Classic cars, farmers’ market will return to Medina

File photos by Tom Rivers: Charlie Crumb of Albion wipes rain off his 1969 Camaro during the Super Cruise on Main Street in Medina last August. The classic car shows return this Friday in the Canal Basin.

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 30 May 2018 at 11:16 am

MEDINA – Classic cars and fresh produce will return to downtown Medina.

The Canal Basin has hosted the car shows for more than 20 years. A new season begins Friday from 5:30 to 8 p.m. and will continue weekly through late August. The car shows will be capped with a Super Cruise on Aug. 29 when a section of Main Street is blocked off and there is a performance by Elvis impersonator Terry Buchwald.

Terry Buchwald, an Elvis impersonator, performed at the Super Cruise on Aug. 23, 2017.

The weekly shows include music from DJ Hank Nevins. Dave Green is one of the coordinators of the car shows. He said Medina businesses are generous in sponsoring the events, donating for the DJ, to bring in Buchwald and for door prizes.

There are typically 80 to 100 cars for the Friday car shows, with the Super Cruise drawing more than 200.

Medina will also welcome the return of the Canal Village Farmers’ Market on Saturday. The market is open from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 127 West Center St., across from the Medina Post Office.

The market operates under the auspices of the Orleans Renaissance Group and will continue each Saturday through October.

“The 2017-18 Winter Market was very well attended,” said Gail Miller, the market manager. “It’s made us very excited to begin what we feel is going to be our best summer market yet.”

Miller cited yet more new vendor offerings, the return of a Community Tent for community organizations, the Artisans Tent, the return of Canal Kids Activities and family related fun and games by the Medina FFA.

“We’ve also been able to secure the return of our crowd-favorite live music too,” said Miller. “Ernie Lawrence, Dark Road Duo and The Road to Azure will all be back, hopefully with other new groups.”

The vintage R&B/Blues of The Road to Azure will be featured opening day.

Miller also said there will be an expanded schedule of special guests, as well as various special events such as food prep demos and raffles.

“We’re also working on plans for a food tour that would encompass the market and downtown.” said Miller. “This project is in the very early planning stages, but will be a multi-opportunity event that people are really going to want to experience. The market, food and historic downtown are three things that naturally go together.”

Raspberries from Panek Farms were available at Canal Village Farmers’ Market in July 2015.

According to planners, participants would buy a ticket for the food tour at the market and begin their delectable journey with tastings from various vendors. The guided tour would proceed through Historic Downtown with a mix of history and tastings from Medina’s many culinary offerings.

“Again, the tour is in the planning stages, but we’re very excited about it,” Miller said. “We see it as a springboard for day trip Medina and hope to have it up and running soon. It’s going to be such a great year of Summer Saturdays at the market and throughout downtown.”

A full slate of vendors and offerings are slated for opening day. Market patrons will see regular weekly vendors Baker Farm, Herbalty Cottage, Human Farms, Kim’s Kitchen Bakery & More, McB’s Farm, Nice Farms, Renko Sausage, Roberts’ Farm Market, SK Herefords beef, Stone Hollow Farm & Carriage House Bakery, Stymus Farms along with other special guests/rotating vendors, including the award-winning 810 Meadworks.

The 2018 summer market will see the return of the “Community Tent” and “Artisan’s Tent.”

“Last year, the Community Tent provided a place for local non-profits and community-based organizations to raise awareness about their particular programs and offerings,” Miller said. Opening day will see Medina Memorial Hospital and Cornell Cooperative Extension with the hospital offering information on various health-related issues. Cornell Cooperative Extension will feature advice from Master Gardeners.

Dawn Keppler of SK Herefords in Shelby cuts some beef for a sample of the farm’s meat in this photo from July 2015.

The Artisan Tent will have a very special local feature on opening day. Local musician and skilled craftsman, Aaron Grabowski, will be present with his blacksmith forge. Grabowski will demonstrate the forge and the making of hand-forged products of 18th century manor using his reproduction traveling blacksmith forge – all while clothed in 18th century garb. Grabowski was recently named a “Heritage Hero” for his local preservation work.

Chris Busch, president of the Renaissance Group, says the Canal Village Farmers’ Market is not just an opportunity for the public to shop for fresh-harvested local produce, but also to everything Historic Medina has to offer.

“Our goal at CVFM has been to do our part in making Downtown Medina absolutely alive on Saturday mornings,” Busch said.

The market is still interested in finding suitable artisans and musicians who might be interested in participating in the market. For additional information about visiting or participating in the 2018 Canal Village Farmers’ Market, visit them on Facebook or email Gail Miller at canalvillagemarket@gmail.com.

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