Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Some of the Strawberry Festival Committee members are pictured with Orly the Ox on Saturday. From left include Mike Bonnewell, Tracy VanSkiver, Trevor Thaine and Marlene Seielstad. Orly served as grand marshal for the parade.

Becky Karls, coordinator of the committee leading the festival, said the weather was great both days with temperatures in the high 60s, low 70s.

She praised the committee for welcoming many popular returning vendors and for drawing in new ones.

“We heard lots of good feedback,” Karls said. “They liked that their were more food varieties and there were ranges. We heard so many people say it was so great and that it was amazing.”

Many of the craft and food vendors were cleared out of their inventory, she said.

The crowd was happy to see the many bands, floats and other participants in the parade. There were about 50 entries in all.

Jarred Saj walks with the Turtle in the parade on Saturday, to promote the Turtle Race. Tickets were $5 a turtle or 5 for $20. Saj set a new record by selling 480 of the 1,000 available tickets.

Assemblyman Steve Hawley served as emcee for the Turtle Race. Becky Karls, festival committee chairwoman, is in back at left. She led the planning committee for the second year.

With the Main Street bridge closed again this festival, the turtles had to be dumped into the canal from the Sheriff’s Marine Patrol boat. From left include sewer plant superintendent Aric Albright, County Legislator Skip Draper, ticket seller extraordinaire Jarred Saj, Emergency Management deputy director Scott Buffin, Albion Police Lt. Brandan Annable and County Legislator John Fitzak.

Tim Pencille is in a kayak and ready to corral the fastest turtles. It was a slow-moving race with the wind counter-acting the current in the canal. It took about 40 minutes for the turtles to “race” a short distance on the canal.

The top five turtles were: Bellucci from Medina in first, $500 prize; Joe Sidonio in second, $250; Dave Schubel in third, $125; Ed Houseknecht in fourth, $75; and Chris Bourke in fifth, $50. The winning tickets were all sold by Jarred Saj.

The Who Dats performed the final concert of the Strawberry Festival on Saturday. The band includes from left John Borello and Todd Graham, lead singer Lonnie Froman, and Eddie Hilfiker with Alex DeSmit on drums.

There was a nice collection of classic cars at a cruise-in on East State Street.

The band Big Logic & The Truth Serum was a new performer at the festival. They are from Rochester and include former Holley resident Justin Gurnsey on lead vocals and guitar. He is facing the camera. He was invited to be in the festival by Bill Pilleggi, one of the committee members and a retired principal at Holley.

Other band members include Jesse Bertholf, Andrew Strzepek, Will Dorfner, Lucas Saladin, Neil Pierce and Zach Pelton.

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Cassie Brown plays the flute for the Albion Marching Band during today’s parade in the Albion Strawberry Festival. Brown and the other seniors all had a tear painted on their face to symbolize their final marching band performance.

The Albion band was among several in today’s parade.

The Albion banner is carried by Adeline Pask, age 10; Nora Fazliu, 11; and Sadie Pask, 10.

Mallory Ashbery, one of the drum majors, walks backwards while directing the Albion band. The Albion Marching Band performed to music by the band Chicago.

Julia Graham, front, and Mackenzie Cook are both members of Albion’s color guard.

Zach Busch is the director of the Holley-Kendall Marching Band which has seen steady growth in the band since the two schools formed the group in 2017.

The Holley-Kendall Marching Band performs a show, “Nightmare on Main Street.”

DownBeat Percussion brought high-energy drummers to the parade. This group performs at Buffalo Bills home games.

The Pembroke Marching Band featured a big group of musicians.

The Rochester Scottish Pipes and Drums have been perennial performers at the Albion parade.

Mighty St. Joe’s Alumni Drum & Bugle Corps also have played in the Albion parade for many years.

The Batavia Blue Devil Marching Band makes their way down the parade route, which started at Albion Central School and headed down Route 31 before turning onto Main Street.

The Mark Time Marchers also performed in the parade.

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Today’s 37^th annual Strawberry Festival Parade for the first time include the mini-cars from the Damascus Shriners from Webster. There were eight mini-cars in the parade and the drivers zipped around in circles to the thrill of the crowd.

The cars line up after their spectacle on the street and the crowd gave them a big applause.

Orly the Ox served as grand marshal for the parade. Orly is the county’s mascot during this year’s bicentennial celebration of the county.

Orly was driven by Brad Shelp in a 1954 Bell Air convertible. Behind the grand marshal are royalty members from the middle school, Alexis Neff and Mason Rotthoff.

Fire trucks from the Albion Joint Fire District and other emergency response vehicles make their way down Main Street in the 37^th annual Albion Strawberry Festival Parade.

Jeremy Neal drives a tractor, “Little Tex,” named in honor of his late son Byron, who passed away from cancer at age 8 on April 14, 2023. Jeremy’s wife Tina and their friend Adele Mathes were part of the display for the CURE Foundation to raise funds and awareness for childhood cancer.

Ryan Lasal, director of Community & Family Program Innovation at Community Action, served as emcee for the parade. He shared details of the marching bands, including the Mark Time Marchers in photo, as well as other floats and participants. There were nearly 50 different entries in the parade.

Amy Sidari, who has retired as owner of Gotta Dance by Miss Amy, joined many of her dancers on the parade route. New owner, Danielle Schmidt, also danced with the group on Main Street.

Sheryl Watts, owner and artistic designer of Air Raising Events, made a butterfly out of balloons. Watts in previous parades has made other characters, including a strawberry and a purple eagle.

Members and supporters of Arc GLOW and the Self Advocate All-Stars marched in the parade, and some carried signs including this one, “Be Kind, For Everyone You Meet is Fighting A Battle.”

Natasha Wasuck wore an inflatable reindeer costume while walking in the parade with her husband, John Hernandez, and their daughter, Ephy. They are members of the Albion Betterment Committee which has tried t promote Albion’s heritage as the home of the first Santa School. The family also owns The Lockstone and Tinsel.

The Albion FFA tossed candy and greeted people from their float.

Kids go over to see veterans who were handing out flags. Honor Guard member Matt Passarell is at front right.

Mike Donahue, right, and James Hollinger handed out flags to children along the parade route. They were also promoting a medical transportation service for veterans run by the Orleans County Joint Veterans Council.

Gilligan’s Galley at Point Breeze made a festive float for the parade.

Kerry Panek, driving the Gator, was joined by many of her family members in celebrating 40 years of strawberries at Panek’s Pickin’ Patch in Albion.

The Town and Country Quilt Shop participated in the parade. From left include quilt shop owner Tara Thom, Debbie Thies, Brenda Radzinski, Hayley Rimmer and Carrie Standish.

The quilters also displayed the Bicentennial Quilt that Town and Country Quilt Shop members made for Orleans County’s 200^th birthday this year.

Keira Zambito, left, and Julia Button served as festival royalty from the high school.

Santa and Mrs. Claus made an appearance in the parade to promote the lighted parade in Albion later in December.

Many of the tee ball players and their families and coaches tossed out candy to eager parade spectators.