OK, OK, it’s not summer yet. But I came away from the most recent meeting of the Webster Business Improvement District (BID) very excited by the long list of special events our local merchants are planning for late spring and summer, reminding us what a normal summer feels like in the Village of Webster.
The BID is the organization, remember, that organizes the very popular Trick or Treat Trail, White Christmas in the Village, Movie Nights, Friday Night Gazebo Concerts,Wine Walks and others. Those events are definitely returning this year, but they’re just the tip of the iceberg. Basically, every month this summer — from June through September — the BID has scheduled at least one entertaining, family-friendly event, and sometimes two or three or more.
It all starts in late June with the first Family Games Night and Movie Night. Then in July things really kick up a notch with more movies, another Family Games Night, the return of the Friday night concert series in the gazebo, and a second Wine Walk (the first one is on May 21).
In August, there are more concerts, yet another movie night and game night, plus the Webster Jazz Festival hits the pubs and West Main St. later in the month.
Things don’t cool down too much in September, either. The BID will be getting involved with the second annual ALS Awareness Concert, and are talking about a brand new (albeit tentative) event called a “Parking Day.”
Looking ahead to the fall, the Oktoberfest, Beer Walk and Trick or Treat Trail will return in October, and the annual Bourbon Bash in November.
There are still a lot of details to work out with many of these events, and some of them are not yet set in stone. As dates are finalized, you’ll find all the information you need at the Webster BID website. For example, you’ll already find dates there for the two Wine Walks, some of the gazebo concerts and the Jazz Festival.
Basically, Webster summer fun is back big time after two long summers without much to do. So get your calendars out and start filling them in!
Last week, my husband and I took a short trip to Baltimore, just to DO something and get out of town for a few days. It reminded me of the first and only other time I had been to Baltimore and its beautiful Inner Harbor area, when I visited with my daughter many years ago for a wedding.
It also reminded me of a blog I wrote shortly after that trip, which has always been one of my favorites. I thought I’d re-post that today just for fun. It was originally posted almost 11 years ago, in July of 2011. So, many of the references are a bit out of date (and I might have re-posted it once before) but it’s still a fun read.
The resort town of Webster, New York (Wait. Whaaaaaat?!)
(originally posted July 4, 2011)
My daughter and I recently visited the beautiful port city of Baltimore. One evening we were doing some souvenir shopping at the city’s Inner Harbor area, when one of the shopkeepers noticed my Webster Village Days t-shirt. He asked me where Webster was. I told him it was a small town near Rochester, New York. He replied, “Oh, is it a resort area?”
We laughed for about 30 minutes.
After we recovered, we got to thinking. Calling yourself a resort town or family vacation spot is really only a matter of packaging, isn’t it? Any savvy marketing professional could put the right spin on any town and turn it into an enticing vacation destination.
Case in point: if you look closely enough, you’ll see that Webster offers as many — or more — attractions as any respectable tourist trap. For example:
Water Park
Wet, wacky fun is just around the corner at the Spray Park at Ridgecrest Park on Ebner Drive. Enjoy enchanting water-spray animals AND a splash pad! Or if that’s inconvenient, just have the kids put on their swim suits and push them out the back door. Even if there’s not a cloud in the sky, it’ll start raining within ten minutes.
Beaches
YOU might not call it a beach, but we’re extremely proud of our rocky, weedy shoreline. Take a romantic stroll with your loved one to the end of the fishing pier to see the Great Webster Lamppost, some REALLY BIG rocks, and some stunningly beautiful graffiti art.
Go-karts
Your exciting go-kart adventure awaits at Webster’s shopping superstore, Wegmans. These spunky little vehicles feature the added convenience of an attached shopping basket. Climb in and join your friends for some exhilarating speed-demon action (the carts can be revved up to a breathtaking two miles an hour). This attraction is absolutely free and is open 24/7 (which is great, since the only time the aisles are empty enough for go-karting is between 2:13 am and 2:56 am).
Pedal cars
These two-man pedal carts are all the rage on boardwalks from Virginia Beach to Venice Beach! Webster goes one better! Sneak your Wegmans go-kart out into the parking lot and tour the sights along the plaza’s scenic access road. Can’t get more fun than that!
Nightlife
Don’t miss Webster’s Bar District, conveniently located in the village’s historic Four Corners area. You’ll find a nice selection of watering holes within steps of one another, with yet another one coming soon! (And remember, what happens at the Four Corners stays at the Four Corners!)
Tour Guides
My daughter needs a job. (But plan on her boyfriend tagging along.)
Walking Tour
Would you rather venture off on your own to discover the wonders of Webster Village? No problem! Erin can email you everything you need to know to enjoy all the wondrous things Webster has to offer. (Be sure to allow a good 15 minutes for the whole village, 17 if you’re accompanied by young children or senior citizens.)
Music in the Streets
Free, family-friendly musical entertainment abounds in Webster! For example, on cool autumn evenings, bring the kids, set up some lawn chairs in the Webster Schroeder High School parking lot and watch the marching band rehearse. Flutes, trumpets, big drums, flags…what more could a music lover want?
Local-only spots
In Baltimore you’re not considered a “local” until you’ve been to Dick’s Last Resort, which they advertise as “The joint your mama warned you about.” In Webster it’s Empire Hots (or “E-Hots” in the local parlance). Consider yourself warned about this place, too.
Taffy
Try some of our famous Lake Ontario Fresh Water Taffy!!! (On second thought, that’s not a good idea.)
Famous Local Animal
Canada has its moose and Baltimore has its crabs, but Webster has famous local wildlife, too: DEER! You’ll see helpful signs along all the roadways indicating the best places to view these graceful, doe-eyed creatures. And if you don’t catch a glimpse right away, don’t worry! Keep driving long enough and one will jump out to meet YOU!
Tacky Webster Souvenirs
Make sure to pick up some souvenirs to commemorate your trip and take home to your loved ones! Our most popular ones include:
Refrigerator magnets in the shape of the WEBSTER bushes
Back scratchers that read “Where Backs are Worth Scratching”
Snow globes (actually, we call them “lake-effect globes,” and they have snowplows inside). Collect the whole series! County of Monroe Plow, Town of Webster Plow*, Pick-up Truck With Plow Blade, Man With Snow Blower, and the new, limited-edition Man With Shovel® which comes with a bonus bottle of Advil.
“Deer poop” (they’re really Raisinettes — see “Famous Local Animal” above)
See? Webster really is a great tourist destination ! It’s just a matter of how you look at it. So grab your fanny packs and instant cameras, pack your bags and visit Webster, New York, where life is always a vacation!
* (Allow 4-6 weeks extra delivery time for the Town of Webster Plow if you live on a dead-end street.)
The weekly Town of Webster newsletter is always packed with information, and I always get good blog ideas from it. But this week’s edition outdid itself. There are so many events mentioned in its 15 digital pages that it prompted me to post another mailbag, even though the last one was just a few days ago.
So here’s a quick list of what you can see in the newsletter, then I’ll tack on a few more events at the end.
The Town of Webster will hold a special ceremony this Friday April 22 to rename North Ponds Park to the Charles E. Sexton Memorial Park in honor of Webster’s first Recreation Director and the first African American Recreation Director in New York State. The ceremony will begin at 4 p.m. at the park. Read more about the event here.
The Webster Quilt Guild’s 2022 Quilt Show, called “Envision the Possibilities,” will take place on Saturday and Sunday April 23 and 24 at Holy Trinity Church, 1460 Ridge Rd., just east of the village. There will be several special displays and a raffle. Read more about the event in my blog here.
Your chance to meet Adam Traub, the new director of the Webster Public Library, is coming up Wednesday April 27 at the library’s Open House from 3 to 5 p.m. You can read more about Adam in this blog I posted after meeting him.
If you’ve ever hiked the Four Mile Creek trails and noticed the old rotting cars in the woods, here’s a great chance to learn about them. The Friends of Webster Trails is holding a “Cars Along the Creek” hike on Saturday April 30 from 10 to noon. There are actually six old cars there (I’ve only seen three) and you’ll learn about all of them. I’ll be posting a blog about this soon, but more details in the flyer below.
Also on Saturday April 30, the Webster Health and Education Network is holding a Drug Take-Back Event at both the Holt Rd. and Baytowne Wegmans locations. No appointment is necessary. More details in the flyer below.
The Lions Club will hold a Mother’s Day Rose Sale from Thursday May 5 through Saturday May 7. Roses will be $20 per dozen and can be picked up any one of those days, but they must be ordered in advance. For more information, check the flyer below.
The Town of Webster will host a blood drive on Tuesday May 10 from noon to 6:30 p.m. at Webster Parks and Recreation on Chiyoda Drive. Call the Red Cross at 1-800-733-2767 or visit redcross.org (search for WebsterCommunity) to schedule an appointment.
More news from the Webster Public Library. The Friends of the Library will host their annual spring book sale from Thursday to Saturday May 12 to 14. Nothing costs more than $1. For more details, check the flyer below.
Got stuff to shred? Reliant Federal Credit Union is hosting a free ShreddingEvent on Saturday May 14 from 9 a.m. to noon at their Webster branch, 870 Holt Rd. There’s no quantity limits, but please remove file folders, binders and plastic bags. There will also be raffles and giveaways, refreshments and entertainment.
Don’t forget to get your ducks for Webster Comfort Care‘s second annual Duck Derby on Saturday May 21. Cost is $5 per duck, and all proceeds will benefit the home. Click here to read more about this event.
The Webster Museum is planning a whole month of programs in May highlighting the rich history of West Webster. I’ll be posting a blog about those events soon, but for some details right now, check out the flyer below.
The people of Ukraine still need our help. ROC Maidan is soliciting donations of new clothes and camping cots. Check out the wish list and drop-off locations on the flyer below.
Looking ahead, here are a few other things I’m working on for the coming weeks:
The West Webster Cemetery Tour on June 19
A new business coming to the Village of Webster
the second annual Luminaria Walk for our Webster CSD seniors on May 15
Cold and drizzly weather didn’t deter more than 500 kids and their parents from attending last weekend’s Easter Egg Hunt, sponsored by the Webster Business Improvement District (BID).
The event was held Saturday April 16 at the Firemen’s Field. Excited children and their parents started arriving shortly after 9 a.m. and were split into three age groups. At 10 a.m. everyone was released to the field to hunt for plastic Easter eggs and various other surprises. Not that there was a whole lot of “hunting” required; business owners had donated so many eggs (about 5,000) and prizes that they simply had to be scattered around the grassy field for the children to find.
Two lucky children in each group found tickets which could be redeemed for special prize baskets. But all of the other eggs held something pretty great, too, because the participating businesses were very creative and unbelievably generous with their donations. There were gift certificates and coupons, dental floss and lapel pins, small toys and rings, and Kelly at Burke’s Grill even stuffed $1 bills into her eggs. There were even a lot of prizes that were too big to hide in eggs, like toothbrushes, sunglasses and fidget spinners.
The Easter Bunny himself was even there to greet the children.
The event was a terrific follow-up to February’s Fall in Love With Webster festivities, demonstrating how committed our business owners are to collaborating on outstanding community events. More than 45 businesses participated in the hunt by providing filled Easter eggs and/or items for the grand prize baskets.
An event like this cannot be pulled off without a lot of help. A huge thank you to:
the team of dedicated volunteers, led by Lisa Scholnski and Jody Laurer, including Rhonda Gefell, Ray Gefell, Evan Gefell, Karl Laurer, Steven Schlonski and Stephen Vitello
Dennis Montgomery and the Webster Volunteer Fire Department
Jake Swingly, Superintendent of Public Works
Jake’s son Kyle (“Mr. Bunny”) Swingly
Brian and Nolan Bernardi and Robyn Whittaker
Kudos to everyone who helped organize and run this event, and gave our young people a special Easter memory.
Here’s a short slideshow of more photos from the morning, courtesy Jody Laurer:
With the conclusion of Webster Thomas High School’s recent production of Little Shop of Horrors, the final curtain has come down on the high schools’ 2022 spring musical season. But each school actually has a spring drama in the works.
Mark Stoetzel, the drama director at Webster Thomas, emailed me not long ago with some exciting news about their production of The Neighbors, planned for late May: it’s going to be staged outside.
The Webster GeoTech Class is building an outdoor stage in one of the school’s courtyards, complete with a pergola. On May 27 and 28, students will hit the stage to perform several one-act plays they’re writing themselves, each set in a townhouse complex.
More details to come as the date approaches.
The Webster Schroeder Theater Company is also working on a drama, The Secret Garden. Shows are scheduled for Friday and Saturday May 6 and 7 from 7 to 9 p.m. Tickets are available now, but I’m having trouble finding a link or details on how to purchase them. If anyone can fill me in, please email me so I can share that information.
The Webster Museum has all sorts of programs planned in the coming weeks. They seem particularly excited about their upcoming exhibit focusing on the history of West Webster. The little hamlet had its very own zip code not too long ago (14581) and is currently anticipating a revitalization.
Among the materials the museum has collected are the two maps below. The first was drawn by Maguerite Collins around 1938, possibly as a class project. It shows the names of some of Webster’s earliest settlers and when they arrived. The second map, created in 1852, adds more names.
Descendants of some of these early settlers still live here today, and many of them never left. Interested community members are invited to “meet” some of them on Sunday June 19 from 2 to 4 p.m., when the Webster Museum hosts a West Webster Cemetery Tour. Costumed characters will on hand representing many of the hamlet’s former residents who are buried there, and guaranteed they’ll have some interesting stories.
More information to come about this fun event. (Teaser: I’m going to play a character!)
Stay tuned also for more details about the museum’s upcoming West Webster exhibit. Among the history to be shared will be photos and artifacts from the West Webster Fire Department. It was originally housed in Webb’s garage, then Brewer’s barn, then the former Goetzman Store, followed by its move to its current home on Gravel Road. A number of former West Webster residents have shared memories of turkey raffles, liverwurst sandwiches, craft shows and ice rinks in the firehouse parking lots.
Several programs have been scheduled in May to highlight West Webster history. I’ll tell you all about them in a future blog.
The Webster Museum, located at 18 Lapham Park in the Village of Webster, is open 2 to 4:30 pm on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.
Beer lovers will want to be a part of a program scheduled for this Thursday April 21. Will Cleveland, former investigative reporter for the Democrat and Chronicle, will talk about the past and future of the Western New York beer scene, a beat which he has covered since 2014.
The program, called “Rochester Craft Beer: The History and Future of the Scene,” runs from 7 to 8 p.m. and registration is required.
Tweens and teens, you can make your very own hair scrunchies on Wed. April 20 from 1 to 2 p.m. Materials will be provided. Kids in grades 4 to 12 are welcome. Registration is required.
This month’s make-and-take crafts include recycled milk cap fish (for kids), clothespin peek-a-boo eggs (for teens) and a bead bracelet (made from magazines) for adults. Materials can be picked up at the library during regular business hours while supplies last.
This is a drive-through event. Dinners will include a half chicken, salt potatoes, cole slaw, roll and butter for $12. There will be no advance sales; cars can pay when they enter the parking lot, first come, first served. Signs will direct cars to the pay station, and then to the side entrance where you can pick up the boxed dinners.
Proceeds will support St. Martin’s Christmas Stocking Project which reaches more than 500 youth in Monroe and Wayne counties.
The Tour de Cure is returning to Webster on Saturday June 11, and even if you don’t plan on riding, you can still help out.
In this annual premier cycling event, riders sign up to cycle anywhere from 12 to 100 miles, to benefit the American Diabetes Association. It begins and ends in one of the old Xerox parking lots near the Webster Recreation Center. If you’d like to participate, you can sign up here. Or you can help the cause by becoming a volunteer. More information about those opportunities can be found here.
Finally (and this is especially for all of you who are still reading this long blog, because I know you appreciate local news) I want to draw your attention once again to what’s happening with the Webster Herald.
Our little town newspaper recently experienced another editorial change, when Colin Minster left in March. A new editor, Tim Young, has since taken the reigns, and accepted the daunting challenge of publishing a weekly newspaper.
And it is daunting. I’ve said this before, but it deserves repeating: with a small, hyper-local, weekly publication like the Herald, the editor has to be a Jack-of-all-trades, not only managing the layout and editing, but actively searching out and writing stories of local interest. It’s a 24/7 position from which you can never take a vacation.
The job is made that much more difficult without support from advertisers, contributors and subscribers. I think we can all agree that local news is a dying breed. The Webster Post isn’t around any more, and the Democrat and Chronicle couldn’t care less about Webster local news. The Herald is now one of the few places we can go to to find news about our community. So we need to do everything we can to make sure the Herald doesn’t go anywhere anytime soon.
Tim touched on a few of these concerns in the column he wrote a few weeks ago. Unfortunately, it’s not online anywhere, but you can click here to see a photo of it. In the column, Tim talks about how staffing issues are a challenge and that advertising is hard to come by. He also notes that people are actually complaining about all the legal advertising in the Herald, pointing out that those legals are the only things that are keeping the paper afloat.
It’s not fair to criticize the job a weekly editor is doing without being willing to help do something about it. Like make sure to renew your subscription every year. Encourage your friends to subscribe. Send in sports stories and photos, and your child can be pictured in the paper. Advertise your business. And how about stretching your writing chops and consider becoming a free-lancer? You’ll be paid for your work, and see your own byline in the paper.
Tim would love to hear from you. Email him at tim@empirestateweeklies.com. Let him know that this community is behind him and we still appreciate local news.
Do you know of any event coming up in Webster, or sponsored by a Webster organization, which you’d like publicized in my blog? Pretty much anything that comes across my email will find its way in sometime or another, so let me know about it!
It’s so easy to plod through our daily lives with our heads down, our minds heading in different directions at once, backwards to troubles that came before, forward to difficulties we know are on the horizon. But these days especially, for our own emotional well-being, we need to pause and notice the beauty around us.
I got to thinking about that several days ago when I happened to be at Webster Thomas High School. As I was leaving, I walked by an incredible mural.
Well, I ALMOST walked by it. Because it stopped me in my tracks.
The large mural is a close-up of a young man’s face, peering directly at you with a wary, almost accusatory expression. Not being a artist myself, I couldn’t tell you what kind of paints or techniques were used to create it. I just know that it captivated me.
It was then I remembered — from the many years I worked at Thomas — that this was not the only mural splashed across the school’s walls. They started appeared perhaps 10 or more years ago, and new ones are added every year in an ongoing beautification project. And they are beautiful.
So before I left, I strolled through a few more halls and took some photos so I could share some of the incredible art that can be found there.
That very same day, I also made a point to swing by the Webster Recreation Center. The folks there recently installed some art of their own — sort of.
Along the walls leading to the community rooms at the back of the Rec Center, there’s a stunning new mural comprised of about 350 miniature, 4″ by 4″ canvases, created by kids, adults and businesses. Hung together, they’re an explosion of color and whimsy.
There’s still room for more of the 4×4 art pieces, so if you’re interested in adding to the project and having your artwork displayed for all to see, stop by the Rec Center to get your canvas.
In the meantime, make sure to stop sometime in your day, every day, to notice something beautiful.
You’re gonna want to get your ducks in a row for this fun family event coming up in next month, to benefit Webster Comfort Care Home.
Webster Comfort Care Home’s second annual Duck Derby will take place Saturday May 21 at Webster Park.
The idea is simple: participants purchase rubber duckies for $5 each, and each has a number on it. At the appointed time, the ducks are dumped into Mill Creek, where they leisurely float down towards the lake. The “owners” of the first three ducks to cross the finish line win cash prizes.
Since the ducks like to take their time, activities and refreshments are available while you wait. But you don’t have to be present to win, so you don’t have to hang around if you don’t want to.
At last year’s event, participants floated 526 ducks, raising almost $3,500 — pretty good for its first year. For this second annual derby, organizers hope to raise twice that, and would love to see more than 800 ducks floating down the creek. Proceeds go directly back to Webster Comfort Care to support their mission to provide provide end-of-life care to residents of Webster and the surrounding communities.
The race will begin at the Webster Park Beeches Pavilion at 10 a.m. on Saturday May 21. There’s plenty of parking. Ducks can be purchased online here, by calling 585-872-5290, emailing Director@webstercomfortcare.org, or by stopping by the Webster Comfort Care Home at the corner of Holt and Klem. Payment is accepted by cash, check or credit card, and PayPal online. Tickets are available now.
The Webster Quilt Guild invites community members to “Envision the Possibilities” at their 2022 Quilt Show, scheduled this year for Saturday and Sunday April 23 and 24 at Holy Trinity Church.
The show will showcase approximately 250 quilts, plus special displays of quilts crafted for the Breast Cancer Coalition, Quilts of Valor, Bivona Child Advocacy Center, Asbury Storehouse, and Meals on Wheels. So even if you’re not a quilter, it’s worth coming just to see these beautiful creations.
In addition to the quilts, the show will include vendors, a boutique table, and a book and pattern sale. There will also be dozens of “wee” quilts for purchase, miniature 10″ by 10″ quilts that make great gifts and are perfect for things like wall hangings, hot pads, mug mats, plant mats and more. About 60 of these were recently on display at the Webster Public Library (pictured below).
PLUS, you can take a chance on the beautiful “Quilter’s Patch” quilt created by Guild members, which will be raffled at the end of the two-day show. (That quilt is pictured at the beginning of the blog.)
The “wee” quilts
The guild will also be collecting non-perishable food items in support of the Webster Backpack Food program.
The “Envision the Possibilities” quilt show will be held Saturday April 23 from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and Sunday April 24 from noon to 4 p.m. at Holy Trinity Church, 146 Ridge Road, Webster. Admission tickets are $5 and will be available at the door.
The Webster Quilt Guild’s mission is to share quilt-making experiences, encourage friendships, promote the history, art and skill of quilt making, and support community services. The guild has 80 members and is celebrating its 47th year. The organization creates hundreds of donations each year for agencies in the Rochester area.
The photo below shows last year’s Quilt Show award winners:
On Friday, April 22, the Town of Webster will officially rename North Ponds Park to the Charles E. Sexton Memorial Park, in honor of the former director of Webster Parks and Recreation.
Sexton was hired in 1962 as Webster’s first Recreation Director, and served in that capacity until his retirement in 1996. He was also the first African American Recreation Director in New York State. He passed away in June 2021.
During his tenure, Sexton introduced the town’s first programs for senior citizens and launched the recreation department’s first summer youth camps. Many programs which began under his direction are still operating today. It is this legacy which led to the town’s decision to rename one of Webster’s best-known parks in his honor.
Current Webster Parks and Recreation Commissioner Chris Bilow said,
North Ponds Park is one of the most utilized parks in all of Webster. Whether it’s people walking, running, enjoying the water or attending one of the many events in the park, I am confident that Mr. Sexton envisioned this type of use when the park was being built. More importantly, Sexton loved North Ponds Park, a facility which he saw come together to be owned and managed by the Town of Webster. (from press release)
The official renaming ceremony will take place at North Ponds Park (soon to be known as the Charles E. Sexton Memorial Park) at 4 p.m. Friday, April 22. There will be brief remarks and a sign unveiling.
As soon as I saw the news that Community Arts Day is returning this coming weekend, I knew that life is finally getting back to normal. This year’s event is going to be especially sweet since it’s the first one we’ve had in three years.
This year’s event will take place on Saturday, April 9 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Webster Schroeder High School, 875 Ridge Rd. This very family-friendly festival, which is marking its 45th year, showcases the musical and artistic talents of Webster School District K-12 students, and involves the entire community in a day to celebrate the arts. It was created as a collaborative effort to raise money to encourage and enhance fine arts programs throughout the district. (Below are a few examples of the artwork from previous years. Click here for a full gallery from 2019.)
Dozens of activities are planned throughout the day, including art displays, carnival games, crafts, community group exhibits and more. Webster student groups will present musical performances throughout the day, and the Webster’s Got Talent talent show will feature aspiring student singers, musicians, and dancers from 12 to 1 pm. Community performing groups will fill out the schedule of events, and all the performances are free.
Admission to Community Arts Day is free. Proceeds from concessions, craft, and carnival booth sales will benefit cultural arts programs within the Webster Central School District.
A whole schedule of events and map of exhibitors have already been posted to the Community Arts Day Facebook page. Check it out to keep tabs on the latest updates!
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
webster on the web 