OBSERVER file photo

Festivals Fredonia has issued a statement Wednesday in regard to the cancellation of this year’s Farm Festival.

Notice of the festival not taking place was found on the Festivals Fredonia web site last week after another social media site posted the decision. Here is the response by the committee’s board of directors that is all volunteer.

“Recently, there has been a lot of comments, frustration, questions, and blame thrust in various directions since the Festivals Fredonia website posted that the Farm Festival

would be canceled in 2024 and would resume in some capacity in 2025. We are empathetic to the community and understand your disappointment; the following statement … should provide more perspective on our rationale.

“Initially, a social media site titled “I grew up in Dunkirk/Fredonia” posted what we had published on our website, mentioned above, and then the OBSERVER published an article this past week announcing the cancellation for 2024 and stating our intention to bring the festival back in a “re-imagined” form in 2025; this is true. Festivals Fredonia wanted to ensure that we had an adequate amount of time to plan and execute a festival that not only was manageable for our organization, but also a reflection of the community and what you’ve come to know from us. The OBSERVER article included quotes from the previous Farm Festival Chair, Mark Mackey, that were published in a separate article in the summer 2023. Mark and Jen Mackey stepped down as co-chairs of the Farm Festival and as board members of Festivals Fredonia in September 2023. Festivals Fredonia understood their decision not to continue with the Farm Festival, and we supported it.

“Neither the administrator for the social media site, nor the OBSERVER reached out to any of Festivals Fredonia’s current Board of Directors for comment on the cancellation before publishing the most current articles. However, the editor for The OBSERVER did reach out after the online publication.

“The Festivals Fredonia Board of Directors have had numerous conversations and meetings regarding the Farm Festival, our largest festival of the season, including conversations with current village leadership, and voted that we would not be able to host the Farm Festival up to the expectations of the community this year. This is due to many factors, including the amount of time needed to plan the festival (over 1,000 hours), the time needed to be on site during the festival itself (12-16 hours/day over the course of four days), and the large amount of planning materials for the current blueprint of the festival. We listened to, discussed, and considered many suggestions and feedback from the community. After lengthy deliberation and debate, we simply felt that in our current state, we would not be able to execute this festival to the standards we are accustomed to executing successful events. After all, our mission is to contribute to a high quality of life in Fredonia and surrounding communities by presenting lively recreation and cultural opportunities to village and area residents. The festivals stimulate tourism, highlight important aspects of our historic village, provide opportunities for regional artists and musicians, and showcase merchants, regional products and produce. Since we did not believe we could accomplish this with the Farm Festival, we felt the need to back away from hosting the festival in 2024.

“It is true that last year the Village of Fredonia trustees and officials brought up concerns and questions that had previously not been issues during past festival seasons. Festivals Fredonia was able to work through those concerns and host six successful festivals in 2023. We are optimistic that working with our village government and with new procedures in place that Festivals Fredonia will have a great relationship with the Village of Fredonia in 2024. We would like to make it abundantly clear that our decision to pause the Farm Festival this year was due to time, manpower, and a dwindling pool of volunteers that are all needed to host the Farm Festival to the expectations of our community. We appreciate the outpouring of support and hearing how much all of you love the Farm Festival and we look forward to seeing you at our other festivals this year.

“In fact, Festivals Fredonia welcomes any number of new/former volunteers to organize and execute the festival to the delight of the community. Previously, the Farm Festival and Italian Festival were organized by separate entities until coming under the Festivals Fredonia umbrella, and we would fully support any outside organization or volunteers to host additional festivals in the future.

“In closing, we would like to thank those who are stepping forward in a show of support for our efforts to bring you quality festivals and we look forward to the community celebrating all the festivals in the coming year — Easter Festival, Italian Festival, Red White and Blues, Harvest Moon and Miracle on Main. We also would like to thank our current/returning volunteers for the upcoming 2024 festivals season! Without your help, our festivals would not be the successful events that we have come to embrace and enjoy!”

The executive committee and board of directors is made up of Larry Fiorella, Dr. Judith Horowitz, Amanda Shepp, Christopher Shepp, Heidi Powell, Lauren Boyle, Michele Joy, Linda Liedke, Joan Loewer, Joanne Mansfield, Kelly Powell, Patrick Prawel-Sexton and Kirstin Schroeder.