Archive: Around Town

The Lansing Community Council kicked off the logo design contest this month for the second Annual Lansing Harbor Festival. The festival logo is chosen from among entries from Lansing kids each year in what Community Council officials say will be an annual tradition.  "One of the differences this year is the theme," says Judy Hinderliter, a former Lansing Middle School English teacher who is heading up the logo contest this year.  "The Lansing Harbor Festival theme is 'Celebrate the Myers Park Bandstand,' so we're looking for a different type of logo.  The bandstand, of course, is now a focal point of Myers Park."

That seems appropriate, because the bandstand's very first performance ever was the Lansing High School Cabaret, the opening act of last year's Harbor Festival.  The structure was donated to the town by the Lansing Lions Club, which raised money and provided volunteer labor to build the gazebo-like structure.  The bandstand has become a focal point for the park, used for the festival entertainment, the Parks and Recreation Department's summer concert series, and is available to rent for private affairs.


Last year's logo contest winner was then 7th grader Parker Callister, who came up with a medallion-like design depicting the miniature lighthouse in the park, a boat motoring toward the sunset, and the school's trademark Bobcat paw.  While there were few entries last year, Hinderliter hopes there will be more this year.  "We've distributed information thorough all of the buildings in the school district," she says.  "We've also sent letters to all of the faculty encouraging them to support their students entering the contest.  They were sent directly to students in the elementary and middle schools."

But Lansing School District students aren't the only ones eligible to enter.  With much of the Village of Lansing overlapped by the Ithaca School District, Hinderliter hopes to get entries from Village students as well.  The contest is open to all students K-12 who live within the Lansing School District and the Village of Lansing, which includes all students within the boundaries of the town.  Last years judges included officials from both the Town and Village.  Hinderliter says the Community Council is rounding up judges for this year, and that all entries will be considered very carefully.

The logo will be used on the festival Web site, as well as T-shirts, posters, and other promotional materials.  Last year the lighthouse from Callister's design was used on Harbor Festival pencils, and beach pails and shovels as well.  The deadline for this year's contest is February 28th, and entry forms are available on the Web site as well as at Lansing school main offices.

The first Lansing Harbor Festival was a success last year despite a freak storm that devastated Myers Park, snapped three utility poles on Ridge Road, and plunged much of the town into darkness.  The festival was postponed by a week, which organizers feared would adversely affect attendance and revenues.  But when the festival was done officials estimated around 2,000 people had attended.  Most of the bands were able to reschedule, and only a handful of vendors couldn't make it on the rescheduled day.

The Lansing Community Council uses money earned at the festival to help fund about a half dozen local programs and causes, including Lansing Youth Services, Lansing Older Adults Program, the Lansing Food Pantry, the town Recreation Department, and emergency funding for Lansing residents in need.  It also distributes United Way funding to these programs.

Hinderliter organized the Youth Pavilion for last year's festival, but was unable to attend when the event was postponed.  This year she is hoping to see more logo entries, and more attendees, including herself.  "I am looking forward to the festival," she says.  "It's a wonderful event.  I missed it last year because we were out of town when it was rescheduled."

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