Tag Archives: Webster Garlic Fest

We’re just days away from the Webster Garlic Fest

2 Sep

When we last visited the Webster Garlic Fest, I told you about all the great reasons to go to this year’s annual “stinkin’ good time.” Just today, as I strolled through the festival’s website and Facebook page, I found out about some fun NEW things happening this year that’s going to make it even better.

First, a reminder of the details:

The Webster Garlic Fest will return to the Webster Recreation Center on Saturday and Sunday Sept. 6 and 7.

This is a family-oriented festival for anyone who loves all things garlic. More than 170 vendors will be there this year, including crafters, food vendors, distilleries, wineries, food trucks, home goods merchants, and of course lots and lots of garlic growers. There are so many vendors that they’ll fill the gymnasium and spill out onto the Rec Center grounds. Many of them provide tastings, samples and demonstrations. (Click here for a complete list of vendors.)

But even if you’re not a big fan of garlic, there are a lot of non-garlic vendors, and plenty else to see and do. Like, you can cozy up to some alpacas and baby goats (who like to wear pajamas), and even a huge 70-year old tortoise. There’ll be demos, and Mr. Wally the Balloon Man will be there.

So here’s a new thing this year which is going to be kind of fun:

The Webster Garlic Fest Garlic Guys will be hiding in the booths. If you find one, you’ll be entered to win an Amazon gift card. The photo below shows what they look like, and if you really think they’re kind of cute, you can purchase one of your own at the One Nurses Menagerie’s booth. (Hint: If you go to the Webster Garlic Fest Facebook page, you might even be able to find out exactly what booths they’re hiding in!)

And this, too, is new this year: M.O. PASTA and Bruster’s Real Ice Cream have joined forces to create a “sweet garlic-y treat” which they’ll be unveiling at the Garlic Fest. So make sure to stop by their booths to find out more.

The Webster Garlic Fest will be held Saturday Sept. 6 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday Sept. 7 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Webster Recreation Center, 1350 Chiyoda Dr. There’s plenty of parking in the Recreation Center lot, and even more across the street in the former Xerox parking lot, where free shuttles will be transporting guests back and forth.

Single-day tickets are only $5, and children Under 12 are free. Click here to buy your tickets, or you can get them at the door. Proceeds from the Webster Garlic Fest will benefit

  • Wreaths Across America: Honoring and remembering veterans resting in local cemeteries on National Wreaths Across America Day, December 13, 2025.
  • Blue Star Mothers ROC NY8 (military families): Building Care Packages for locally deployed service members and helping military families in our area.
  • Gold Star Mothers Rochester (mothers who have lost a child, spouse, sibling, or parent in active duty): Helping community veterans-in-need with meals, resources, and year-round support.

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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 9/2/2025)

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Webster Garlic Fest returns in just a few weeks

14 Aug

The Webster Garlic Fest is returning to the Webster Recreation Center on Saturday and Sunday Sept. 6 and 7.

This is a great family festival for anyone who loves all things garlic, and it keeps getting bigger and better every year. Somehow, organizers have managed to squeeze 170 vendors into this year’s festival, including crafters, food vendors, distilleries, wineries, food trucks, and of course lots and lots of garlic growers. There are so many vendors that they’ll fill the gymnasium and spill out onto the Rec Center grounds. Many of them provide tastings, samples and demonstrations. (Click here for a complete list of vendors.)

But even if you’re not a big fan of garlic, there are a lot of non-garlic vendors, and plenty else to see and do. Like, you can cozy up to some alpacas and baby goats (who like to wear pajamas), and even a huge 70-year old tortoise — and they all love to take selfies. There’ll be demos, and Mr. Wally the Balloon Man will be there.

Proceeds from the Webster Garlic Fest will benefit

  • Wreaths Across America: Honoring and remembering veterans resting in local cemeteries on National Wreaths Across America Day, December 13, 2025.
  • Blue Star Mothers ROC NY8 (military families): Building Care Packages for locally deployed service members and helping military families in our area.
  • Gold Star Mothers Rochester (mothers who have lost a child, spouse, sibling, or parent in active duty): Helping community veterans-in-need with meals, resources, and year-round support.

The Webster Garlic Fest will be held Saturday Sept. 6 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday Sept. 7 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Webster Recreation Center, 1350 Chiyoda Dr. There’s plenty of parking in the Recreation Center lot, and even more across the street in the former Xerox parking lot, where free shuttles will be transporting guests back and forth.

Single-day tickets are only $5, and children Under 12 are free. Click here to buy your tickets, or you can get them at the door.

Click here for a gallery of photos from last year’s festival.

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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 8/14/2025)

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The Webster Garlic Fest could use your help

5 Jun

The 2025 Webster Garlic Fest is coming up fast. It’s scheduled for Saturday and Sunday Sept. 6 and 7 at the Webster Recreation Center, 1350 Chiyoda Dr.

If you’re not familiar with the Garlic Fest, it’s a great family festival for anyone who loves all things garlic. The Rec Center gymnasium and grounds outside are packed with crafters, food vendors, distilleries, wineries, food trucks and, lots and lots of garlic growers. Many of them provide tastings and samples. And even if you’re not a big fan of garlic, there’s lots of other neat things there. In past years there have been baby goats (in pajamas), alpacas, a huge 70-year old tortoise, Mr. Wally the Balloon Man, a comedian and entertainers.

As you can tell, this is a huge event, and because of that, it takes a LOT of money to bring it back every year. I’m told that costs top $10,000 for the two-day festival. Proceeds from admission (which is very reasonable) and vendors make up a portion of that, but organizers are hoping to attract some more large-scale business or corporate sponsors to help defray the costs. And not for nothing, the less spent on overhead, the more can go to the organizations that benefit from the festival, Wreaths Across America and the Blue Star Mothers Rochester chapter.

So please, if you work at a corporation, or have any connection with a business or corporation which would be interested in becoming a sponsor for the 2025 Garlic Fest, please let Cherie Wood know by emailing her at websterwreaths@icloud.com.

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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 6/5/2025)

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It’s festival weekend in Webster

4 Sep

There are THREE festivals coming up this weekend in Webster, and you won’t want to miss any of them.

The Webster Garlic Fest will be back at the Webster Recreation Center this Saturday and Sunday Sept. 7 and 8.

This is a great family festival. This year it will feature 140 vendors including crafters, food vendors, distilleries, wineries, food trucks, and of course lots and lots of garlic growers. They’ll fill the gymnasium and spill out onto the Rec Center grounds. Many of them provide tastings and samples. (Click here for a complete list of vendors.)

Even if you’re not a big fan of garlic, there’s still plenty to see and do. Like, you can cozy up to some baby goats and alpacas, and even a huge 70-year old tortoise. There are demos, Mr. Wally the Balloon Man will be on site, a comedian and entertainers.

The Webster Garlic Fest will be held Saturday Sept. 7 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday Sept. 8 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Webster Recreation Center, 1350 Chiyoda Dr. There’s plenty of parking in the Recreation Center lot, and even more across the street in the former Xerox parking lot, where a free shuttle will transport you back and forth.

Admission is only $5, and children under 12 are free. Click here to buy your tickets, or you can get them at the door.

The annual Barry’s Irish Festival will be coming to Webster for the first time this on Saturday Sept. 7 from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. at Webster Fireman’s Field.

This is a must-see festival for anyone who loves Irish food, drink and culture. It will feature live Irish music, Irish beer, dancers, bagpipers, and Celtic crafts. There’s plenty of non-Irish stuff too, including food trucks, kids’ crafts and games, raffles, lots of vendors, lawn games and more. It’s also going to be a great opportunity to reconnect with the Barry’s Old School Irish community, many of whom we haven’t seen in a year. Basically, it’s a great family event, hosted by a great family.

Bands will include the Connemara Social Club, Rusty Kettle, Lucky Enough, Everheart, Gavin Barry’s Rebel Banjo Circus, The Irish Lassies, Celtic Cross and 1916.  

Food trucks will include Netsins, Sammies n’ Sweets, The Melt Truck, Schutt’s, Rustic Taco and Webster Hots.

Admission is $19.98 ($17 plus $2.98 Eventbrite fee). Click here to get tickets (but I imagine they’ll also be available at the gate.)

Click here to visit the Facebook event page for more details and a discount code for tickets.

ALSO on Saturday, Sept. 7, the Red, Hot and Blue Band, led by our very own Village of Webster neighbor Doug Pucci, will headline the 3rd annual St. Jude Benefit Concert at Gazebo Park on North Ave., from noon to 6 p.m.

In addition to Red, Hot and Blue, Shades of Grey and local favorite Sarah De Vallière will perform. Food will be available from Pub 235 and Guida’s Pizza. There’s no charge, but donations will be accepted to benefit St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. So bring your lawn chairs, coolers and blankets and enjoy a full afternoon of tunes for a good cause.

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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 9/4/2024)

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The 2024 Webster Garlic Fest is just weeks away

24 Aug

The Webster Garlic Fest is returning to the Webster Recreation Center on Saturday and Sunday Sept. 7 to 8!

This is a great family festival for anyone who loves all things garlic, and it keeps getting bigger and better every year. Somehow, organizers have managed to squeeze 140 vendors into this year’s festival, including crafters, food vendors, distilleries, wineries, food trucks and of course lots and lots of garlic growers. There are so many vendors that they’ll fill the gymnasium and spill out onto the Rec Center grounds. Many of them provide tastings and samples. (Click here for a complete list of vendors.)

But even if you’re not a big fan of garlic, there’s still plenty to see and do. Like, you can cozy up to some baby goats and alpacas, and even a huge 70-year old tortoise — and they all love to take selfies. There will be demos, Mr. Wally the Balloon Man will be on site, plus a comedian and entertainers.

And here’s something new this year:

You probably know by now that part of the proceeds from this festival benefit Wreaths Across America, which is dedicated to placing a wreath on the grave of every veteran in the country. If you stop by the Wreaths Across America booth and sponsor a wreath for $17, and you’ll get a free 12 oz. bag of fair trade, freshly roasted coffee from Costa Rica, courtesy Mission Coffee.

The festival will also benefit Blue Star Mothers ROC NY 8 and their efforts to support local military families and send care packages to locally deployed service members; and Gold Star Mothers Rochester, who support veterans in our community.

The Webster Garlic Fest will be held Saturday Sept. 7 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday Sept. 8 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Webster Recreation Center, 1350 Chiyoda Dr. There’s plenty of parking in the Recreation Center lot, and even more across the street in the former Xerox parking lot, where a free shuttle will transport you back and forth.

Admission is only $5, and children Under 12 are free. Click here to buy your tickets, or you can get them at the door.

Click here for a gallery of photos from last year’s festival.

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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 8/24/2024)

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Webster community mailbag

2 May

Chicken BBQ. Yum.

St. Martin Lutheran Church will hold a Drive Thru Chicken BBQ on Saturday, May 4 at the church, 813 Bay Road, Webster. The event begins at 4:30 p.m. and will continue until all dinners are sold out.

Dinners will include a half chicken, salt potatoes, coleslaw, roll, butter and cookie, and will cost $15.

The event will be drive-through only and there will be no advance sales; first-come, first-served. Cars should enter the parking lot, follow the signs, and purchase dinners using exact payment of either cash or
check. Cars will then pick up boxed dinners.

Proceeds from the BBQ will support both St. Martin’s Little Free Pantry and Christmas Stocking Project, which reaches more than 500 local youth in Monroe and Wayne counties.

What the heck is a hellebore?

The Webster Arboretum will host a presentation on May 9 titled Lenten Rose and Christmas Rose are Hellebores.

Learn about the care and culture of these amazing plants. Donna Shayder, Master Gardener of Monroe County, will discuss the growing conditions, types, management and appropriate care of the hellebore. She’ll also conduct a tour of the hellebore plantings at the Arboretum and answer all your questions.

No registration or fee is required. The program will begin at 6:30 p.m. Meet at the Curry Building at the Webster Arboretum, 1700 Schlegel Road.

Get your Mother’s Day plants here

The Webster Arboretum Association, together with local growers and local garden clubs, will host the 2024 Webster Arboretum Plant Sale on Saturday May 11 from 8 a.m. to noon.

A tremendous variety of beautiful, healthy plants from standard to uncommon will be available including annuals, dwarf conifers, geraniums, dahlias, tomatoes, trees, shrubs and more. It’s a great way to celebrate spring and get some live plants perfectly suited for your garden. And don’t forget Mother’s Day!

The sale will be held at the Webster Arboretum, 1700 Schlegel Rd. Webster.

Barn Sale at Heritage Square

Heritage Square Museum, at 7147 Ontario Center Rd. in Ontario, is holding a huge Barn Sale from Thursday May 9 through Saturday May 11. Hours are:

  • Thursday, May 9 from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
  • Friday, May 10 from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
  • Saturday, May 11 from 9 a.m. to noon ($5 bag sale, bring your own bags)

And looking ahead, the museum will be hosting a chicken BBQ on Friday May 13 from 4 p.m. ’till gone.

Get rid of those ugly mugs

I’ll be highlighting a few more Webster Public Library events in a future blog, but this one especially caught my eye today.

Apparently the library has a “community exchange table,” which I don’t think I realized. And this month, community members can exchange MUGS there.

We all have them, a collection of coffee mugs that we’ve gathered through the years but we never use, so they’re tucked back in the back of the cabinet. Dig them out and take them to the library to exchange them for some mugs you might actually use. And who knows, someone may really want that bright pink mug with the bikini-clad flamingo that you just HAD to get on your last vacation.

Also coming up this month at the library

* Author Day on Saturday May 4, when the library welcomes three local published authors, who will talk about the paths they took from the beginning writer to nationally-known authors. Karen Miller will speak from 10 to 11 a.m.; Charles Benoit will speak from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., and Ruth Rosenberg Naparstek will speak from 1 to 2 p.m.

Registration for each speaker is requested. Click the name to go to the registration page for each.

* On Thursday May 9, the Webster Library, in conjunction with Webster Comfort Care Home will present “Tending to Life — Comparative Religions: Funeral Customs and Rituals.” Area faith leaders will talk about death in relation to their religion’s customs.

The program will run from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Registration is required.

Donations now being accepted for HOPE garage sale

It’s still several months away, but plans are already gearing up for the huge annual NY HOPE garage sale, scheduled for this September.

If you have items you’d like to donate, drop off dates are Wednesdays, May 8, 22 & 29 from 3 to 5 p.m. at the Knights of Columbus, 1460 Ridge Road (located behind Holy Trinity), Webster.

Before you drop off your donations, check out the Donation Guide, because items that cannot be used, including furniture or large items (at this time) will be refused. We may refuse items if we cannot use them.

Mark your calendars now for the sale, Wednesday, Sept. 11 through Saturday Sept. 13.

Concert to benefit the Harmony House

Music will fill the air on Saturday May 18 when the Chorus of the Genesee and Rochester Rhapsody join forces to present Harmony in the House, a fund-raiser concert to benefit the Harmony House Renovation Project.

Shows will be at 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. at the Harmony House, 58 East Main St. in the Village of Webster. Tickets are $20 and must be purchased in advance. There will be no sales at the door. Click here to get yours, or call 585-259-3094.

Garlic Fest vendor applications now being accepted

Last but not least today, if you’re a craft or food vendor and would like to get into this year’s Webster Garlic Fest, the call for vendor applications has just gone out.

This year’s festival will run from September 7-8 at the Webster Recreation Center, 1350 Chiyoda Dr. A 10′ x 10′ booth will run you $150, and early set-up will be available both days.

This has become one of Webster’s best-attended events. Last year there were more than 100 vendors and 3,000 attendees. So get your application in before the spaces sell out. Click here to apply.

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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 5/2/2024)

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Webster Garlic Fest: great family fun, great way to support our military

5 Sep

Today I want to post one more reminder about this week’s return of the Webster Garlic Festival, which will be held Saturday and Sunday at the Webster Recreation Center. But in addition to revisiting all of the fun, family-friendly activities happening at the festival, I want to especially highlight the real purpose behind the event: to support our veterans and active military.

There will be several opportunities at the festival to do that. Included in the more than 100 vendors who will be displaying their products and offering samples and demonstrations will be tables set up by the Blue Star Mothers and Wreaths Across America.

The Blue Star Mothers are mothers, stepmothers, grandmothers, foster mothers and female legal guardians who have children serving in the military, guard or reserves, or children who are veterans. One of their biggest ongoing projects is sending care packages to our locally deployed servicemen and women across the globe.

At the Mothers’ “Stars For Our Heroes” booth, families will be able to write a message on a wooden star, which will then be included in November’s care package shipment.

Wreaths Across America is an organization whose mission is to place a wreath on the grave of every veteran in the country. Webster joined that effort last December when, on National Wreath Day, more than 300 volunteers gathered at Webster Union Cemetery to lay more than 650 wreaths. Organizers hope to expand to more cemeteries this year.

At the Wreaths Across America booth, community members can choose an “Adopt a Hero” ornament from the Christmas tree and sponsor a wreath in honor of a particular veteran. Sponsorship costs just $17, with $5 of each sponsorship donated to the Blue Star Mothers to help fill and ship their care packages.

And this is going to be really cool: 100-year old Ann Greene-Wier will be giving a presentation at the festival, talking about her first husband, who died in the Battle of Bulge during WWII, and her second husband, a WWII B-17 fighter pilot who was shot down over Holland, captured and spent almost three years in a German POW camp. Ann will share a diary that was kept during the prisoners’ time there.

Ann will give her presentation on Saturday, September 9 at 11 a.m and Sunday, September 10 at 11 a.m. 

And now details about the other fun stuff:

This year’s Webster Garlic Fest will be held Saturday Sept. 9 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday Sept. 10 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Webster Recreation Center, 1350 Chiyoda Dr. It promises to be the biggest one yet. Organizers report that almost 100 vendors, food vendors and food trucks, wineries and distilleries will be there, offering a wide variety of treats from clams, garlic shrimp and lobster tails from Ontario Seafood, to barbecue from Mission BBQ and fresh pasta from M.O. Pasta. (To see a whole list of vendors, visit webstergarlicfest.com.)

Plus, there will be free demonstrations, lots of family activities, informational displays from local agencies, and wine and whiskey tastings. So even if you’re not a huge fan of garlic, there will be plenty of vendors and activities for the entire family.  

Admission is just $5, with ages 12 and under free, and will be sold at the door. Find out more on the Webster Garlic Fest Facebook page, or visit the website here.

All proceeds from the Webster Garlic Fest will benefit Wreaths Across America in Webster, and the Blue Star Mothers of Rochester, to build care packages for our locally deployed servicemen and women. 

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

(posted 9/5/2023)

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The Webster Garlic Fest is back!

23 Feb

I got some very exciting news the other day.

After a three-year hiatus, one of Webster’s most popular family-friendly festivals, the Webster Garlic Fest, will be returning to the Webster Recreation Center in September.

The Webster Garlic Fest was last held in 2019. In just a few short years, the event had grown so popular that the garlic growers and craft vendors filled the Rec Center’s gymnasium and spilled out onto the grassy areas outside. Plans were well under way for an even larger event in 2020, but then COVID hit, which put pretty much everything about normal life on hold indefinitely.

This year, however, an enthusiastic new group of volunteers has teamed up to bring the Garlic Fest back later this summer. Even at this very early planning stage, they’ve already got a lot of interest from garlic growers and other vendors. They’re also planning to bring back all kinds of demonstrations, information tables from community groups, raffles, crafters, and food trucks.

Basically, the Webster Garlic Fest is a garlic-lover’s paradise. And even if you’re not a huge fan of garlic, rest assured you’ll find plenty of vendors and activities for you and your kids to enjoy. Or, as committee co-chairperson Cherie Wood said, “We know everyone will have a stinkin’ good time, and have garlicious fun!”

One of the fun new twists this year will be the young “Cloves,” which Wood said are “vital to any serious garlic festival.” These are wee little garlic cloves scurrying around the grounds trying to keep “Vamp,” the friendly, garlic-fearing vampire at bay. Everyone is definitely going to want to meet these adorable little vegetables.

Another great new feature of this year’s festival is that all proceeds will benefit the Wreaths Across America effort in Webster, and the Blue Star Mothers Rochester NY8.

Wreaths Across America is dedicated to placing a wreath on the grave of every one of the 3,000 veterans who rest in Webster’s seven cemeteries. Proceeds will go toward sponsoring the wreaths, with a portion going back to the Blue Star Mothers to build care packages for our locally deployed servicemen and women.  

Right now, organizers are looking for vendors to participate in the festival. If you’re a garlic grower, craft vendor, demonstrator or community group, they want to hear from you. Visit the website for more information and to apply.

The Webster Garlic Fest will be held Saturday and Sunday September 9 and 10, at the Webster Recreation Center, 1350 Chiyoda Dr. Find out more here on the Facebook page and here on the website. Both will be updated regularly as details are finalized. You can also email WebsterGarlicFest@gmail.com if you have any questions.

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

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

(posted 2/23/2023)

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