Archive: Around Town

"We have every age group, said WHCU's Dave Vieser, about half way through Lansing Harbor Festival.  "We have a youth area.  The music is a wide variety, which I think is so key to making a festival work.  It can't just be one genre of music.  You have to have a lot and that's what we've got.  We've gone to New Orleans, we've gone to Chicago, we're currently out in the country and by the end of the night we're going to be talking politics with the Burns Sisters."

(Clockwise from top left) Angel Tree Farm Alpacas; Crossroads the Clown; The Tops booth in Vendor row (Tops donated the proceeds of their booth to the festival); Dancing to the music.  (Center) Cayuga Radio Group and WHCU's Dave Vieser was the Master of Ceremonies for the festival

It was as if Mother Nature were rewarding the community for persevering the freak storm last year that forced organizers to push the festival back a week.  This year the weather was perfect, and the second annual festival seemed to go without a hitch from the opening ceremony with the dove release to the last band performance of the day.


"This year the weather has been such a huge player in this," said Ed LaVigne, President of the Lansing Community Council.  "It's a gorgeous day today.  It was a very busy year this year as far as educating and stimulating people about our council.  We have a lot more vendors this year, a lot more energy.  We also have a lot more people placing ads and supporting us.  What we try to do with the vendors and people is to give them as much positive exposure as possible so they can do what they do best."

The Lansing Community Council raises money independently and through the United Way to help fund more than a half dozen Lansing programs, including the town Recreation program, Lansing Drop-In, Food Pantry, Youth Services, and others.  Last year the council raised more money than expected and was able to distribute $3,000 to six local entities.  The Harbor Festival is meant to raise money, but also to provide a place for local not-for-profits to raise money and awareness, as well as to celebrate the community.

(Clockwise from top) Bands included the Ithaca New Orleans Dixiland Jazz Band; The Stoutmen; Alice Detrick and Triple Play; The Burns Sisters; Backtalk Band; and Pete Panek and the Blue Cats

"It's an honor to represent this beautiful community in the New York State Senate," said Senator Michael Nozzolio, who made a point to visit the festival during the afternoon.  "Our job is to insure that the integrity of these beautiful Finger Lakes is protected and preserved, and that we promote our region in a responsible way.  That's what the Harbor Festival is all about, and I am pleased to be here with you."

He noted that the band stand that was the main stage for the bands and festival announcements was built by the Lansing Lions Club and dedicated to the town.  "That kind of community partnership is what makes a festival like this so great, and what makes the Town of Lansing so wonderful to represent," he said.

"At the end of summer you're always fighting the schedule with other festivals," Vieser said.  "But I think people are realizing this one is family-friendly.  There is a lot of food here, and a relaxed atmosphere here that you may not get at other festivals.  There are not people pushing or shoving, the bathrooms are free... People are here reading their books, listening to music, walking around -- that's very nice."

Festival Volunteers (Clockwise from top left) Festival Chairwoman Karen Veaner (right) with Baker Cup Chicken Barbecue Sauce winner Robin Schuttenberg (left) and runner up Katrina Binkewicz; Judy Hinderliter; Barb White; Bill and Judy Butman; Lansing Community Council President Ed LaVigne (left) with Robin Sharpless

The sand castle contest was a big success with sand donated by Scott and Tracy Pinney (they also donated the bounce house).  That was part of a full day of youth activities centered at Judy Hinderliter's Youth Pavilion.  Lansing Youth Services had a Remake Table, named for a Lansing Youth Services program that uses recycled materials to create craft items.  "They made lots of interesting creatures and monsters," says Program Manager Isabel Bazaldua.  "We saw a bunny rabbit robot, a piranha, lots of interesting stuff."

Bazaldua also conducted a frozen T-shirt contest in which five teams of five kids each tried to unfold a frozen balled-up T-shirt before the other teams could.  Team Awesome won the contest for the second year in a row.

One of the highlights of the festival was the second annual Baker Cup Chicken Barbecue Sauce Contest.  Named for local chicken expert Bob Baker, an internationally known scientist who developed more than 50 ways to serve chicken including the much loved Cornell Sauce, Robin Schuttenberg went head to head with Matthew and Katrina Binkewicz this year. 

(Clockwise from top left) Floating Classroom crew (Left to right) Bill Foster, Caroline Hoover, Captain Dave Openshaw; Ringing the bell for the opening ceremony (Left to right) Dave Vieser, Village of Lansing Mayor Donald Hartill, Festival Chairwoman Karen Veaner, Lansing Community Council President Ed LaVigne, logo designer Corey Dake; Barbecue Sauce faceoff - Robin Schuttenberg and Matthew Binkewicz (center) Seido Karate Demonstration

"This year the choices were much more difficult, says Village of Lansing Mayor Donald Hartill.  "They were so different that to compare them is like comparing apples and oranges.  If you like apples you choose apples, and if you like oranges you choose oranges.  I like both of them.  The one that's winning was very close to the one that lost."

Hartill was joined in the judging by Vieser, Sharon Bowman, Jodi Dake, and Town Supervisor Scott Pinney.  "They were very good and each was unique," Pinney said.  "It was a very tough choice."

Another special feature was a cruise on the Floating Classroom.  "We're going to go out to the mouth of Salmon creek to see what's going on out there," said Bill Foster, who does the educational programming for the cruise.  "We'll take some plankton samples and look at the biology of the lake, and we'll do some water quality sampling.  We're hoping to have some more public cruises this fall and next year where people can get involved in learning what's happening on the lake and creating a better relationship with it."

With over sixty vendors, six bands playing six different musical genres, and non-stop activities, everyone seemed happy.  "There's a relaxed but energetic feeling," Vieser said.  "There's just something about this -- come on out, there's plenty to do, but at the same time sit in a chair and just enjoy the fact that summer's almost over and it's beautiful out."

(Clockwise from top left) Sand Castle Contest; Matthew and Katrina Binkewicz in their booth; a friendly moose; Team Awesome pulls apart a frozen T-shirt; Past and Present -- (Left to right) Tracy Pinney, Senator Michael Nozzolio, Lansing Town Supervisor Scott Pinney, Former town Supervisor Steve Farkas, Alice Farkas; Pat Prior mans the Lansing Democrats booth  (Center) Baker Cup Chicken barbecue Sauce Judges (Left to right) Scott Pinney, Sharon Bowman, Dave Vieser, Don Hartill, Jodi Dake

LaVigne says that the Community Council won't rest on its laurels.  Plans are already being made for the third annual festival and other events and projects that will give back to the Lansing community.  "We'd love to do something in the wintertime," he said.  "We may have a 'Snowfall Ball,' maybe in February.  It would take away those February blues, and also focus us on the Lansing community again.  It would also be an excellent opportunity to kick-start next year's Lansing Harbor Festival."

The council is also looking into finding a sponsor to pay for upgraded electrical service in Myers Park to increase lighting on the stage, and to light the park at night.  That would make it possible to add fireworks to future festivals, because it would make it safe for attendees to exit the park after sundown.

And LaVigne has a new project in mind for the park.  "We'd love to put a footbridge across Salmon Creek from Myers Park to Salt Point," he says.  "You could donate and on the bricks you'd put your family's name.  That would make it truly a Lansing community bridge.  And that's one of the things we do on the council -- we build bridges.  We bring people together, remove obstacles, and help people prosper.  That's really what makes this town so wonderful."


Vieser agrees with that sentiment.  "Myers Park is one of the most beautiful places in Tompkins County," he says.  "This festival is helping create a landmark that many people didn't realize is in Lansing.  And it's also helping fund Lansing community organizations which really didn't have a place to go before.  When people think of Lansing they might think of the mall, they may think of Triphammer Road.  I don't know if many people in this area think of Lansing as Myers Park and another whole part of the town that exists.  If that's what this festival does, then it's doing it right.  It's doing exactly what it should, which is waking people up to the fact that Lansing is not only here, but it's growing and it's a great place to live."

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