Festival organizers pleased with big crowds, nice weather
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.
