FRANKLINVILLE, N.Y. — The sweet smell of maple syrup will fill the village this weekend with maple-flavored events for the 52nd annual Western New York Maple Festival Saturday and Sunday.
Maple Festival events kick off Thursday night with the Maple King and Queen Contest at the new Franklinville High School auditorium. The winners will ride in Saturday’s Maple Festival Parade, which starts at 11 a.m.
Highlighting the Maple Festival are area maple producers, their maple syrup and a number of locally made maple products.
Ever since it was started by the JayCees in 1962, local volunteers have helped make each Western New York Maple Festival a success. Many local groups raise most of their organizations’ funding for the coming year, according to general chairman Michael Brisky, the town supervisor.
“Everything is coming together nicely,” Brisky said. “We’re hoping for some decent weather.”
Current forecasts call for highs near 50 and a slight chance of rain on Saturday.
“We can take a few showers, but heavy rains would hurt attendance,” he said.
The Maple Festival Committee tries to bring various community groups and youth groups into the mix, Brisky said. “Everybody has their own tasks — including cleanup.” he explained. “It works out nice.”
An example of how groups earn money from the Maple Festival is the parking at the elementary school by members of the Franklinville Boy Scouts and parents. The Maple Festival Committee pays the Boy Scouts which, in turn, use the funds for Scout programs throughout the year.
The first place many Maple Festival visitors head for is the All-You-Can-Eat Pancake and Sausage Breakfast in the elementary school cafeteria from 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Brisky said. “Our volunteers are all lined up and we’ve got plenty of maple syrup.”
Also Saturday morning, registration for the SAPS Race — a 10K race or 2-mile walk — begins at 8:30 a.m. behind the high school.
The maple products sale, businesses and services exhibits and craft show and sale run from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday.
The Maple Festival Parade will proceed down Main Street to the area of the schools starting at 11 a.m. Saturday. Floats, music, horses and more is promised by the Parade Committee.
The Ischua Valley Historical Society will have an open house at the Miner’s Cabin just off Park Square.
Some of the other events scheduled for this weekend are the Blount Library Book Sale on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Creekside Roundup Horse Plowing Demonstrations Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., live entertainment at the school from 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday and 1 to 3 p.m. Sunday, Round and Square Dancing at the elementary school Saturday at 3 p.m., and a free dance with Usual Suspects Saturday from 8 to 11 p.m. at the Franklinville Conservation Club.
Helicopter rides will be available both days — weather permitting — at a site behind the elementary school.
Sunday will feature the pancake breakfast at the elementary school from 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., car show across from the fire hall from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., a petting zoo at the high school, Creekside Roundup Game Show on the school fields across from the fire hall from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., and a chicken barbecue at the fire hall starting at noon.
