By SARA FURLONG

s.furlong@bradfordera.com

LEWIS RUN – Head on out to Leek Fest this weekend and have the bed — or couch — all to yourself Saturday night.

Lewis Run Volunteer Fire Department will host its second annual Leek Fest from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the hall on Main Street.

It is the fire company’s major spring fundraiser, with 100% of profits benefiting the department.

As many in the community already know, leeks are a type of wild onion, one of spring’s first edible plants native to eastern North America.

Both the leaves and bulbs are fit for consumption, and are incorporated into all manner of dishes each year, prized for their signature mild-onion and hint-of-garlic flavor.

There’s leek sausage, leek mustard, leek salt, leek barbecue sauce, leek hot sauce, leek beef sticks, leek quiche, potato leek soup and, perhaps king of them all, leek dip.

Do you make a bussin’ leek dip? Enter Leek Fest’s leek dip contest with a $5 fee by 3:30.

Attendees will make a $2 donation to taste every leek dip entered and then vote for the one they like best. That’s a slight change from last year, Leek… page A-10

Era file photo in that the popular vote rather than judges will determine the festival’s champion dip maker, granting bragging rights until at least 2026.

Also new this year will be a car show, with assistance from Street Dreams Car Club. Drivers can start parking at 9:30 a.m. and sign up with a $10 fee upon arrival.

“The car show is a new addition,” said organizer Kim Wright.

“The way the weather is going to be (cooler temperatures and possible rain forecast) we don’t know how big it’s going to be, but it’s a start.”

Wright, Tracy Kerr and Hunter Mason tackle most of the event’s planning and logistics, but Wright added that everyone in the department works on it, whether it’s sharing a post on social media or hanging up a flyer somewhere. During the event there will be a display to provide some context regarding just how expensive it is to be a volunteer firefighter.

“All our funding comes from fundraisers and a state grant,” Wright said, “but the grant has to be used for specific items we ask for — we can’t just use it for everyday expenses.

“We used our last grant for some air packs, which we will have out so people can see it, that this is what our grant money went for. But we also have to replace some gear, so we’ll have a set of gear out with the price of everything, which we have to pay for ourselves.”

Beer will be available for purchase with proper ID inside the firehall. There will also be live music all day, with DJ Scotty set for 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Savannah Swatland to perform 3 to 7 p.m., craft vendors and food vendors, with both leek-based and non-leek-based fare.

Napoli’s will be on site along with Camper’s Kettle Corn and Papa Scoops.

“I’m hoping to make some leek hot sauce,” Wright noted. “I didn’t realize how many leek leaves it takes — 4 pounds. The leaves have just as much flavor in them as the bulb itself. A lot of people I know use them in salads and things like that.”

Wright admits she’s not a big leek fan herself, but will still smell up her house for a few days in order to help the department.

“We have to have the equipment to keep the firefighters safe, even if it’s something I don’t particularly eat myself,” she reasoned. “I’m like, ‘OK, let’s do it.’ I’d do anything to help the fire department raise money.”