Holley hosts a bigger June Fest on Saturday
File photo by Tom Rivers: Many community organizations participated last year’s June Fest parade, including the Holley-Kendall Marching Band.
HOLLEY – The local festival season is starting to ramp up with Holley’s June Fest on Saturday. The village will be bustling with activities from 9 a.m. until fireworks at night.
The festival took a year off in 2016 but returned last year, and is back again with more activities and volunteers.
When the festival didn’t happen in 2016, people realized how much they valued the event, said Krista Wiley, this year’s coordinator. She was among the new volunteers who stepped forward to help last year with the June Fest.
“It’s something we lost that people really enjoyed,” she said. “They see old classmates and neighbors. It’s a great thing. It maintains that small-town feel.”
The festival has some new twists this year, with wooden boats in the parade, fireworks at night, an expanded wine tasting area that includes beer and cider, as well as other additions including vintage tractors on display by the museum.
Wiley likes how the festival organizers are willing to try new things.
“It can be different each year,” she said. “People are accepting of that. We already have ideas for next year.”
Some highlights for Saturday’s June Fest:
• 5K race starting at 9 a.m. at elementary school
• Arts and crafts vendors from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on canal path
• Village-wide garage and yard sales from 9 a.m.to 4 p.m.
• Gray Wolf Karate for a demonstration at 9:30
• Parade starting at 11 a.m.
• Library book sale from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• Wine tasting from noon to 4 p.m.
• Erie Canal Sal at museum at 1 p.m.
• St. Mary’s chicken barbecue
• Historical Society bake sale
• Expanded kids’ area with bounce house and games
Wiley said many volunteers have worked on the festival, which also has benefitted from the efforts of the Holley villages and school employees.
