The Village Board officially set the dates of the festival at its latest meeting. Mayor Kathy Tampio proposed the resolution after Diana Carpus reached out on behalf of the Festival of Grapes Board.

“We appreciate what they do for us,” Tampio said of the Festival Board members. “They essentially plan the whole thing, they just ask for our permission. Our DPW and our Emergency Squad assist in any way.”

The festival will include the annual grape stomping tradition, along with amusement rides and a parade. This year, the parade will be held at noon on Sunday, Sept. 20. Amusement park rides will arrive prior to the festival and will be taken away following the conclusion of the festival on Sunday, Sept. 20 at 5 p.m. For more information about the festival, visit www.festivalofgrapes.org

A point of discussion regarding the festival in recent years has been the village’s loosened restrictions on its open container laws. With food trucks, a beer tent and alcoholic slushes popular among guests, the village has made an effort to give guests the freedom to enjoy themselves in a safe environment with enhanced security.

A year ago, after several weeks of discussion, the Village Board expanded its open container boundaries during the Festival of Grapes to include the Village Square, as well as the Village Ballpark, for the hours that the Beer Tent was open. Merritt Winery provided security, along with the Village and the Festival of Grapes, while the Chautauqua County Sheriffs and the State Police were also made aware of the situation. As the event draws closer, the Village Board will decide how to proceed this year.

Before the Festival of Grapes commences, another annual event will be held in the village. The Silver Creek Kiwanis Club was authorized to hold its Children’s Fair on Saturday, June 6 from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the Village Ball Park and Pavilion. Last year’s event included a variety of family-friendly events such as duck races, finger painting, a magic show, inflatable slides, and more. Details about this year’s event will be announced in the coming weeks.

Trustee Jeff Hornburg has recently been in contact with Young Explosives regarding the Village’s annual fireworks display on July 3. Hornburg expects to finalize the details of the agreement in the next few weeks. He believes the event will go on as scheduled.

Also at the recent meeting, the Village Board approved the purchase of a 2025 Elgin Pelican street sweeper from Johnson Equipment, off State bid, in the amount of $284,823. The purchase agreement states that the Village will make five annual lease payments through ROC Leasing, LLC, and after the fifth year, the Village can assume ownership of the equipment.

The Village Board also approved a series of budget transfers to close out the fiscal year. At a previous meeting, the Board passed the 2026-27 budget, which shows a tax rate reduction for the coming year.

The next Mobile Food Pantry event, sponsored by the Silver Creek Food Pantry, the Village of Silver Creek, and Feedmore WNY, will be on Tuesday, May 26, from 11 a.m. until 12:30 p.m., at the village municipal parking lot. The event is free of charge to residents of Silver Creek and other nearby communities. The Village appreciates and welcomes all volunteers. Food is on a first come, first serve basis and supplies often run out by noon.

The next Village Board meeting will be on Monday at 7 p.m.