Photos from the Kiddie Costume Parade

14 Jul

It’s been a couple of years since I’ve been in town for the Kiddie Parade, so I was glad to be able to attend this year’s event. The firefighters changed the route this year from the village streets to the carnival grounds, “due to concerns regarding the length of the parade and safety issues with the parade occurring on the roads.” I was somewhat disappointed with that change, because I think it reduced the audience (and the candy-throwing, which kids love to do) and perhaps even the number of participants.

So this year, the costume parade began at the carnival’s beer tent, and took three laps through the grounds, led by an eclectic and always entertaining marching band (don’t know their name, unfortunately). I took a bunch of photos, and I apologize if there are duplicates of many of the kids because I didn’t want to miss anyone.

They’re all in this gallery.

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(posted 7/14/2024)

Webster community mailbag

13 Jul

I begin today’s mailbag with a fun and free family event happening at Miracle Field of Greater Rochester.

It’s the fourth annual Heroes Helping Heroes Day, this coming Saturday July 20. Local first responders will spend the day at Miracle Field, playing with and against some of our amazing Challenger athletes. In addition to the entertaining baseball games, the chance to meet some local first responders and get a close-up look at some of their equipment, there’ll be food, carnival games, an Iron Man obstacle course, a dunk tank, the Zoo Mobile and lots more.

It all takes place from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the field, 1000 Ridge Rd., Webster. If you have any questions, reach out to challengerdirec​tor@gmail.com or visit Rochestermiraclefield.org.

And now for some reminders previously mentioned in other mailbags:

Free concert at the Arboretum

The next “Music at the Arb” concert, sponsored by the Webster Recreation Center at the Webster Arboretum, is scheduled for Thursday July 18, featuring Doctor’s Orders, an acoustic folk and pop duo playing a variety of songs from the Beatles to John Prine, and pretty much everything in between.

The concert will be held from 6 to 8 p.m., is free and open to the public, and there’s plenty of parking. Bring a chair or a blanket, fill a cooler with dinner and drinks, and enjoy a pleasant evening of music.

The Arboretum talks about herbs

The next program in the Webster Arboretum’s Timely Topics Walk and Talk series is coming up this week, also on July 18.

On Thursday, July 18 at 1:30 p.m., Janet Robert and Beverly Gibson will show and tell about the Arboretum’s outstanding herb garden. Beverly will discuss the origin of the garden and the variety of herbs in each of the six themed beds.

This free, educational and lively herb discussion will be held July 18 at 1:30 p.m. at the Webster Arboretum, 1700 Schlegel Rd.  Visit the Webster Arboretum website to register for this free talk at the Arboretum. 

The Webster Arboretum is located at 1700 Schlegel Rd.

Music, music, music in the village

Music’s going wild this summer in the Village of Webster.

The Webster Jazz Festival comes to West Main Street on Friday and Saturday August 9 and 10 with a Super two day lineup featuring Bill Tiberio, Judah Sealy, Sofrito Latin Jazz, Prime Time Funk and many more.

The Friday Night Memorial Gazebo Park Concerts start on Friday July 19 at 7:00 p.m. That’s Beatles Week so come and celebrate the 60th year Anniversary of the Beatles’ 1964 USA tour with Eight Days a Week.

Remember, admission is always free at village events, which are brought to you by the Village of Webster Business Improvement District.

Baseball is on tap at Webster community night

On Friday Aug. 16, the Webster Recreation Center will be partnering with the Red Wings to host a Webster Community Night. The focus will be on our community that evening; Supervisor Tim Flaherty will be throwing out the first pitch, and Webster-based musician Sarah De Vallière is singing the national anthem.

The game starts at 6:45 p.m. Tickets are only $10 click here to reserve yours.

Webster Union Cemetery celebrates 200 years

Don’t forget about this amazing opportunity to “meet” some of Webster’s earliest settlers, at the 200th Anniversary Celebration for Webster Union Ceremony on Saturday, Aug. 17.

From 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., visitors are invited to stroll Webster Union Cemetery’s beautiful grounds and chat with some of the people who founded our town. Talk to a suffragette fighting for women’s right to vote, a 1918 Spanish flu victim, Civil War soldiers, shopkeepers, boardinghouse owners, and even a Revolutionary War spy. You’ll also have a chance to learn headstone cleaning and preservation.

The 200th Anniversary Celebration will take place Saturday Aug. 17 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Webster Union Cemetery, 345 Webster Rd. (corner of Rt. 250 and Woodhull). Admission is free.

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

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(posted 7/13/2024)

Photos from the Fireman’s Parade

12 Jul

Our Webster Volunteer Fire Department must have some sort of lucky charm which they can rub every year at parade time. I can’t remember (at least in recent memory) having a nicer evening for the annual parade. Especially since it was still raining in the morning.

With 99 units and lasting a good two hours, this year’s parade did not disappoint, especially for kids who love trucks and love candy. And thanks to the good weather, the crowds were pretty thick.

If you were in the parade, chances are very good you’ll be in one of the 280 photos in this gallery … and I take that many of them because I hear from you all how much you like to see them, especially if you couldn’t be there to watch.

So grab a coffee, sit back and enjoy the photos. And if you took any of your family gathered for the parade, send them along and I can add them to the gallery.

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

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(posted 7/12/2024)

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July History Bit: the Webster Fireman’s Carnival

11 Jul

If you’ve seen this week’s edition of the Webster Herald, you’ve already seen this month’s History Bit, which you’ll see in its entirety below.

To research that article, I drew heavily from the Webster Volunteer Fire Department’s 1906-2006 100th anniversary volume, and historical editions of the Herald. I discovered all sorts of interesting facts about the carnival, but had to leave many of them out in the interest of newspaper space. Since I have no space concern in a blog, I’ve posted much of that additional information here, following the original Bit.

Some Webster Fireman’s Carnival history

With the return of the Webster Fireman’s Carnival this week, it seems an appropriate time to take a look back at the history of this very popular and long-running summer event.  

According to the Webster Volunteer Fire Department’s 100th anniversary history book, the Fireman’s Carnival turns 87 years old this year. The first carnival was held July 23 and 24, 1937 on Ridge Rd. just west of Corning Park, where Pierce St. is now. The first chairman, Russell B. Mason, reported a net profit of $514.63. 

Not much is known about that first year, but we do know that the carnival was held at the same location the following year. The July 15, 1938 edition of the Webster Herald reported that carnival-goers would enjoy four thrilling rides, plus free dancing and entertainment. They could also enter to win cash door prizes, a radio from Hawley’s Hardware and a refrigerator from Netzman’s Appliances. 

The 1938 carnival was even more successful than the first, netting about $1100 despite some challenges. It rained buckets Friday night, and on Saturday the Ferris wheel broke down. Fortunately, though, carnival-goers had other entertainment options, including a hoop-rolling contest and a “Dutch bowlers” (cricket) demonstration game, which attracted an audience of 700. 

Even before the 1938 carnival, the Webster Fire Department was well into the planning stages of purchasing its own property for use as carnival grounds. That September, they finalized the sale of a 24-acre tract of land owned by William Partridge near their current festival location west of Corning Park, purchased for $2500. The firemen have held their carnival on that property, now known as Fireman’s Field, every year since. 

Now, here are some other interesting things I read:

  • In 1939, just two years after the first carnival, stands were built on the new property and a water line installed.
  • In 1940, wooden toilets were installed.
  • Several improvements were made between 1946 and 1950, including constructing two bridges across the stream, and building a storehouse and a building with flush toilets.
  • In the early 1950s there was talk of building a community pool, with an awning, on the site. But those plans never got off the ground.
  • In 1956 the Webster School Board asked for a right-of-way across the Fireman’s Field to Ridgecrest School. At the time, the board was granted permission to allow children to walk across the field to school, In June of 1957, a road was built across the field from Ebner Rd. (which at the time ended at the village line) to the Ridgecrest property line.
  • The “clubhouse,” now known better as the Firemen’s Exempt building, was erected in 1960.
  • In the early 1970s, restrooms were enlarged and remodeled, hot water and sinks were added to the food booths, and several stands were rebuilt after suffering damage in a windstorm.
  • Carnival organizers applied for their first Game of Chance license in 1982.
  • In 1983, McDonald’s inquired about purchasing a parcel of the property along Ridge Rd. The motion was voted down. Three more offers were made in 1986 for “the front piece of the carnival grounds” for $100,000, $200,000 and $270,000, which were all turned down. (It appears that the decision to sell the property was finally made in late 1987.)
  • In 1985 (and for several years in the late 80s and early 90s) the carnival was opened up Friday night to local homes for the handicapped so they could enjoy the festivities without the crowds.
  • In 1986, 2.765 acres adjacent to the carnival field were purchased from the school district for parking.
  • The beer stand ticket booth was built in 1988.
  • In 1999, a few buildings were removed to make room for more rides.

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

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(posted 7/11/2024)

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A look inside the new Mary Wee Pub

10 Jul

The new Mary Wee Pub is slowly taking shape at the Village of Webster’s four corners. Fans of the former Barry’s Old School Irish — and pretty much everyone who loves our village — are anxiously awaiting to see what the new corner pub will be like, inside and out.

New owner Mark Petzing, of the Shamrock Jack’s family, is putting his own twist on the interior design of his new pub, and I dare say, those who knew the old Barry’s Pub would hardly recognize the place.

First thing you might notice when you walk in is that the wall separating the bar from the “bakery” area has been removed. That leaves space for the much longer bar, which wraps from the wall near the bathrooms all the way to the west wall, plenty of room for as many as 15 bar stools. There are still two bathrooms, but Mark has reconfigured them to be side-by-side, one of them replacing what many of us know as “keg alley” in the southeast corner of the pub.

Probably the most exciting feature of the new design is the indoor/outdoor seating Mark has planned for the big, north-facing front window. That window will be replaced with a garage door, which can be raised on nice days, allowing patrons to sit inside along a counter, looking out. At the same time, patrons can sit at bar stools outside, along the same counter, across from their friends. Additional high-top and lower-table seating will fill the rest of the inside space.

Even with all that, Mark has somehow managed to actually make the pub look bigger, despite having the same floor space to work with. It already seems like it’s going to be much brighter as well, with plenty of up-lit lighting fixtures, plus two big front doors and the garage door to let the outside light stream in.

True to its name, Mark says his new pub will have a “wee bit of everything.” He’ll be serving a limited menu; right now he’s thinking soups, salads, and sandwiches, what he calls, “simple, consistent, good food.” Plans are to have eight taps, with Irish favorites including Guinness, Smithwicks and Harp, and “a couple Gennys.” There’ll be three TVs for sports fans, a jukebox, and live music.

It’s come a long way in the last few months. But there’s still lots to do, and Mark doesn’t expect to open until sometime in September or October.

  • A inside view of the future garage door seating area
  • The two bathrooms are in the same corner where they were at Barry’s, but reconfigured
  • Mark Petzing in front of the new, much bigger, bar
  • The big front doors will let in a lot of light
  • The garden in front of the garage door seating area will be removed, and a new fence will enclose the expanded patio seating area.

Finally, about the name, the “Mary Wee.” Since the signs went up in the windows, everyone’s been talking about the unusual name.

Here’s the story, straight from Mark himself:

My grandfather is Jack, and over time everything was named after him. I always wanted to be different from my family, separate from my family but at the same time, I want to be part of my family. Shamrock Jack’s is an important part of my life. 

But my grandmother Mary, I loved her. My grandmother was older and she liked whiskeys and bourbons. They would water down her whiskeys, and put a little around the rim. She’d always smile, the sweet little thing, she’d say “Oh, thank you.” And when my mom and my aunts weren’t looking, she’d say, “Mark, give me a wee bit more.”

So people ask why is it not “Wee Mary’s?” Because I want you to think about it. And it means nothing at all, but it means a ton to me. Come in and have a whiskey and I’ll tell you the story and we’ll laugh.

As work on the new Mary Wee Pub continues, stay tuned for more details and more photos from our new little corner Irish pub. And when you can finally visit and have a pint, make sure to look for the picture of Mary on the wall, and raise a pint to her for inspiring her grandson’s new pub.

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

You can also get email notifications every time I post a new blog by using the “Subscribe” link on the right side of this page (or all the way at the bottom of the page if you’re on your phone).

(posted 7/10/2024)

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Webster honors one of its own

9 Jul

The Webster community came out in force Tuesday afternoon as a funeral procession for fallen Cleveland police officer Jamieson Ritter wound its way through the village en route to Falvo Funeral Home.

Jamieson Ritter, 27, a Webster native, was killed in the line of duty on July 4, 2024. He was a Cleveland police officer.

Ritter, a Webster native, was shot last Thursday as officers attempted to serve a warrant. He was just 27 years old. A memorial service was held for him yesterday in Cleveland before his body was returned to his home town for funeral services.

Led by a dozen motorcycle officers, the procession passed through the village’s four corners at around 2:15 p.m. It was welcomed by crowds of community members who had gathered to show their respect with waving flags and hands over their hearts. At the Webster Volunteer Fire Department station, assembled firefighters snapped to attention and saluted as the hearse passed by the firehouse. A dozen more police cars, representing towns from all over Monroe County and beyond, followed behind.

Before arriving in Webster, the procession had traveled from the Thruway along routes 490, 590 and 104, welcomed along the way by knots of adults and children stationed on overpasses, and fire trucks with all their lights ablaze, some of which hoisted huge American flags.

Once again, Webster, you showed everyone what our town is all about.

Here’s a short video:

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

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(posted 7/9/2024)

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Rain, rain stay away

9 Jul

Thanks to Hurricane Beryl, it looks like the weather for the start of the 2024 Webster Fireman’s Carnival is about the worst it could be. But that could change, and our hardworking firefighters will do their very best to make sure the festivities continue unabated. For the latest updates, make sure to check out the Webster Fireman’s Carnival Facebook page or website.

In the meantime, things are hopping over at Fireman’s Field. The rides are arriving and are being set up, the parking lot has been marked off, and the snow fencing and barrels arranged, so right now everyone is expecting a great carnival and great crowds.

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

You can also get email notifications every time I post a new blog by using the “Subscribe” link on the right side of this page (or all the way at the bottom of the page if you’re on your phone).

(posted 7/9/2024)

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New Webster Hope garden has a healthy start

7 Jul

Today I’m pleased to provide a follow-up to a blog I posted in late April about a garden improvement project at Webster NY HOPE.

For the past 25 years, Webster NY HOPE has been helping our neighbors in need by providing food to as many as 80 Webster families each week. For the last ten of those years, the agency has been supplementing their food distribution with fresh vegetables, harvested from a large garden created in 2015 by Girl Scout Katie Roy, who built it as a Gold Award project.

The garden has been a tremendous asset; last year alone, HOPE volunteers harvested more than 500 pounds of fresh produce, which was often distributed on the same day that it was picked.

But over the last decade, the garden had fallen into disrepair, so NY HOPE decided to give it a big upgrade. The idea was to replace the old, worn-out beds with 27 raised, sturdy metal containers, allowing for plenty of room in between for access and, if necessary, adding more containers. As an added benefit, each container could be sponsored by a community group, or perhaps in memory of a family member.

The project began in earnest in late April, when more than 30 community volunteers gathered in Holy Trinity’s Murphy Hall for what NY HOPE Director Margery Morgan called a “mass assembly day.”

“The Knights of Columbus helped out, HOPE volunteers, volunteers from the Presbyterian Church and Webster Methodist, and we just made a day of it.” she said. “And then it took hours of work after that,” removing the old beds, fixing the fence, and actually planting the new gardens.

The next big challenge was to solicit sponsors for the 27 new containers. That doesn’t sound like an easy task, but turns out it was. In no time, NY HOPE had not only sold the original 27 sponsorships, but actually had so many requests that next year they’ll be adding nine more gardens to meet the demand.

On Sunday June 30, the new gardens were officially opened with a ribbon cutting and blessing from Holy Trinity Deacon Gary Terrana and Fr. Jorge Ramirez.

Morgan explained that the plantings chosen for the gardens were selected in part for what grows well with what, and what doesn’t grow well, “to maximize the benefits.” She added,

We keep track of what we put in every year and see what our recipients, the families that come to HOPE, like. We’ve stayed away from hot peppers; they don’t seem to go. We’ve gotten more sweet peppers, zucchini, tomatoes … beets, because we have a large Ukrainian population and beets fly off our shelves, potatoes, garlic … We try to keep it going all season.

Now that the gardens are growing healthy and lush, many hands will be needed to keep the beds weeded and watered and, when the time comes, to harvest the produce. NY HOPE has posted a form on their website where interested volunteers can sign up for a week (or two if you want!) to take care of what needs to be done during that time. This is a great volunteer opportunity for service organizations, families, or individual community members.

Take a drive by and check out these beautiful gardens for yourself. They’re located behind Holy Trinity Church, 1460 Ridge Rd., just south of the cemetery.

By the way, special thanks to Welch’s Greenhouses for providing 18 yards of enhanced topsoil at a deep discount, and to Premier Sign Systems for donating all of the 27 signs.

Fr. Ramirez leads the prayers (J. Thomas)
Blessing the new gardens (J. Thomas)
The stone welcoming garden visitors (J. Thomas)

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

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(posted 7/7/2024)

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Fireman’s Carnival is just around the corner

5 Jul

The activity over at Fireman’s Field is beginning to heat up in anticipation of the 2024 Fireman’s Carnival, scheduled for Wednesday July 10 through Saturday July 13.

Without a doubt, the Fireman’s Carnival and parade are among the most anticipated events of the Webster summer season. Now 87 years old, the carnival has been making memories every year for several generations of kids and adults.

This year’s carnival will be no different, with the return of the always popular beer tent, game booths, rides and live entertainment, great food, raffles and much more. You can check out all the details about what will be happening — and when — at the NEJFD website and Carnival Facebook page but here are some of the highlights:

Wednesday July 10:

  • Craft Beer Night in the Beer Tent, and live music by Plan B

Thursday July 11:

  • Firemen’s Parade begins at 6:30 p.m. (you don’t want to miss this)
  • Rescue 11 plays in the Beer Tent

Friday July 12:

  • Uncaged plays in the Beer Tent

Saturday July 13:

  • Kiddie Parade (new location! Check the details below)
  • Free raffles for kids and adults
  • Knight Patrol and Night Train play in the Beer Tent
  • Fireworks at midnight

And of course, games, rides and food every night.

Hours are Wednesday and Thursday 6 to 11 p.m., Friday 6 to midnight, and Saturday noon to midnight at Fireman’s Field, on Ridge Rd. just west of the village.

Here are the details about the new location for the Kiddie Parade, straight from the Webster fireman’s carnival Facebook page:

We are excited to announce a new, safer and more condensed route for the Kids Costume Parade! Due to concerns regarding the length of the parade and safety issues with the parade occurring on the roads, the parade will occur entirely on the carnival grounds.

Parade date: Saturday July 13th
Parade registration begins at 11 am
Parade begins at Noon
Prizes for best costumes and other categories. All entrants receive a gift, snowcone and a ride ticket.

We also have Rich the Magic Man, and Andrew St. James onsite to entertain the children. There is a free to enter bike raffle and an appliance giveaway thanks to Orville’s Home Appliances

Admission to everything is free, and to save money on rides, you can buy advance sale wristbands through the Carnival Facebook page or website. You’ll also want to follow the Facebook page for more details and regular updates.

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

You can also get email notifications every time I post a new blog by using the “Subscribe” link on the right side of this page (or all the way at the bottom of the page if you’re on your phone).

(posted 7/5/2024)

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Get your tickets now for Webster Community Night at the Red Wings

3 Jul

If you haven’t gotten your fill of Rochester Red Wings games this season, here’s a good opportunity to do so, at a great price.

On Friday Aug. 16, the Webster Recreation Center will be partnering with the Red Wings to host a Webster Community Night. The focus will be on our community that evening; Supervisor Tim Flaherty will be throwing out the first pitch, and Webster-based musician Sarah De Vallière is singing the national anthem.

The game starts at 6:45 p.m. Tickets are only $10; you can use the QR code on the flyer, or click here.

The Wings will be in the middle of a home stand with their cross-state rivals, the Syracuse Mets, and they’re doing really well this year, so this should be an exciting game to watch. And what a great way to spend an evening with the family.

Several businesses and community groups already have signed up as sponsors for the evening, and will have promotional tables set up with giveaways, including Webster Golf Club, Webster Public Library, Wellness 360 Physical Therapy, Kittelberger Florist & Gifts, Diamond Collision and fairlife. If your business is interested in joining them, email Gunnar Hausknecht at ghausknecht@redwingsbaseball.com or call (585) 454-1001 ext. 3024

Speaking of Sarah De Vallière, this very popular local musician will be performing a free concert at the Webster Arboretum on Thursday Aug. 22 as part of the Webster Recreation Center’s Music at the Arb series.

These concerts are held from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Arboretum’s gazebo, with plenty of room for music lovers to relax in chairs or on blankets, with a cooler at their side filled with drinks and snacks. There’s no charge, and there’s plenty of parking.

BUT BEFORE THAT, the next Music at the Arb concert is scheduled for Thursday July 18, featuring Doctor’s Orders, an acoustic folk and pop duo playing a variety of songs from the Beatles to John Prine, and pretty much everything in between.

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

You can also get email notifications every time I post a new blog by using the “Subscribe” link on the right side of this page (or all the way at the bottom of the page if you’re on your phone).

(posted 7/3/2024)

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