OBSERVER Photo by Andrew David Kuczkowski Kids scream while spinning on a ride at Rediscover Gowanda. The weekend-long event continues through today.

GOWANDA — Rediscover Gowanda did its job for the hundreds of people who attended the gala thus far, with Sunday’s events still to come. From Friday night to all day Saturday, the weekend-long festival showed newcomers to the village the multitude of stores, products and boutiques has to offer.

“Sales have been great,” Vice President of Love INC Karen McAndrew said. “Our bake sale went very well. We made well over $100. People have been in and out of our donation store.”

See GOWANDA, Page A6

Love INC, an acronym for In the Name of Christ, will use the money it received to help the needy in the area, while other stores have benefitted with the publicity that brought many to the area.

Businesses along Jamestown Street and West Main Street had storefronts outside. They presented the diversity of merchandise. From J&J Outfitters’ Carhartts to Soles Unlimited’s shoe stacks to I’ll Drink to That!’s array of vendors, the displays not only drew the eyes of those who planned to attend, but to the drivers who detoured their routes to stop and take a peak.

“My problem is, I am in here. I have no idea on what’s going on,” Sarah Gabel of Jessie’s Home and Gifts admitted while she was store bound. “But business is good today; it’s probably double or triple than what we usually do on a Saturday morning.”

It was a combination of luck and convenience for Connie Calteaux.

Calteaux and her girl scout senior troop out of Lackawanna/Buffalo Service Unit were travelling down to Zoar Valley. On their way, they stopped in the village at Zoar Valley Rafting and Zoar Valley Gifts and More prior to going white water rafting.

“I wish we had better clothes on so we can stay,” Calteaux, the girl scout leader, said. “It looks like a lot of fun; it looks like a pretty interesting way to market your businesses.”

In addition to the stores, there was a carnival and live music by JB Martin and the Smokin’ Dogs at Chang Hu Park. Later Saturday night, fireworks lit the skies downtown. The carnival had rides and slides that gave children an outlet to let go and exhaust their endless amount of energy.

For Laurie, a resident on the outskirts of the village, the carnival was just small enough for comfort, but big enough to entertain the kids.

“I have grandkids now, so it’s nice,” she said. “It’s something small for them and with it being the little rides, you don’t have to worry about the bigger kids coming in and taking over. You can actually step back and see all the rides and be able to know where your child is at at all times.”

Janet Vogtli, co-owner of J & J Outfitters and co-organizer of Rediscover Gowanda, sat outside of her storefront on Jamestown Street and witnessed many visit her shop. Of course, the beautiful weather made it much easier for some to come outside.

“It has been a great two days,” Vogtli said. “The train rides have gone out and again, there were people who came downtown, did not know we existed, and it did what we wanted to accomplish; people discovered what are going on in Gowanda.”

If Rediscover Gowanda did anything for the festival goers, it proved to them that Gowanda isn’t just a village that connects Cattaraugus and Erie counties, but a plethora of small, eager business owners that are right here in the local’s backyard.

“If people are heading to the mall, come here first,” Vogtli pleaded. “Try and see if you could find things here first and then head to the mall and go online. Most times you’re going to find something here that you’re looking for.”

Rediscover Gowanda continues today with the Class of 2019 Pancake Breakfast from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the Gowanda Legion. The 18th annual Crouse 5k Challenge will begin at noon with registration at 10 a.m. Also, the 1st Annual Bike Blessing at the Gowanda Assembly of God, 78 Allen St. It starts at 12:30 p.m. with a free lunch at 11:45 a.m. There will be a Chicken Barbeque at the Perrysburg Fire Company as well that starts at 11 a.m. until it sells out. It is $9 per dinner.

Email: Akuczkowski@observertoday.com

Twitter: @Kuczkowski95