day as they face hardships that most of us will never know. The repetitive negative experience of stressful and potentially traumatic events that first responders face on a daily basis leaves them particularly vulnerable to post-traumatic stress disorder. We hope that this event can raise awareness for PTSD in first responders, and raise funds for a local charity, FRST Agency, that will provide support, awareness, assets, and services to first responders seeking assistance in dealing with the effects of PTSD.

A portion of proceeds, as well as 100% of additional donations, will be donated to the FRST Agency. 

The race is scheduled for Friday Sept. 1 at 6:30 p.m. It will BEGIN AND END at the south side of Fireman’s Field on Sanford St., and take racers through east-side village neighborhoods. Cost is $40 (plus fees) or $15 for active first responders. Each racer will also receive a t-shirt, and food and drink after the race.

My family will once again be setting up our “refreshment” stop on Fuller Ave. with water — and beer — so watch for our signs!

To register for the race, and for more information including a course map, click here . They’re also looking for volunteers, which is an easy gig and nets you a t-shirt, too. You can also find out more about that opportunity on the website.

* * *

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 “Follow Me” link on the right side of this page.

(posted 8/10/2023)

Tags: , , ,

Webster community mailbag

8 Aug

I’m going to lead today’s mailbag with an event I only just learned about myself when I was reading through the Town’s Webster This Week newsletter.

It’s the Water Lantern Festival, being held this Saturday Aug. 12 at Charles Sexton Memorial Park (formerly North Ponds). It’s one of hundreds of similar festivals held world-wide every year by an organization called One World Lantern Festival, which describes it as:

an incredible experience where thousands of family, friends, and strangers celebrate life together. Water Lantern Festival brings together individuals from all ages, backgrounds, and walks of life to join in one emotional and memorable night. You’ll cherish these moments as you witness the beauty of thousands of lanterns and the lights reflecting upon the water.

Participants design their own lanterns, and are invited to inscribe their “hopes and dreams, or a letter to a loved one,” or any other meaningful message, and then send them floating out onto the water. I imagine the scene of countless illuminated lanterns floating on the pond will be spectacular.

Webster’s Water Lantern Festival will begin at 6 p.m. with food trucks, music and activities. Lantern designing begins at 8:30 p.m. and launch is from 9 to 10 p.m. Tickets are $26.98 (plus processing fees and taxes) and include a lantern kit, a commemorative drawstring bag, playing cards, conversation cards and access to the food trucks and music. IF YOU’RE INTERESTED IN ATTENDING, you should get your tickets by Wednesday Aug. 9, because the price goes up after that to $45.99 and even higher on the day of the event.

Click here for more information about the festival and ticket options.

The Village of Webster’s next and last-one-of-the-summer Family Games Night is this Friday Aug. 11 from 6 to 9 p.m. at Gazebo Park on North Ave. These great — and totally free — family events feature giant games, sidewalk chalk, great food and drink, and Dancing With Denise. Come for just a short time, come for the entire event; you and your kids will have a blast.

Remember to visit the Webster BID website regularly to keep up to date on village events.

Webster NY Hope has published this month’s wish list, which includes:

  • toothbrushes
  • toilet paper
  • pasta
  • cooking oil
  • towels (used or new)
  • socks for all ages
  • underwear for all ages
  • queen sheets

Items can be dropped off at Webster Hope, 1450 Ridge Rd., during their normal operating hours, Monday from 5 to 7 p.m., Tuesday from 10 a.m. to noon, Wednesday from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. and Thursday from 5 to 7 p.m.

The Webster Marching Band‘s next Bottle and Can Drive happens this Saturday Aug. 12 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. All you have to do is place those bags outside your house or at the end of the driveway, with a little note indicating they’re for the band, and they’ll be whisked away for a good cause.

Or, if you plan to be out and about on Saturday, you can drop them off at the collection site, Webster Schroeder High School, 875 Ridge Road, by 3 p.m.

OR, you can call the Bottle and Can Hotline (234-8684, option 1) ANYTIME to arrange a pickup at a time convenient for you.

The United Church of Christ‘s last Caring Community Concert of the summer takes place this Wednesday Aug. 9 when 8 Days a Week performs.

These concerts benefit local nonprofit organizations. There’s no admission, but each week the church collects a free-will offering benefiting that week’s chosen non-profit organization. This week’s concert will benefit the Friends of Webster Trails.  

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.)

Finally, looking ahead, these two events take place in a few weeks:

The Steam Police will sponsor a blood drive in the Spry Middle School cafeteria on Friday Aug. 18 from 1 to 6 p.m. There’ll be food, drinks, t-shirts, raffle prizes, and a whole lot of gratitude.

For an appointment (always a good idea), visit redcrossblood.org and use the keyword “SPRYMS” or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).

An electronics recycling event is scheduled for Saturday Aug. 19 on the Xerox campus off of Orchard St. (near the Rec Center). TICKETS ARE REQUIRED for this event, and you can sign up here for the time slot you want.

Some slots are already booked up, so sign up soon.

* * *

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 “Follow Me” link on the right side of this page.

(posted 8/8/2023)

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

← Older Entries
Newer Entries →