It’s getting cold out, but the holiday season in Webster is heating up, with a cool NEW event and some great improvements on an old favorite.
For starters, the village’s brand new “Hops and Stops” beer tasting event invites participants to not only enjoy some great craft brews, while also visiting many of our small businesses for some early Christmas shopping.
Hops and Stops will be Saturday Nov. 27 (not coincidentally Small Business Saturday). Glass pickup is at Finns Automotive, 44 East Main St, beginning at 2:45 p.m. Cost is $20 (tickets here). Please bring proper ID and you can’t pick up anyone else’s glass since they’ll also need to show an ID.
The beer walk itself runs from 3 to 6 p.m. There will be craft beer at some stops and food at others. These businesses will be participating:
Bernardi & Co. CPA
Webster Interiors
Woodland Silkscreen and Embroidery
OHHH, LORDEE! Everything Sauce
Village Vape or Smoke
The Modified Collective
Carl’s Pizza Kitchen
Crafty Christy’s Boutique
Dunkin’ Donuts
The Coach
BC’s Chicken Coop
The Cobblestone on Main
Barry’s Old School Irish
Lattimore Physical Therapy
Filling Station Pub & Grill
Kudos to the Webster BID for coming up with this great idea to get people out and shopping on Small Business Saturday!
Click here for more information and to get tickets.
White Christmas is Back!
Last year’s “reverse” Holiday Parade of Lights was fun, but I think everyone is excited to know that the REAL Parade of Lights will be returning the evening of Saturday Dec. 4. The parade is the highlight of a whole afternoon of holiday entertainment and activities planned during the Village of Webster’s White Christmas celebration.
This year’s event will feature something really fun: the gazebo in Veterans Park will be transformed into the North Pole for the day, complete with twinkling lights, elves, candy canes and much more. Santa will be there to greet the kids from 3 to 5 p.m. Kids can bring their letters and give them right to Santa or deposit them in his North Pole mailbox.
The Parade of Lights will begin at 6:30 p.m., winding its way from Phillips Rd. west down Main Street.
All of your White Christmas favorites will also be back this year, including carriage rides, hot cocoa, cookie decorating, storytime with Jason Poole from the Webster Public Library, caroling, and much more, including a “Toy Land,” for which everyone is encouraged to bring a new, unwrapped toy to donate.
Put this one on your calendar, folks. (Maybe we’ll actually get some snow this year.)
I’ve got an important update from the PTSA/One Webster team that’s working on a float for this year’s Holiday Parade of Lights.
They need lights for the float!
They’ve actually been getting a good response from people interested in helping create Santa’s Workshop and who want to help build the float (read more about those opportunities in this blog here) but they desperately need lights for the float. After all, it is the Holiday PARADE OF LIGHTS.
They’ve made it very easy to contribute to the effort. Click this link here to order the lights directly (there are several price options) or donate any amount.
This show, which usually takes over much of the Webster Recreation Center in early April, had to go virtual these last few years. Now that it looks like the 2022 Peep Show might be a little more normal, they’re already ramping up to make it the best ever.
They’e currently looking artists to create a poster (rules are posted on the Peep Show website) and prizes will be awareded: $100 for first place, $50 for second place. The deadline for submissions is Nov. 25. They’re also looking for sponsors, vendors, and community groups or entertainers who would like to present demos at the show. Come January, they’ll start asking for volunteers.
As for all you Peep Show display makers, get to the drawing board and start planning your incredible displays. April will be here before we know it!
For more information about the 2022 Greater Rochester Peep Show, click here.
Get your books here, folks!
Now here’s a great chance to pick up some perfect holiday gifts for the reader in your family, and not drop a lot of dough.
The Friends of the Webster Public Library will be holding their Winter Holiday Book Sale beginning Saturday Nov. 20.
Winter and end-of-the-year holiday season books (hardcover, fiction and nonfiction) will be featured at this sale, including music CDs, DVD movies and Blu-Rays for children and adults. And everything is priced between 50 cents and $2.
The sale will run for several weeks (or until the books run out) during regular holiday hours.
Purchases may be made at the circulation desk. All monies raised will go to support library programs and initiatives.
In this month’s History Bit from the Webster Museum, a message of thanks.
NYA-WEH is “thanks” in the Seneca language. If we struggle to find things to be thankful for this year, we would do well to consult the Thanksgiving address of any of our native people, the Haudenosaunee.
A thousand years old, the words are still spoken before and after ceremonial and governmental gatherings. The speakers’ language and words may vary, but the message is the same: we must name and thank everything in the natural world that sustains us. The address includes the people, the earth, the waters, the plants, the animals, the sun, moon and stars and the creator they believe to be responsible for all these gifts.
Each gift is named and thanked and honored by the refrain “now our minds are one.“ Consensus on gratitude!
The Webster Museum’s permanent Seneca exhibit now includes objects identified in the Seneca language.
The museum is open for your enjoyment (and maybe some new vocabulary…) on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays from 2 to 4:30 p.m.. Nya-weh for visiting!
By the way, I did mention above that Webster’s White Christmas in the Village will be back this year, It returns Saturday Dec. 4, complete with the Parade of Lights in the evening.
Barry’s Old School Irish is celebrating its 10th anniversary Saturday night.
There’s not much more I can say about this little Irish pub which I have not said before. How Barry’s has changed the face of Webster. How Barry’s has positively affected so many lives. How Danny and Jessica have become like family.
Several weeks ago I took my most recent stab at putting my feelings into words when I posted this preview of Saturday’s festivities. I have struggled since to come up a different way to note this remarkable occasion.
What I came up with is this photo retrospective from the last ten years. They begin with a shot of the unsightly bulding before Danny and Jessica purchased it, when the plumbing shop was still in business. There are photos from every anniversary (except #9, which didn’t really happen during the pandemic) and several special events, and concludes with the beautiful pub we have come to know and love.
Remember the old plumbing shop?
This was after the plumbing shop owner died and it was being prepared for a new owner,
The day before Barry’s officially opened. Look at the blank walls.
Look how young these kids were
Grand opening ribbon cutting
Grand opening
Maley’s surprise baby shower
Pre-Maley
Great Guinness Toast 2012
Great Guinness Toast 2012
An early traditional session, featuring local Irish music royalty Marty O’Keefe and Ted McGraw
First anniversary
First anniversary
Candlelight vigil for West Webster. 12/27/2012
12/27/2012
12/27/2012
Oops. This is a duplicate
Dan and Jess with Ted McGraw and Marty O’Keefe, 2012
Barry’s Crossing playing for the Great Guinness Toast 2012
2nd anniversary
2nd anniversary
2nd anniversary
Guinness Toast 2013
Guinness Toast 2013
3rd anniversary
3rd anniversary
3rd anniversary
New Year’s Eve 2013
New Year’s Eve 2013
4th anniversary
4th anniversary
4th anniversary
5th anniversary
5th anniversary
5th anniversary
6th anniversary
6th anniversary
6th anniversary
6th anniversary
7th anniversary
7th anniversary
7th anniversary
8th anniversary
New pews!!!
Barry’s today.
Compared to 2011
Here are some thoughts from Danny and Jess, taken from the Facebook event page.
Jessica and I are excited to celebrate the 10 Year Anniversary of Barry’s Old School Irish with everyone!
This little Irish Pub is special for so many reasons. A dream of ours to open after honeymooning in Ireland, which became a reality at 20 and 24 years old. We’ve brought 3 crazy kiddos into this world since the year we opened Barry’s- our kids have quickly gained MANY aunts and uncles from our community. We are so thankful to all those who call Barry’s home and are blessed to have made so many wonderful friends that have become family to us. We’ve shared a lot of lasting memories together in these 10 years, now let’s make a few more on November 6th during our Anniversary Party!
Here are some details, but you can find more information on the event page:
• 7 to 10 p.m.: live Irish Music by Sean & Sarah of Barry’s Crossing! They were our first ever musicians to play at the pub, and for a long time were the “house band.” They haven’t played together in a long time, and are reuniting for this performance. • Irish Whiskey reps. in with samples & give-aways • Irish Dancers in to perform • Give-aways from Guinness, Proper 12, Magners, and more • Bagpiper making an appearance
Barry’s Old School Irish is located at 2 West Main St., in the Village of Webster.
Congratulations to the following winners of this year’s Trick-or-Treat Trail Costume Contest!
0 to 5 years old
1st place: “Doctor & Patient” – Benjamin & Groot Bradford
Tied for 2nd: “Bar Maid” (Dixie Doud) and “Construction Worker” (Liam Murphy) Tied for 3rd: “Elsa” (Sophia White) and “Paw Patrol Marshall” (Austin Hoffman)
6-12 years old
1st place: “Zombie Princess” (Teagan Hoffman)
Tied for 2nd: “Lumberjack/Scarecrow” (Michael Bovenzi) and “Witch” (Malaya Quinn) Tied for 3rd: “Marie-White Cat” (Molly Koenig) and “Skeleton” (Elliana Palmer)
Families
1st place: “Fruit Salad” (Malarkey Family)
Tied for 2nd: “Nightmare Before Christmas” (Gallagher Family) and “Addams Family” (Spampinato Family) Tied for 3rd: “Super Heroes” (King Family) and “Thomas the Train, Conductor & Gates” (Cline Family)
Well, it wasn’t as warm or sunny as we’ve experienced some years, and not as dry as most. But the few showers that we had yesterday afternoon didn’t deter hundreds of kids and their adults from strolling the Village of Webster’s streets during this year’s Trick-or-Treat Trail.
More than two dozen businesses participated this year, as well as the Webster Museum and Webster Volunteer Fire Department, which always uses the day to host its annual open house. The costume contest, modified this year to become a Covid-friendly walk-through event, ran so smoothly that I dare say it might become the norm for future years.
It’s always great to see how much fun the kids have, and how proud they are of their costumes. But I especially like seeing how many adults dress up as well, often as part of a family theme. It’s one of my favorite days of the year.
Many thanks to all the parents who let me stop them in their tracks so I could take photos. There’s more than 150 in my Facebook gallery, so there’s a good chance you’ll see yourself and your kids, or at least someone you know.
I’ve posted a few photos here, but click hereto see the gallery.
Looks like the weather’s going to be a little bit iffy on Saturday, but nothing is going to stop this year’s Webster Village Trick-or-Treat Trail. ‘Cause we need this to help life return to normal.
As always, the day will begin with a costume contest, but this year it will look a little different. Instead of everyone crowding into the Village Meeting Room for photos and judging, participants are being asked to do a meeting room walk-through. Here’s what I mean:
From 11 a.m. to noon, contestants will enter the meeting room via the parking lot side of the building (behind the fire house), fill out an entry form, be given an entry number, have their photo taken, and exit through the South Ave. side of the building. After all the photos have been reviewed, winners will be notified on Monday Nov. 1. (And I’ll post the winners here as well.)
The Trick-or-Treat Trail proper begins at noon and goes until 2:30 p.m. Grab your kids, get everyone into costumes (including you, too, Mom and Dad), then stroll through the village, visiting friendly merchants who will be handing out candy. This is a great chance to check out some of the newer businesses in town, or even some older businesses you’ve never been in before.
And make sure you stop by the Webster Volunteer Fire Dept., because they’ll be holding their annual open house, complete with demonstrations, free fire hats, and candy of course. And turn the corner on Lapham Park to take the short walk to the Webster Museum. The volunteers there always have something special planned.
Keep an eye out for me and my camera; I’ll be wandering the streets, too, taking photos of as many kids and families in costume as I can. Then I’ll post a really big photo gallery on Monday.
Halloween is just a few days away, which means that Christmas is just around the corner. The Webster Museum is getting ready.
The Museum recently announced that their Festival of Trees will return this year in person. Last year’s virtual, photographic festival was okay, but it just wasn’t the same as being able to stroll through the museum and see all of the creatively decorated contestants up close and personal.
Here are the details:
Families, individuals, Scout troops, classrooms, clubs, organizations, ALL are invited to decorate a miniature Christmas tree using a family-friendly theme.
The trees are provided by the museum.
Decorating takes place after Thanksgiving and voting begins during White Christmas in the Village on Dec. 4.
Trees will be registered to callers starting at noon on November 1. Please call Kathy at 313-3709 and leave a message with your name and phone number so your call can be returned. Call early as number of trees is limited. Please be prepared to supply: caller’s name, email and phone number; decorator’s name, email and phone number; any special needs (location, lights, etc.) You’ll receive a follow-up email about dates/times to decorate.
The Webster Central School District has announced that Interim Superintendent of Schools Brian Neenan has accepted the position as Webster CSD’s new superintendent of schools. The board of education will officially approve the appointment at its Tuesday, Nov. 2 meeting.
Neenan served as interim superintendent of schools since April 30, 2021. Prior to that appointment, Neenan worked in a dual role as WCSD’s deputy superintendent (2015-2021) and assistant superintendent for instruction (2013-2021). He began his career in Webster as principal of Willink Middle School (2009-2013). Before coming to Webster, he served as an assistant principal at Victor CSD’s junior high school for four years.
The Webster Recreation Center is hosting a Halloween-themed fitness event this Saturday morning, and everyone is invited regardless of fitness level or Rec Center membership.
The HIGH Fitness class will run from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m., and participants are encouraged to wear costumes (although they’re not required). There will be drawings for prizes at the end of the class.
HIGH Fitness is a modern-day choreographed aerobics class that combines cardio peaks, toning tracks, and popular music. Athletic shoes are required and all fitness levels are welcome. The Webster Recreation Center is the only facility in Wester New York that currently offers HIGH Fitness.
No registration is required and Rec Center members and non-members are all welcome. The Webster Recreation Center is located at 1350 Chiyoda Dr., off of Phillips Rd.
Webster Museum’s Exhibit Committee has curated an exhibit called “Living off the Land.” Artifacts from the museum’s extensive collections, many of them donated by Webster residents, are on display both in the museum’s display case at the Webster Library and at the Webster Museum. The exhibit tells the story of folks who settled here and the items they brought, made or invented in order to make a life for themselves and their families.
The Webster Museum, 18 Lapham Park in the village, is open Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays from 2 to 4:30 pm.
And as long as we’re talking about the library, I just got word about three great adult programs coming up soon.
Thursday Nov. 4, 7 to 8 p.m. — Discovering Your Roots: an introduction to genealogy and planning a geneaology vacation.
Wednesday Nov. 10, noon: Medicare 101, an introduction and update to the federally administered health insurance program
Wednesday Nov. 10, 7 to 8 p.m. — Dream Cakes Cookie Decorating: learn some decorating tips and tricks and amaze your friends and family
Pre-registration is required and there is a $10 charge for the cookie decorating class. Click on the images below for more information.
Finally, a few newsy notes from our neighbor to the south.
Annual Arts and Craft Fair at Penfield Community Center
The Daytime Education at Recreation (DEAR) program at Penfield Recreation will be hosting its second annual Arts and Craft Fair on Saturday Nov. 6 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Penfield Community Center, 1985 Baird Rd.
This event will showcase 53 vendors from around Monroe County selling their hand-crafted wares. Admission is free and is open to the public. Masks are required for this indoor event. Refreshments will be available.
This event is a fundraiser to support the DEAR program at Penfield Recreation, which provides free life-long learning opportunities to seniors in our community.
For more information call Penfield Recreation at (585) 340-8655, option 0.
Penfield Ecumenical Food Shelf needs turkeys
Once again this year, the Penfield Ecumenical Food Shelf will be collecting frozen turkeys for Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners.
Food Shelf staff are especially requesting turkeys from 8 to 14 lbs., which are the best sizes for their families in need.
Drop off for Thanksgiving will be Saturday morning Nov. 20 between 7:30 and 8:30am at the Food Shelf, 1618 Jackson Rd. Drop off for Christmas will be Saturday Dec. 18 from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m., also at the Food Shelf. If other arrangements are needed for dropoff, email penfieldfoodshelf@gmail.com.
Turkeys will soon be on sale at local grocery stores, so this would be a great time to pick up an extra one and help those in our community who have been hit especially hard by the pandemic. The Food Shelf’s family numbers have increased quite a bit this year, as you can imagine; they’re planning on providing 225 families with dinner for each holiday.
A cute, spunky little boutique moved into the Village of Webster recently, quietly setting up shop off the lower parking lot at 7 West Main St.
Crafty Christy’s Boutique opened several weeks ago, next door to the rear entrance of the Village Smoke Shop, just across from the gazebo. Stocked with vintage clothing, handmade and vintage jewelry and artfully decorated items, owner Christina Barnum describes her shop as “a boutique for the flower child at heart.”
“This is a very unique boutique,” she said.”My theory is recycle, reuse, recreate. So at least 50% of what is in here is upcycled, which I made from something else. It’s what I do best. I have a knack for finding things, putting things together…. (with my) little bohemian flair.”
I call Crafty Christy’s Boutique “spunky” because it exists only because of Christina’s conviction and downright determination.
This is actually the fourth time she’s tried to make a go of it. After operating a home-grown boutique from her Penfield home for a while, in 2015 she opened up her first shop behind the old Toy-Go-Round in Webster. Then called the Little House Boutique, a car accident put an end to that dream pretty quickly. Her next two tries in Palmyra and Ontario didn’t make enough money to survive.
Undeterred, Christina is trying again, with the same do-or-die spirit that got her through a stint with the Marines.
“The only reason I made it through (the Marines),” she said, “was because someone told me I couldn’t, and I said ‘watch me.’ It’s the same thing with this.”
Of course Christina would love to see this most recent attempt be successful, but to her, it isn’t just about financial success.
“It’s not about the money,” she said. “This is a passion I have. The connections I’ve made through all the attempts have been amazing. I’ve met some great people. I’ve inspired some women along the way, I’ve met other businesswomen and we all encourage each other. It’s more about that than anything else.”
This time around, Christina has reimagined her shop, changing the name to reflect her new focus on crafts. She’ll be hosting craft classes at least twice a month, and every Thursday night will be hanging around the shop for anyone who wants to just stop in and make-and-take a craft. (Her next jewelry craft class, by the way, is this Thursday Oct. 28 at 6 p.m.)
She also wants to offer craft therapy for veterans.
“I’ve been in different kinds of therapy throughout the years….I know the need to just be with others who have experienced the same things that you have and feel comfortable about talking about it. We want to kind of keep it low-key, let’s just be comrades and have some fun.”
On top of all of that, Christina is raising money through her sales to benefit Blessed Hope Community Church, and (soon) Pets for Vets.
It sounds like Crafty Christy’s Boutique is going to be a valued member of our Webster Village community.
Crafty Christy’s Boutique, in the lower parking lot at 7 West Main St., is open Monday through Thursday 3:30 to 7:30, Friday 3 to 5, and Saturday 11 to 5. Christina is still getting her Facebook page and website up and running, but you can see a few things at craftychristysboutique.com. Christina will also be participating in this weekend’s Trick or Treat Trail, so that would be a great time to pop in and check out the place. Call (585) 236-1131 for more information to to register for a class.
The Webster Recreation Center hosted its second annual Pumpkins on Parade Saturday the 23rd, and it was even bigger and better than last year.
For more than an hour and a half after dark, thousands of people strolled along the mile-long Chiyoda Trail winding behind the Rec Center, which was lined with hundreds of extremely creative, illuminated jack-o-lanterns. The designs ran the gamut from traditional and whimsical to spooky and just plain weird. I saw Olaf and Ernie, the Lego man, spiders, ghosts, unicorns, and lots of toothy grins. For added enjoyment, two of the homeowners whose houses back up to the Rec Center property were playing spooky music for the families that strolled by.
This year the Rec Center also created a separate, much shorter path for seniors and small children, which wrapped around the back of the Rec Center for about 200 yards.
Recreation Director Chris Bilow estimated that about 500 pumpkins had been placed along the two paths, about 100 more than last year. They included 200 or so created by community members, which is also more than they received last year.
That was a pleasant surprise, Bilow added, because by Saturday morning they still hadn’t received too many. “I was a little concerned,” he said. “But then today they started (dropping off) around 11:30 and it was a solid line of cars.”
Like last year, at the end of the pumpkin parade everyone was treated to donuts and cider, served in the Rec Center’s expansive playing fields.
Pumpkins on Parade 2020 was designed as a Covid-friendly outdoor event for families itching for SOMETHING to get them out of the house at the height of the pandemic. After this year’s success, it’s clear the event has already become tremendously popular, pandemic or not, and I’m sure I’m not the only one hoping that the Webster Recreation Center brings it back every year.
I’m excited to tell everyone a little bit about two brand new Village shops, one which recently opened and one which will be having its grand opening very soon.
First, the one that’s not open — quite yet. It’s called Whimsies, which is going into the the former Chandeliers Boutique at 32 East Main St. It’s right next door to Lala of Webster, which is not coincidental, because Whimsies is going to sort of be an extension of Lala’s. Or as owner Lisa Schlonski describes it, a gift shop operating under the Lala umbrella.
There’s not much to tell you about the shop yet; the 2,700-foot space is still being renovated, as you might have noticed if you’ve driven down Main Street recently. But Lisa did tell me the shop will be stocked with many of the more whimsical and “snarky” items that you can find right now at Lala’s, but — and this is going to be awesome — there’s also going to be a wide selection of vintage and “penny” candy.
Lisa hopes to have the shop up and running before Thanksgiving. Stay tuned for more details about that.
* * *
Next, here’s just a sneak peek at a new boutique which recently opened at 7 West Main in the village.
It’s called Crafty Christy’s Boutique. I’m going to be chatting with the owner later today to get more information, but for now, on her website she describes her little shop as,
a veteran-owned business that reached out for folks looking for a pleasant place to shop, create and make new friends. (A) boutique for the flower child at heart. Beautiful jewelry, artfully decorated items, craft therapy, guest artist, and more.
I’ll be posting a more complete blog soon, but in the meantime, you can check out her website here, or even stop by and say hi. You’ll find her off the lower parking lot behind the W. Main Street shops, near the gazebo. She’s open Monday-Thursdday 3:30 to 7:30, Friday 3 to 5 and Saturday 11 to 5.
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
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