Major sponsors DFT Communications and Kravitz Tree Service would like to join co-chairs Greg Krauza and Lauren Boyle and the entire committee to remind residents that the 57th Fredonia Farm Festival is right around the corner.

The committee has continued its commitment to honor our farming community and create a festival the Village is proud of. This year’s Festival will kick off on Aug. 22 as it brings back Friday activities.

From 4 to 9 p.m., the Festival will kick off with music by Two Towns as food vendors and craft booths will be open. New this year is a Cornhole tournament managed by professional cornhole player/owner Jen DePasquale of the Buffalo Brawlers.

“We added back Friday from 4 to 9 p.m. to give the community, as well as the vendors, an opportunity to settle in and have a bit more opportunity to enjoy the Festival,” Krauza said.

At dusk the event will once again partner with the Darwin R Barker Library to show a community movie at dusk. Bring lawn chairs and blankets and enjoy the show.

“We had so many folks show up last year for our reintroduction of a Friday children’s movie on the big outdoor screen that we had to do it again We want to thank our partner for this event, The Darwin R. Barker Library,” Boyle said.

Marketing chair Dan Siracuse is anticipating record crowds and has been receiving positive feedback from last year’s attendees. For those still looking to participate there are limited spaces left as the deadline to register is nearing.

Saturday. Aug. 23 will start early with the Farmer’s Market on Park Street and include a full day of activities from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. There will be music on the main stage and various presentations in the Gazebo.

As always the Jr. Farmers tent, sponsored by Chautauqua County and chaired by Julie Nelson, will be a featured hit including a Story Time at noon each day. She will be joined by Marie Tomlinson as they offer arts and crafts projects.

The basket raffle, sponsored by Fredonia Place and chaired by Jonelle Krauza and Chrissy Doolittle, is setting up for a big year. Once again Jim Thompson will chair the all important food vendors with his ever expanding selection as well as perennial favorites like Tony’s Waffles, Fowlers Candies and wine slushies from Merritt Estate Winery.

New to this year’s Festival is a young entrepreneur’s tent sponsored by Twinstar Business Solutions. Motivated young people are able to offer their homemade products.

A supervised tent and table will be provided. Entrepreneurs ages 10 to 17 are encouraged to email farmfestivalfredonia@gmail.com a description of what they are selling and their contact information (or parent contact information) and a committee member will reach out. This is a great chance to make a few dollars and get some real-world experience.

Having enough volunteers is always an important component to make the Festival successful. While we count on regulars like the Fredonia High Schools football, women’s soccer and women’s wrestling teams and the Cub Scouts the group still needs help in many areas.

Some specific areas are parade route management, the Jr. Farmers tent, and registration but there are many more. To get information on volunteering or to ask to help in a certain area please email farmfestivalfredonia@gmail.com

Grounds and maintenance chairperson Ed Koenig will be working with his student crews to keep the Commons clean and this year Can King will be supplying recycling bins to separate and save bottles and cans.

On Sunday, Aug. 24, the festival will hold a morning service at 8 a.m. and the vendors open at 9.

The Grand Parade will be sponsored by the Beaver Club. Parade chairperson Mariah Kravitz has been busy filling the parade and it promises to be larger and more diverse than last year. This year’s parade will start at 2 p.m., an hour later than usual, to give everyone a chance to enjoy the festival for an additional hour.

The Festival will wrap up shortly after the parade, between 5 and 6 p.m.